St Martin's A-Level Philosophy by

SPEC: Epistemology

AHSPRE — 2025-06-30 16:02:45 UTC

Topics in spec order:

1) What is knowledge?

2) Perception as a source of knowledge

3) Reason as a source of knowledge

4) Limits of knowledge

WATCH: What is Knowledge

AHSPRE — 2025-06-30 16:04:34 UTC

Great intro to What is Knowledge.

READ: Reliabilism

AHSPRE — 2025-06-30 16:09:08 UTC

Read this. Summarise - can you explain Reliabilism and also the responses to it?

Who to Follow

AHSPRE — 2025-07-02 08:04:31 UTC

Social media can be a great way to involve yourself in Philosophy. Even with the living philosophers, there are so many out there you can follow and learn from. Here are some popular chocies that are accessible and definitely worth a follow...

Alex O'Connor (@cosmicskeptic on most platforms)

Alex O'Connor began posting YouTube videos about Philosophy in April 2016 when he was still in Sixth Form. Since then he has amassed more than 1.5m subscribers on YouTube and travelled the world debating the greats - including William Lane Craig and Richard Dawkins. His content across platforms is engaging and clear. Look up podcasts too to support your learning.

Abigail Thorn (@philosophytube on YouTube)

Abigail is an American who has grown her YouTube channel to over 1.6m subscribers. Her content is rooted in Philosophy but covers a huge range of topics and issues - showing the importance and value of Philosophy across all aspects of life and culture.

Jonny Thomson (@philosophyminis on most platforms)

Jonny Thomson is a former Philosophy teacher who began a social media account that grew into a published book. Now he is creating lots of content and interviewing people. He's a good person to follow to broaden your scope in Philosophy in an easy way.

Jeffrey Kaplan (@profjeffreykaplan on YouTube)

Jeffrey Kaplan is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina. His YouTube channel has videos that cover the contents of our A-Level and beyond, in his unique style of writing like it is on a board... He also has advice for those starting University, as well as covering other areas of Philosophy. He is easy to understand, which makes him a worthwhile watch!

SPEC: Mind

AHSPRE — 2025-09-11 08:16:24 UTC

Topics in spec order:

1) What do we mean by mind? (Intentional mental states and qualia).

2) Substance dualism

3) Propery dualism

4) Dualism issues

5) Philosophical behaviourism

6) Mind-brain type identity theory

7) Eliminative materialilsm

8) Functionalism

SPEC: God

AHSPRE — 2025-09-11 08:19:29 UTC

Topics in spec order:

1) Concept and nature of God

2) Ontological arguments

3) Teleological arguments

4) Cosmological arguments

5) Problem of evil

6) Religious language

SPEC: Moral Philosophy

AHSPRE — 2025-09-11 08:21:07 UTC

Topics in spec order:

1) Utilitarianism

2) Kantian deontology

3) Virtue ethics

4) Meta ethics

5) Applied ethics

WATCH: About Behaviourism

AHSPRE — 2025-09-11 08:24:02 UTC

Watch the video above to find out about behaviourism. Then... watch the link below for a "super" counter argument: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRI95Vdc5CU&pp=ygUaamVmZnJleSBrYXBsYW4gYmVoYXZpb3Jpc20%3D

What is God like?

AHSPRE — 2025-09-13 18:25:44 UTC

God is often described as the greatest possible being. He is believed to be all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and present everywhere (omnipresent). God is also thought to be perfectly good (omnibenevolent) and everlasting. These qualities are known as the divine attributes — watch the video to learn more.

What is the Trolley Problem?

AHSPRE — 2025-09-13 18:28:08 UTC

The trolley problem is a famous thought experiment in moral philosophy. It asks whether you should pull a lever to divert a runaway trolley, killing one person instead of five. This highlights the dilemma of acting to cause harm versus not acting and allowing more harm. Utilitarianism links to this by suggesting the right choice is the one that maximises overall happiness, which would mean saving the five lives — but what would you do?

BBC Radio 4 - In our Time

AHSPRE — 2025-09-13 18:33:39 UTC

This radio show explains philosophers, ideas, and history clearly, and hearing experts talk different viewpoints shows you how to think critically. It also helps you learn the language of philosophy, remember tricky ideas, and get examples for essays. You can pick episodes that interest you—try thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Nietzsche, or topics like ethics, consciousness, free will, or existentialism.

Can science prove that God does not exist?

AHSPRE — 2025-09-13 18:36:46 UTC

The BBC Future article "Can physics prove if God exists?" by Monica Grady is useful for A-level philosophy because it looks at how science and religion connect. It asks if God would follow the laws of physics, mentions Einstein and modern science, and encourages thinking about divine power and what we can know. The article is clear and thought-provoking, linking science with philosophical questions.

How do we decide right from wrong?

AHSPRE — 2025-09-13 18:42:07 UTC

The BBC Future article “Deep ethics: The long-term quest to decide right from wrong” by SJ Beard is a great read for you as an A-level philosophy student. It takes you through the history of ethics, from the Golden Rule to Kantianism and utilitarianism, and explains how these ideas try—and sometimes fail—to guide real-world decisions, like those involving AI or global issues. Reading it will help you see how ethical theories develop, understand the challenges of applying them, and think critically about moral reasoning, universal principles, and modern ethical dilemmas.

Summer Transition Booklet

AHSPRE — 2026-06-16 10:33:37 UTC

This booklet should be completed before your first lesson in September. It will give you a taste of some of the fascinating topics you will explore in Year 12. Working through the activities will help you build confidence and prepare for the demands of A-level study. We hope it sparks your curiosity and gets you excited for the course ahead.

The Gettier Problem

AHSPRE — 2026-06-16 10:35:28 UTC

In this video, you will be introduced to one of the most famous challenges in epistemology: the Gettier Problem. The video explores the traditional definition of knowledge as "justified true belief" and then presents examples that seem to show that a person can have a justified true belief without actually having knowledge. As you watch, think carefully about what separates knowledge from a lucky guess. You will need to use the ideas discussed in the video to complete your summer transition work.

In Our Time

AHSPRE — 2026-06-16 10:37:32 UTC

The BBC's In Our Time is one of the UK's most respected discussion programmes, bringing together leading academics to explore important ideas from philosophy, history, religion, science and literature. Listening to episodes such as these is excellent preparation for sixth form because it helps you become familiar with academic discussion, specialist vocabulary and different viewpoints. In the transition booklet, you will find links to the episodes on Virtue Ethics and Utilitarianism, along with a series of tasks to complete as you listen. These activities will help you develop the critical thinking and independent study skills that are essential for success at A-level.

Jeffrey Kaplan

AHSPRE — 2026-06-16 10:39:16 UTC

Jeffrey Kaplan's videos are an excellent resource for A-level Philosophy students. He explains complex ideas in a clear and engaging way, making difficult concepts and arguments more accessible. His videos help students develop a deeper understanding of key philosophers, theories and debates, while also modelling the analytical thinking required at A-level. They are a valuable tool for consolidating learning, revising content and exploring philosophical ideas in greater depth.

Applied Ethics

AHSPRE — 2026-07-13 07:54:25 UTC

SUMMER WORK PACK FOR YEAR 12 INTO YEAR 13