Whose celebrating the Philosophy paper….We are!!! Really impressed with OCR’s first set of questions, not just because I successfully predicted the areas but because they were different from previous years (focusing on gaps in the spec rather than repeating similar questions i.e. RE), challenging enough that students could demonstrate all the hard work they have done and interesting for varied discussions. Still sad no NOG (I’m biased though as I LOVE this tropic) but we can all guess what my first predication next year will be (…goodbye John Hick bring in NOG!)

As always when it comes to ethics, it is notoriously hard to predict because there are many question variations (topics asked on their own or as application) and a significant number of areas have already been asked over the years. On this note, I must be clear that I do not share my predictions with you to be correct, I share them with you to give you an idea of what to expect or what to be prepared for. I make my predictions simply by looking at previous questions, recognizing the obvious gaps (using the spec) and making possible questions from here. The question is…are OCR going to ask questions that focus on areas in the spec that have never been asked, a curve ball like last year with no direct application Q’s (maybe a year of ONLY application questions…the horror) or repeat similar questions that have already been asked? So here goes, if I was to write a paper these would be my choices…

Specific questions could be:

1. Euthanasia (with NL or Se) and/or Situation Ethics: ​You could get a specific question on Situation Ethics. E.g. the six propositions (or four working principles asked in 2024 in first year) or “Fletcher’s understanding of agape means nothing more than wanting the best for the person involved in a given situation.” Discuss.​You might also be asked an application question such as: Assess the view that situation ethics is of no help with regard to the issue of euthanasia (last asked in second year 2021) or Assess the view that natural law is of no help with regard to the issue of euthanasia/moral decision making (last asked in the second year 2018).​ There are also a number of areas of the spec for situation ethics that have never been asked. Also, whilst euthanasia came up last year, it has been many years since they have asked an application question for euthanasia. Don’t forget you could get a question on both SE and euthanasia in the same paper (and yes you can answer both if you want to).
2. Utilitarianism: Never been asked in the second year, so any question on utility, hedonic calculus or act vs rule are possible. You might also get a question such as “The strengths of Bentham’s utilitarianism outweighs its weaknesses.” Discuss. Or “It is not possible to reach a moral decision based on the measure of pleasure.” Discuss. Most obvious choice…but is it too obvious? Don’t forget you could be asked a question that just wants you to discuss the normative theory and not apply it to an ethical situation (in this case business).
3. Business Ethics: Every Q asked in the second-year exam specifies either Kant or Util. So a specific Q just on business is likely. Looking at the first-year questions gives us some idea of what might be asked: The only purpose of business is to make a profit” Discuss (asked 2017) or ‘Good business decisions are always good ethical decisions.’ Discuss (asked 2019) or To what extent is corporate social responsibility more important than profit‑making for business? (asked 2024) Globalisation has never been asked in either exam.​
4. Sex Ethics: Specifically on premarital sex, extramarital sex or homosexuality e.g. “No theory is useful when dealing with issues surrounding homosexuality.” Discuss. Or specific to Kant e.g. ‘To what extent can issues surrounding sex ethics be judged as good, bad, right or wrong based on the extent to which duty is best served.’ You could also get a general question such as: To what extent do religious beliefs and practices have a continuing role in the area of sexual ethics. ​I would be extremely surprised if a sex ethics question is not asked this year. Historically examiners usually ask at least two application questions and since there were no application last year, plus a lot of areas of sex ethics that have not been asked (e.g. Kant with Sex ethics or a specific issue) I think it is a strong contender.

Other possibilities (even though ​both topics came up last year, they may ask it again): ​

1. Euthanasia “Voluntary euthanasia should be recognised as always morally acceptable.” Discuss (asked in first year 2023) ​
2. Conscience: focusing on guilt or a broad question on conscience as an umbrella term.

Good luck to all of you! You have worked very hard, so this is your opportunity to show off! Don’t forget to join the live stream on Monday 8th June at 6.00 for last minute exam support:

*Note: I sometimes refer to the exams by the first and second year. This is because OCR still set a paper for students who wish to sit the exam in the first year of the course (formerly known as the AS year), however most colleges no longer do this. The second year refers to the full A level exam (sat by everyone who completes the course) covering all 32 units.

*Important Update* – in the first year exam they have asked 1. ‘In decisions about euthanasia, the religious concept of sanctity of life is the only important issue.’ Discuss 2. Assess the view that in business, whistleblowing should never be allowed. 3. ‘Duty is the most important part of Kantian ethics.’ Discuss

Last year’s Philosophy exam reminded us to always expect the unexpected…Religious Experience was asked for the third year running. With this in mind, we have to be prepared that the exam board could ask curveball questions to avoid people like me ‘accurately’ predicting the questions (I still predicted two out of four topics correctly). This means that they may ask RE for a fourth year running (I doubt it but they still haven’t asked a question on psychological/physiological). Last year they also asked Body/Mind/Soul and RE in both the first year and second year exams. The first year exam this year was Aristotle, Problem of Evil and RE (3 times in 4 years…giving more weight to RE maybe coming up once more in the second year).

I am regularly asked how I decide upon my predictions, I simply judge what hasn’t been asked in a while, study the patterns over previous years (including links between the first year and second year exams) and spot the areas of the spec that have never been asked. You can do the same by checking out my ppt on previously asked questions:

With all this in mind, these predictions are just my own musings and may be completely wrong, so you must still revise all areas on the spec. But if I were going to write an exam paper this is how I would do it…

1. Plato/Aristotle: A comparison between Plato and Aristotle -Evaluate the claim that Aristotle’s Prime Mover is far clearer than Plato’s Form of the Good (asked in the first year 2023) or a comparison on reason vs empiricism. Or Aristotle on his own e.g. Critically discuss Aristotle’s understanding of reality (asked in the first year 2018), 4 causes (asked second year 2019) or Prime Move (asked first year 2024/ second year 2022)​. Examiners like compare questions as they are more challenging. Aristotle has also not been asked in the second year since 2022 but there are no obvious gaps, probably a repeat Q if he does appear on his own.
2. Teleological or Cosmological: You might get a question on evolution or logical fallacies that is open (you can link to either Teleo and/or Cosmo) or specific to one topic. “The challenge of evolution far outweighs the evidence of a designer God.” Discuss or “The logical fallacies in Aquinas’ 3 ways cannot be over come.” Discuss. These are areas of the spec that have never been asked in the first or second-year exam. Or Teleological on its own e.g. Paley (asked in the first year 2025 but not since 2020 second year). Or Cosmological on its own (only one question asked in the second year in 2024) e.g To what extent does Aquinas’ cosmological argument successfully reach the conclusion that there is a transcendent creator? (asked in the first-year exam 2017)​
3. Problem of Evil: ‘Hick’s reworking of the Irenaean theodicy gives some purpose to natural evil’ Discuss. Or ‘The need to create a ‘vale of soul-making’ cannot justify the existence or extent of evils.’ Discuss. It must come up!!!! I’ve been waiting for this one for years. I think the examiners have forgotten that this is part of the spec. Poor John Hick. Is this going to be the year? I would also prepare for Augustine (asked second year 2022), God’s responsibility, logical vs evidential (second year 2019)​.
4. Nature of God: Any question is possible as not asked in 3 years but obvious gaps could be “Swinburne successfully resolves the problems surrounding God’s omniscience and human freewill.” Discuss. Or “God cannot have divine foreknowledge and be fully benevolent.” Discuss.​

Alternative Q (I think these are more unlikely but are obvious gaps from the spec that have not been asked):

• Soul, Mind and Body: ‘Aristotle presents the most comprehensive view of the soul.’ Or “The mind-body distinction is a category error” Discuss. (Unlikely though as came up in both first and second year exams last year – however examiners have over recent years been repeating topics over multiple years).​
• Teleological/ Cosmological/ Ontological: “An a posteriori argument is far more persuasive than an a priori argument.” Discuss. ​Discussion point on the spec that has never been asked – would be a challenging question to control the description and keep it evaluative.
• Religious Experience: “Religious experiences can be explained as a psychological effect.” Discuss. Or “Religious experiences can be explained as a product of a physiological effect not God.” Discuss. (Very much doubt a Q on RE as it has appeared on last three exams but you never know!)​ I doubt this very much because that would mean Religious Experience has appeared in the last four exams but just in case, this is a massive part of the spec that has never featured on the exam.
• Religious Language: Never been asked: ‘Critically discuss the view that the apophatic way enables effective understanding of theological discussion’. (via negativa) I doubt this one either but it is the only part of Religious Language to never been asked in the exam. Also the examiners like to sometimes ask challenging questions, so by using the term ‘apophatic way’ this might catch a few students out if you are not prepared. Language Games have not been asked since 2019.​

Good luck and remember you have worked extremely hard for the last two years so this is your time to show off!!

Live Stream to help with any last minute questions (3rd June at 7.00):

*Note: I sometimes refer to the exams by the first and second year. This is because OCR still set a paper for students who wish to sit the exam in the first year of the course (formerly known as the AS year), however most colleges no longer do this. The second year refers to the full A level exam (sat by everyone who completes the course) covering all 32 units.

This might also help you spot patterns: