Logic / Philosophy

Course summary

What does it mean to be human? What is the correct thing to do in an ethically ambiguous situation? What is the impact of belief in God on the world? The aim of Philosophy IB is to profoundly study and critically engage with the biggest questions that are at the heart of humanity. You will engage with the ideas of famous thinkers and use their concepts to develop your own philosophical outlook of the world. Philosophy IB has an emphasis on ‘doing philosophy’ and in this sense the course is both intellectually stimulating and profoundly critical; there is an expectation on students to practise philosophy in a tangible way using the skills gathered during the course. The Philosophy IB is an extensive, yet accessible, introduction to the many aspects of Philosophy. The main topics covered are: • Being Human • Ethics • Philosophy of Religion • Set Text The core theme ‘Being Human’ is studied by all Philosophy students. It engages with ideas such as whether humans possess free will, what it means to have a personal identity, and the notion of humanity as rational or irrational beings. The optional topic studied by both Higher and Standard Level is ‘Ethics’. This topic overlaps into the realities of life and asks students to consider whether there is a way to perfect the art of ethical decision-making. Students will have the opportunity to study famous thinkers and then apply these ideas to modern-day relevant situations, such as biomedical ethics and environmental ethics. For students who opt for Higher Level they also get to study ‘Philosophy of Religion’ which considers philosophical arguments for the existence of God. It allows students to engage with ideas such as whether the existence of a higher being can be proved through reasoning and experience or whether religion is nothing more than a social phenomenon. All students have a chance to engage with a set philosophical text and write their own internal assessment which is a great foundation to university life. The set text, Peter Singer’s The Life you can Save, links beautifully with ethics and allows students to consider the feasibility of ending world poverty. Higher Level students are also able to engage with an extension task that asks them to explore what it means to practise and ‘do philosophy’.