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Course structure

AS

Unit 1-Religion and Ethic RSS01

-Utilitarianism

-Abortion and Euthanasia

Unit2- Philosophy of Religion RSS03

-The Cosmological Argument

Two 1hr 15mins exams each worth 90 marks and 50% on AS or

25% of A2.

You must answer two questions each made up of two parts.

Part A is 30 marks knowledge and understanding i.e.

Explain how both Bentham’s Utilitarianism and Mill’s

Utilitarianism may be applied to one ethical issue of your

choice. (Do not choose abortion or euthanasia.)

[30 marks]

Part B will be an evaluation question

‘Abortion should be illegal.’ How far can religion support this

view? [15 marks]

You should spend approx.30 mins on each question

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Assessment objectives

AO1 Select and demonstrate clearly relevant knowledge and

understanding through the use of evidence, examples and

correct language and terminology appropriate to the course of

study. In addition, for synoptic assessment, A Level candidates

should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the

connections between different elements of their course of study.

AO2 Critically evaluate and justify a point of view through the use

of evidence and reasoned argument. In addition, for synoptic

assessment, A Level candidates should relate elements of their

course of study to their broader context and to aspects of human

experience.

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Examiners Reports’

RSS01 Religion and Ethics 1

General Comments

There were full-mark responses to every part of every question on

this paper and some outstanding scripts. However, each AO1

question was fairly precise in its demands and every one of them

attracted some general answers which failed to deal with the

precise question set. The importance of reading and analysing

each question carefully before starting the answer cannot be

emphasised enough. The great majority of students finished the

paper in the time allowed, however some students did not appear

to be allocating their time wisely. The students wrote more for their

AO2 answer than they did in response to the AO1 question,

despite the fact that the latter was worth twice the number of

marks. Some students also wrote over-long and time-wasting

introductions which added nothing to their answer. Better answers

tended to open with a direct response to the question asked.

When tackling AO2, some students reported the opinions of others

rather than offering evidence and argument in support of a point

of view and critical analysis of the reasoning. The great majority of

scripts were legible but there were some which were only partly

so. Students must realise the importance of legibility, and

understand that examiners cannot spend most of their time trying

to decipher their scripts.

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Question 1 Utilitarianism

This was tackled by a large majority of the students and there

were many excellent answers.

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Many showed a greater familiarity with Bentham than with Mill,

and not all the ethical issues chosen gave them much opportunity

to show how Mill’s utilitarianism could be applied. Weaker answers

tended to outline the ideas of Bentham and Mill, and then make a

few comments about ‘what they would say about’ the chosen

issue. Almost all answers gave some account of the hedonic

calculus, and many better answers considered both positive and

negative consequences of the proposed action and showed that

the morally right decision depended on the particular

circumstances. In contrast, some weaker responses only

considered the positive consequences or only looked at the

consequences for a few people. When dealing with Mill, many

students simply referred to rule utilitarianism which was credited,

although many scholars do not identify Mill as a rule utilitarian.

Some of the best answers focused on Mill’s distinction between

the quality of happiness and the quantity of pleasure.

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Many of the best answers to this question focused on situations

where there was a clear choice between ending pain or

increasing pleasure. Scenarios included: giving to charity or

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increasing your own pleasure / happiness by going to the theatre,

and feeding the poor or spending money on unnecessary luxuries.

Those who related the debate to negative utilitarianism generally

made the answer more complicated than necessary, and such

answers often showed limited understanding.

Those who assumed that ‘ending the pain of those who are

suffering’ was a reference to euthanasia often missed the point of

the question as a whole. Some of the best answers focused on

one or more of the following: the long term benefits of each

decision; the quality vs quantity of the happiness that could be

generated; the numbers of people involved; and the limited

impact the actions of any individual might have on ending the

suffering of many. The answer did not have to be answered from a

utilitarian perspective and some made very good use of religious

arguments.

Question 4 Abortion and euthanasia

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In most cases, the best section of the answer to this question was

that dealing with conception. Almost all students understood the

term and could explain why conception may be regarded as the

point at which life starts, after which abortion may be seen as the

taking of an innocent life. There were good explanations of the

sanctity of life and good uses of scripture in many answers. In

contrast the term ‘primitive streak’ was only vaguely understood

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by some students and many missed the idea that if life begins

after conception then abortion, up to that point, is unproblematic.

It would justify for example the use of the morning-after pill which

some regard as a form of early abortion.

Viability was well understood and many considered the

implications for the abortion debate of the blurred distinction

between viable, but unborn babies who are totally dependent on

the mother’s womb, and new-born babies who are totally

dependent on others for their care. Many were aware that the

point of viability was being pushed back by scientific advance

and understood the implications of this for the present time limit for

legal abortions.

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the question and included a range of secular arguments which

could not be credited. Many of those who did focus on different

religious views were able to explore the issue very effectively, with

many arguing that there were exceptions to the ‘no abortion’ rule

that were so important that they justified allowing abortion to be

legal in some circumstances.

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RSS03 Philosophy of Religion

General Comments

As is traditional the most popular questions this year were again

the cosmological argument with religious experience as the

second most popular. Over three quarters of students attempted

the cosmological question. There seemed to be a lot of whole

centres where all the students submitted the same questions.

This suggests that students had not been fully prepared in the

whole specification content for this unit. This meant that students’

choice was limited to only the two topics they had studied, which

is risky as students could be presented with a question that they

do not feel confident in answering. Centres are reminded of the

importance of preparing candidates for all the topics on the

specification. There was also evidence of the use of prepared

responses, which are not tailored to the specific demands of the

question. This year it was noted by many examiners that there was

a distinct lack of personal evaluation in the AO2 questions and

students not attempting to position themselves within the debate.

Legibility remains an issue. Students must realise the importance of

legibility, and understand that examiners cannot spend most of

their time trying to decipher their scripts.

Question 1 The cosmological argument

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This question was answered well in general. Some students

delivered outstanding answers that demonstrated detailed

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knowledge of the two aspects – first mover and necessary being –

using examples to illustrate explanation and with clear expression.

Some students gave a basic definition of the two aspects but

failed to fully explain them or lacked knowledge of the material

required, for example using terms like ‘potentiality’ and ‘actuality’.

Some students, as mentioned in previous reports, gave a simple

rehearsal of Aquinas’ first three ways, which gained some implicit

credit in reference to the question but limited the levels they had

access to. Some students focused on causation rather than

motion which also failed to meet the demands of the question.

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There was underperformance in this question by students and one

reason for this was a misunderstanding by some who gave

answers addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the

cosmological argument rather than to address whether being

able to prove a first mover and necessary being would prove that

God exists. The best students answered this issue directly and

assessed the matter from their own point of view, giving reasoning

for their views.

Question 4 Atheism and postmodernism

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The best students offered a detailed examination of the various

ways in which a postmodernist view of religion responds to

atheism. Some of the highest achievement was made in this

question. A lot of underperformance was noted however, with

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students who obviously did not understand the question but had

no other choice of question, so simply had to struggle on. Weaker

answers did not seem to understand that there was an

postmodernist view of religion that was sympathetic to religion,

and simply rehearsed atheism or used Lyotard to attack religious

claims on the grounds that they were simply meta-narratives.

Underperformance here also seems to be due to students’

lack of ability and understanding to tailor their knowledge and

apply it to the question.

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Some underperformance can be explained here with reference

to the issues above. Highest achieving answers could consider

postmodernism as both an affirmation of religion according to

some and a denial according to others and then position

themselves in the debate with evidence / examples to support

their view.

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Revision Tips

How to revise.

Read the examiners

report , what are the

common mistakes

Use different methiods, cue cards, notes, mind maps

Modernise. use You tune and podcast when the textbook get boring.

Ask me for help when stuck.

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Past Papers

Ethics 1: 2014

Question 1 Utilitarianism

0 1 Explain how both Bentham’s Utilitarianism and Mill’s Utilitarianism may be

applied to one ethical issue of your choice. (Do not choose abortion or

euthanasia.) [30 marks]

and

0 2 ‘Ending the pain of people who are suffering is more important than

increasing the pleasure of people who are not in pain.’ Assess this view.

[15 marks]

Question 4 Abortion and euthanasia

0 7 Examine the following definitions for the start of human life and explain

their relevance to the abortion debate:

conception

primitive streak

viability.

[30 marks]

and

0 8 ‘Abortion should be illegal.’ How far can religion support this view?

[15 marks]

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Philosophy 2014

Question 1 The cosmological argument

0 1 Explain the following aspects of the cosmological argument:

God as the first mover

God as the necessary being.

[30 marks]

and

0 2 ‘Proving that a first mover and a necessary being exists, would prove that

God exists.’ Assess this claim. [15 marks]

Question 4 Atheism and postmodernism

0 7 Examine the ways in which a postmodernist view of religion has responded

to atheism. [30 marks]

and

0 8 ‘Postmodernism has successfully defended religion against the challenges

of atheism.’ How far do you agree? [15 marks]

Ethics 1: 2013

Question 1 Utilitarianism

0 1 Explain the meaning and importance of each of the following in the theory

of Utilitarianism:

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the greatest happiness principle

the consequences of actions. (30 marks)

and

0 2 ‘Happiness cannot be measured.’ How far do you agree? (15 marks)

Question 4 Abortion and euthanasia

0 7 Explain religious and ethical arguments against euthanasia. (30 marks)

and

0 8 ‘Religious arguments against euthanasia are not important today.’

How far do you agree? (15 marks)

Philosophy 2013

Question 1 The cosmological argument

0 1 Explain the following aspects of Aquinas’ cosmological argument:

its basis in observation

the rejection of infinite regress. (30 marks)

and

0 2 ‘The cosmological argument provides no proof for the existence of God.’

To what extent do you agree? (15 marks)

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Question 4 Atheism and postmodernism

0 7 Explain the role of the following in the rise of atheism:

science

evil. (30 marks)

and

0 8 ‘Religion has no effective answers to the challenges of atheism.’

How far do you agree? (15 marks)

You can find more past papers by googling “AQA Religius Studies Past

Papers”

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