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Philosophy and Critical Thinking

Department staff

Philosophy A Level at Norwich School

'Philosophy is taught throughout the school by inspirational eccentrics'

Tatler Magazine, Good Schools Guide (2007).

Philosophy is something of an interesting and popular innovation at Norwich School. It is over ten years since Francis McIvor (philosophy and classics) decided to create the school's philosophy society, namely 'The Thomas Browne Society'. Named after Norwich's only known philosopher, this society met after school every three weeks, pupils and teachers coming together with no holds barred, to discuss minds like Nietzsche's, Plato's and Marx's. The whole ethical and political spectrum from left to right was assumed as the foundation (and fair game) for discussion.

The society was hugely popular, especially with pupils all those days ago, and it is still going strong today. In 2001, AQA in their wisdom piloted an A level in philosophy. We jumped at the chance to timetable the subject.

Philosophy for children aged 11-14

Philosophy is not restricted to the sixth form at Norwich School. In this respect, every child at Norwich School is taught philosophy. Why teach philosophy to 11 to 13 year olds? At Norwich School we work hard to make our years 11 to 13 (KS3) curriculum radical. For too long knowledge has held priority over understanding in the British model, especially at KS3. We believe that the information-learning system that dominates education, rather than encouraging children to think for themselves, is a failure even on its own terms.  At Norwich School we make our 'independence' our practice by creating an alternative KS3 experience. Among several innovations at KS3 is a course in philosophy for our 11 to 13 year olds. Norwich School offers a course in philosophy which uses literature and film as the starting point for discussion; teachers and pupils discuss the nature of moral and philosophical truth in a spirit of reasonabquestions. Thinking aloud becomes an invitation and an adventure. In classroom debate children are encouraged to be logical, to give good reasons and to judge wisely. The questions raised in this forum are entirely the responsibility of the student body concerned. And so are the answers. The philosophy teachers at this crucial point recognise that they seek to learn from their students. They share the adventure of learning with them and do not enter the classroom with the assumption that they have the knowledge and that the children are there to receive it. If the alternative were the case, there would be no philosophy possible in our KS3 classes. Our teachers have quickly learned to recognise and actively nurture moments of brave thoughtfulness in our classrooms. Speaking from experience, we teachers of philosophy know already that we do not have all the answers, but we know that at their age these children have the best questions.

Philosophy for children aged 14-16

For children aged 14 to 16 (KS4) at Norwich School the philosophy department offers intellectual training as well as the exploration of ideas. At KS4 at Norwich School students are offered a course in Informal Logic by the philosophy department alongside their more traditional GCSE subjects. All of our KS4 pupils receive this training and some twenty or so elect to take an AS level in the subject called 'Critical Thinking'. As head of department I am delighted to have this opportunity to teach pupils how to think not merely what to think. The thinking skills which are assessed by this examination are readily recognised by university academics to be important in and necessary to successful study in many fields (for example, law, social sciences, history, philosophy and many others), evidently, these skills are teachable. Moreover, we are determined at Norwich School that our pupils acquire these skills before they enter the sixth form. KS4 philosophy is characterised by the careful, reflective consideration of reasoned argument; and of the beliefs and claims that comprise arguments.

Philosophy for students aged 16-18

It is difficult to describe the experience of philosophy at A level at Norwich School. I suppose you just have to be there to get it. Some students apply not really knowing what it is and quickly become addicted. We do have our activities: the Thomas Browne Society meets every three weeks and we have links with, and regularly attend lectures by, the philosophy department at UEA. But I have to say this: the lectures our students produce for the Thomas Browne Society are better! The passion and insight with which our students tackle the thought of Plato, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Mill, Marx, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Russell, and Sartre to name but a few this academic year alone is most gratifying. Our results are, as you might expects from such extraordinary, student-led scholarship: second to none. Our Oxbridge record is quite remarkable by any measure. But this is nothing next to the pleasure of teaching in what sixth form used to be about, and should be about again. The joy of learning and thinking and disputing. Young people caring about ideas, getting passionate about ideas. Ideas! Perhaps philosophy at Norwich School is just re-inventing the academic wheel. But then the subject always did that, and it's good to see the wheel turn again.

As I write this article we have three philosophy sets in the sixth form, and behind us several years of outstanding results. Philosophy is taught in every year throughout the school, which is quite distinctive by any comparison. Number 68 we now share with our bigger sisters, the politics and economics departments. The future looks exciting in such an innovative faculty where, we trust, philosophy will continue to thrive.

Michael Mulligan

AQA Examination:

AS Unit 1  An Introduction to Philosophy 1

Written Paper, 1 hour 30 minutes.

Themes: 

Knowledge of the external world

Why should I be governed?

Why should I be moral? 

The idea of God

Persons

The question paper consists of five questions: one question on each theme.

Each question consists of two parts worth 15 and 30 marks.

Candidates must answer two questions. 

Total marks available = 90. 

AS Unit 2  An Introduction to Philosophy 2

Written Paper, 1 hour 30 minutes.

Themes: 

Reason, experience and justification

Tolerance 

The value of art

God and the world

The debate about free will and determinism

The question paper consists of five questions: one question on each theme.

Each question consists of two parts worth 15 and 30 marks.

Candidates must answer two questions. 

Total marks available = 90. 

AQA Examination:

A2 Unit 3  Key Themes in Philosophy

Written Paper, 2 hours.

Themes: 

Philosophy of mind

Political philosophy

Epistemology and metaphysics

Moral philosophy

Philosophy of religion

The question paper consists of five sections: one on each theme Candidates must answer two questions from two different sections (ie on two themes)

Each question is worth 50 marks.

Total marks available = 100.

A2 Unit 4  Philosophical Problems

Written Paper, 1 hour 30 minutes.

Texts:

Hume,  An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

Plato,  The Republic

Mill,  On Liberty

Descartes,  Meditations

Nietzsche,  Beyond Good and Evil

The question paper consists of five sections: one on each text. Each section contains one compulsory question followed by two essay questions. Candidates must choose one section and answer the compulsory question and one essay question. The compulsory question is worth 15 marks and the essay questions are worth 45 marks.     Total marks available = 60.