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OCR Philosophy, Ethics & Christianity questionsAncient Philosophical influencesNatural LawAugustine on Human NatureSoul, Mind & BodySituation EthicsDeath and the AfterlifeArguments based on observationKantian EthicsKnowledge of God’s existenceArguments based on reasonUtilitarianismThe person of Jesus ChristReligious experiencesEuthanasiaChristian moral principlesProblem of evilBusiness EthicsChristian moral actionNature and attributes of godMeta-ethicsReligious pluralism and theologyReligious language: Analogy symbolConscienceReligious pluralism and society20th Century religious languageSexual ethicsGender and societyGender and theologyThe challenge of secularismLiberation theologyPhilosophyAncient Philosophical influences (Plato & Aristotle)EasyCritically compare Plato’s rationalism and Aristotle’s empiricism.Does Plato or Aristotle make more sense of reality?Assess Plato’s understanding of realityDoes the world of Forms exist?‘What we perceive are merely shadows’ – How far do you agree?MediumIs Plato right that there is more to reality than we observe?Assess Plato’s analogy of the cave.Assess Aristotle’s four causes.Assess Aristotle’s belief in the Prime Mover.‘Aristotelian teleology is false’ – Assess this view‘The true reality is accessible only by reason’ – Assess this viewIs there more to reality than meets the eye?Evaluate Plato’s purpose for the analogy of the cave.HardCritically compare Plato’s form of the good with Aristotle’s prime mover.Is what we perceive the true reality?‘Aristotelian teleology is outdated’ – How far do you agree?Soul, mind and bodyEasyAssess materialismAssess dualismAre the mind and the body separate?Are Plato’s views on the soul correct?How successful is Descartes’ substance dualism?MediumDoes the soul exist?Should the soul as a spiritual substance be rejected?Can consciousness be fully explained by physical interactions?Can the mind/soul and body problem be resolved?Assess materialist critiques of dualismAssess dualist arguments against materialismIs the soul an essential and immaterial part of a human?‘The soul is only temporarily united with the body’ – Assess this viewIs the soul the form of the body?‘There is a soul but it cannot be separated from the body’ – How far do you agree?Are the mind and body distinct substances?Hard‘Discussion of the mind-body distinction is a category error’ – assess this view.Is the concept of the soul best understood metaphorically or as a reality?Assess the philosophical language of soul, mind and body in Plato and Aristotle’s work. ‘The soul is the way the body behaves and lives’ – Assess this viewArguments based on observationEasyCan the teleological/cosmological arguments overcome their criticisms?Assess the teleological/cosmological argumentCan God’s existence be established by observation?Can evidence of God’s existence be observed?Are there logical fallacies in the teleological/cosmological arguments that cannot be overcome?MediumCan teleological arguments be defended against the challenge of ‘chance’?Do Cosmological arguments jump to the conclusion of a transcendent creator without sufficient explanation?‘Hume’s criticisms of the teleological/cosmological argument succeed’ – How far do you agree?Assess Paley’s design argumentHardIs a posteriori a more successful form of argument than a priori?Is God’s existence better proven by a priori or a posteriori argument?‘A priori argument is stronger than a posteriori’ – Assess this viewAssess Aquinas’ 5th way‘Aquinas’ first three ways show that we should believe in God’ – How far do you agree?Does evolution disprove the teleological argument?Arguments based on reasonEasyAssess Anselm’s ontological argumentDoes the ontological argument justify belief?Are there logical fallacies in the ontological argument that cannot be overcome?MediumCan existence be treated as a predicate?HardIs a posteriori a more successful form of argument than a priori?‘A priori argument is stronger than a posteriori’ – Assess this viewAssess Kant’s criticisms of the ontological argumentAre Gaunilo’s criticisms of the ontological argument the most effective?Religious experienceEasy‘Religious experiences are union with a greater power’ – assess this viewAre religious experiences just illusions?‘religious experience justifies belief in God’ – How far do you agree?MediumAre religious experiences evidence of God?Do religious experiences prove God’s existence?Assess whether testimony and witness is sufficient to validate religious experiences‘Mystical experiences are of God’ – how far do you agree?Assess whether religious experiences are the product of a physiological effectHardAre corporate religious experiences more reliable than individual experiences?How successful are the views and main conclusions of William James?Does the influence religious experiences have show they have a supernatural source?‘Conversion experiences are more reliable than mystical experiences’ – How far do you agree?The problem of evilEasyAssess Augustine’s theodicyAssess Irenaeus’ theodicyCan monotheism be defended in the face of evil?MediumAssess Hick’s sole making theodicyDoes the logical problem of evil succeed?To what extent does the evidential problem of evil challenge belief?Does Augustine’s use of original perfection and the Fall solve the problem of evil?‘Augustine solves the logical problem of evil’ – Assess this view‘Hick cannot solve the evidential problem of evil’ – How far do you agree?Assess Hick’s reworking of the Irenaean theodicy‘natural evil enables human beings to reach divine likeness’ – How far do you agree?HardIs the logical or evidential problem of evil the greater challenge to belief?Is it easier to show that God’s existence lacks evidence than that it is logically impossible?The nature or attributes of GodEasyIs the concept of God coherent?‘The divine attributes of God conflict with each other’ – Assess this viewWhat is the relationship between divinity and time?‘If God is omniscient, humans can’t have free will’ – Assess this viewMediumIs Swinburne correct that God is everlasting/temporal?Assess Boethius and Anselm’s view on God’s relationship with time.Does God know future human actions?Assess Anselm’s four-dimensionalist approach‘God is limited by divine self-limitation’ – how far do you agree?Does God have divine foreknowledge?HardAssess Boethius’ claim that God is eternal/atemporalReligious language: Negative, Analogical or SymbolicEasyAssess the apophatic way (via negative)Assess the cataphatic way (via positiva)‘God can be talked about symbolically’ – How far do you agree?Is symbolic religious language comprehensible?Medium‘Analogy is more effective than symbol for talking about God’ – Assess this viewDoes Tillich capture religious language better than the apophatic way?Critically compare analogy and via negative as methods of approaching religious language.Is God a symbol?HardDoes Tillich get around the issues surrounding the cataphatic way?Religious Language: Twentieth Century PerspectivesEasyAssess logical positivismAssess Wittgenstein’s views on language games.Medium‘Words must have a verifiable connection to empirical reality to be meaningful’ – Do you agree?Assess Flew’s views on religious languageCritically compare Aquinas’ cognitivism with Wittgenstein’s non-cognitivism.Is verificationism an accurate theory of meaning?HardIs religious language non-cognitive?Which was the most convincing point of view in the falsification symposium?Is religious language a form of life?To what extent is Aquinas’ analogical view of religious language valuable in the philosophy of religion.Should non-cognitive approaches influence interpretation of religious texts?EthicsNatural LawEasyDoes natural law provide a helpful method of moral decision-making?Assess Aquinas’s natural law ethics.MediumCan judging something as right or wrong be based on whether it achieves its telos?Does human nature have an orientation towards the good?‘Ethics can be derived from human nature’ – How far do you agree?Assess Aquinas’ claim that there is a tier of natural law between human and divineHow ethical are the primary precepts?HardIs the universe designed with a telos?Does the doctrine of the double effect justify an action?If human nature is sinful, can natural law theory work?Is Aquinas’ account of the four tiers of law correct?Situation EthicsEasy‘Situation ethics provides a helpful method of moral decision-making’ – How far do you agree?Can judging something as right or wrong be based on the extent to which, in any given situation, agape is best servedMediumIs Fletcher’s understanding of agape really religious?Does Fletcher’s view of agape reduce to wanting the best for the person involved in a given situation rather than a religious view.‘The rejection of absolute rules makes situation ethics entirely individualistic and subjective’ – Assess this viewHardAssess Fletcher’s six propositionsAssess Fletcher’s four working principlesKantian EthicsEasyDoes Kantian ethics provide a helpful method of moral decision-making?Can judging something as right of wrong be based on the extent to which duty is best served?Medium‘Moral decision-making without empathy and love is wrong’ – Assess this viewAre categorical imperatives our duty?HardTo what extent is Kantian ethics is too abstract to be applicable to practical moral decision-making?Is Kant correct to base morality on reason?UtilitarianismEasyDoes utilitarianism provide a helpful method of moral decision-makingCan moral judgement be based on the extent to which, in any given situation, utility is best servedMediumIs it possible to measure good or pleasure and then reach a moral decision?Assess act utilitarianismAssess rule utilitarianismHardAssess whether rule utilitarianism successfully improves act utilitarianism.Critically compare act and rule utilitarianismEuthanasiaEasyAssess whether natural law is helpful for dealing with the issue of euthanasiaAssess whether situation ethics is helpful for dealing with the issue of euthanasia‘euthanasia can be the loving choice in some situations’ – assess this view‘euthanasia goes against God’ – How far do you agree?Can euthanasia ever be justified?To what extent is euthanasia morally good?MediumShould a person have complete autonomy to choose euthanasia?Is quality of life a justifiable basis on which euthanasia might be justified?‘Life should never be ended because it is sacred’ – Assess this viewHard‘The religious concept of sanctity of life has no meaning in twenty-first century medical ethics’ – How far do you agree?Critically compare sanctity of life with autonomy as principles for judging the issue of euthanasiaIs there a moral difference between active and passive euthanasia?Critically compare the morality of voluntary with non-voluntary euthanasiaBusiness EthicsEasyHow useful is utilitarianism in dealing with issues in business ethics?Assess whether Kantian ethics applies successfully to business ethicsWhat does it take for business to be ethical?MediumDoes the principle of utility lead to ethical business?‘the categorical imperative leads to ethical business’ – Assess this viewIs Corporate social responsibility just ‘hypocritical window-dressing covering the greedy profit motive of business.Can human beings flourish in the context of capitalism and consumerism?Assess whether corporate social responsibility makes business ethicalTo what extent is whistle-blowing ethical?HardAssess whether globalisation encourages or discourages the pursuit of good ethics as the foundation of good business.Is good ethics good business?Should whistle-blowing be considered good ethical business practice?Meta-ethical theoriesEasyAssess whether ethical terms such as good and bad have an objective factual basis that makes them true or false in describing somethingDo ‘good’ and ‘bad’ reflect only what is in the mind of the speaker?Is the word ‘good’ meaningless?‘Ethical naturalism is true’ – Assess this viewAssess intuitionismAssess emotivismMediumDoes common sense suggest that people just know within themselves what is good and bad?HardCritically compare relativism with absolutismConscienceEasyCritically compare Aquinas and Freud’s view of the conscienceAre the workings of God present in the conscience?Medium‘Freud makes more sense of the concept of guilt than Aquinas’ – Assess this viewDoes a theological approach to conscience work better than a psychological approach?Critically compare Aquinas and Freud’s views on the process of moral decision-making.HardDoes conscience exist at all or is it an umbrella term for culture, environment, genetics and education?Is conscience merely an umbrella term for the psychological factors involved in moral decision making?Sexual ethicsEasyAre secular views on sexual ethics superior to traditional religious views?‘Secular sexual ethics are an improvement on traditional religious views’ – How far do you agree?Assess religious views on sexual ethicsHow useful is natural law in dealing with issues in sexual ethics?How useful is situation ethics in dealing with issues in sexual ethics?How useful is Kantian ethics in dealing with issues in sexual ethics?How useful is utilitarianism in dealing with issues in sexual ethics?MediumDo religious views on sexual ethics have a continuing role today?Are normative theories useful for issues within sexual ethics?Should sexual behaviour be entirely private or a matter of public norms and legislation?Assess Aquinas’ on sexual ethicsShould sexual ethics be judged based on the loving thing to do in each situation?How successful is the categorical imperative applied to sexual ethics?‘Issues in sexual ethics should be judged based on the principle of utility’ – Assess this viewCan premarital sex ever be ethical?Can extramarital sex ever be ethical?Can homosexuality ever be ethical?HardTo what extent are traditional religious views on sexual ethics relevant today?‘developments in religious views on sexual ethics have had a significant impact’ – Assess this viewHave religious view on sexual ethics changed for the better?ChristianityAugustine on Human NatureEasyAre Augustine’s teachings on a historical Fall and Original Sin wrong?Assess Augustine’s teaching on human natureMediumAre Augustine’s teachings on the historical Fall correct?‘Augustine’s views on Original Sin are false’ – How far do you agree?Is Augustine correct that humans can never be morally good?Is Augustine’s view of human nature pessimistic or optimistic?Is Original Sin the explanation of human sin and social corruption?Hard‘There is no distinctive human nature’ – Assess this viewAssess Augustine’s interpretation of GenesisHow convincing is Augustine’s view of God’s grace?Death and the afterlifeEasyDoes God’s judgment take place immediately after death or at the end of time?Is heaven the transformation and perfection of the whole of creation?Is heaven a place/state/symbolIs hell a place/state/symbolWho goes to heaven?MediumIs purgatory a place/state/symbolIs purgatory a state through which everyone goes?Are heaven and hell eternal?Assess limited election‘Everyone goes to heaven’ – Assess this viewIs election unlimited?HardAre all people called to salvation?Is hell eternal?Is heaven eternal?What does the parable of the sheep and the goats suggest about the afterlife?Knowledge of God’s existenceEasyCan God be known through reason alone?Is faith sufficient for belief in God?Assess natural knowledge of God’s existenceAssess revealed knowledge of God’s existence MediumAssess whether the Fall completely removed all natural human knowledge of GodIs faith in God’s revelation in Jesus required to know God?‘Human sin and finitude prevents natural knowledge of God’ – Assess this viewCan God be known through his creation?Does God’s creation reveal his beauty, goodness, design and purpose?HardIs natural knowledge of God the same as revealed knowledge?Is belief in God’s existence sufficient to put one’s trust in him?What is the human intellect capable by itself of discovering about God?The person of Jesus ChristEasyWas Jesus only a teacher of wisdom?Was Jesus more than a political liberator?‘The relationship between God and Jesus was truly unique’ – Assess this viewWas God’s relationship with Jesus very special or truly unique?MediumDid Jesus think he was divine?Hardn/aChristian moral principlesEasyIs the principle of love sufficient to live a good life?Is the Bible a comprehensive moral guide?MediumAre Christian ethics personal or communal?Does the Bible reveal God’s will?‘Christian ethics should combine the Bible, Church and reason’ – How far do you agree?What is the implication for Christian ethics of Jesus’ command to love?HardAre Christian ethics distinctive?Christian moral actionEasyDoes Bonhoeffer put too much emphasis on suffering?Assess Bonhoeffer’s teaching on the relationship of Church and State‘Bonhoeffer’s views on the cost of discipleship are too extreme’ – How far do you agree?MediumIs it possible always to know God’s will?How relevant is Bonhoeffer’s theology today?Should Christians practise civil disobedience?HardAssess Bonhoeffer’s views on the role of the Church.Religious pluralism and theologyEasyAssess exclucivismAssess inclucivism‘Pluralism is true’ – Do you agree?If Christ is the ‘truth’ can there be any other means of salvation?‘All good people will be saved’ – Assess this viewAre there multiple equal paths to salvation?Is Christianity the one path or merely one path to salvation?‘Christianity fully offers the means of salvation’ – How far do you agree?MediumDoes theological pluralism undermine central Christian beliefs?Would a loving God ultimately deny any human being salvation?Is Christianity the normative means of salvation?Hard‘The doctrine of anonymous Christians is false’ – How far do you agree?Religious pluralism and societyEasyHas inter-faith dialogue contributed practically towards social cohesion?Does scriptural reasoning relativise religious beliefs?MediumShould Christian communities seek to convert people from other faiths?Should Christians have a mission to those of no faith?Assess the methods and aims of the scriptural reasoning movementDoes mutual study and interpretation of different religions’ sacred literature benefit society?How should Christians respond to inter-faith dialogue?HardWhat is the best way to develop contemporary multi-faith societies?Have Christian communities responded well to the challenge of encounters with other faiths?How might understanding of different and conflicting religious truth claims be promoted?Gender and societyEasyShould official Christian teaching resist current secular views of gender?Have secular vies of gender equality undermined Christian gender roles?Assess Christian teaching on the roles of men and women in the family and society.How successful have Christian responses to secular views about gender been?MediumIs motherhood liberating or restricting?‘Christian teaching on the gender roles in the family and society is sexist’ – How far do you agree?‘Traditional Christian views on gender roles are more successful than secular views’ – Assess this viewHardIs the idea of family entirely culturally determined?Has Christianity successfully adapted to changing views on family and gender?Gender and theologyEasyIs Christianity essentially sexist?‘A male saviour cannot save women’ – How far do you agree?Critically compare Reuther and Daly’s feminist theologiesCritically compare Reuther and Daly’s attitude towards ChristianityMediumIs Reuther or Daly more convincing regarding sexism and patriarchy in Christianity‘Only women can develop a genuine spirituality’- Assess this viewCan the Christian God be presented in female terms?‘if God is male then the male is God’ – Assess this view.HardIs Reuther or Daly more convincing regarding sexism and patriarchy in mainstream ChurchesCritically compare Reuther and Daly’s views on the maleness of Christ and God.The Challenge of SecularismEasyDoes Christianity cause personal and social problems?Should Christianity be a significant contributor to society’s culture and values?‘Christianity is infantile, repressive and causes conflict’ – How far do you agree?MediumAre spiritual values just human values?Can people be good without God?If we get rid of religion will there be no basis for morality?‘Christianity significantly defines today’s culture and values’ – How far do you agree?Would society be happier without Christianity?Is Christianity the result of wish fulfilment?HardCan Christianity learn and develop from secularism?Assess the views and goals of secular humanismIs Christian belief a personal or public matter?‘Christianity has no place in education or schools’ – Assess this view‘Society has improved because religion was divorced from political power’ – How far do you agree?Liberation Theology and MarxEasyShould Christian theology engage with atheist secular ideologies?Is it right for Christians to prioritise one group over another?‘Christians have nothing to learn from Marx’ – How far do you agree?Should Christians have a preferential option for the poor?MediumDoes Christianity tackle social issues more effectively than Marxism?How appropriate is liberation theology’s use of Marx to analyse social sin?Should the Church concern itself with ‘structural’ causes of social sin?‘The Gospel demands that Christians must give priority to the poor’ – Assess this view‘Christianity has nothing to say about capitalism’ – Assess this viewHardHas liberation theology engaged with Marxism fully enough?Should orthopraxis occur before orthodoxy? ................
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