Y11 into 12 Transition

Summer Work

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Sophie Amundsen is a 14-year-old girl. One day, she begins receiving messages through the mail and a packet of papers, part of a course in philosophy.

Each week I'm going to give you an extract to read from Sophie's World with some questions to answer. I hope this will be a nice way to meet some of the philosophers on the course.

Socrates

What is Philosophy?

Plato

Why are horses the same?

Descartes

Cogito Ergo Sum

Sartre

Existence precedes essence

SOPHIE'S WORLD

RESEARCH TASKS

Philosophy

One of the first key philosophers that you will study in Philosophy is Plato. Your task is to research the man, document his life and what led him becoming one of the greatest thinkers of his time. You must include Plato’s Analogy of the Cave in this piece of work. You can chose how you wish to present this, however, a bibliography is advisable. Maximum 2 pages if typed. This can be in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.

Ethics

For ethics your task is to select at least 3 newspaper clippings which grab your attention and make you question whether something is fair, right, worrying etc. It could be something which makes you question human morals. Please explain the ethical issue involved. Maximum 1 page.

Christian Thought

For developments in religious thought research and summarise what is meant by ‘human nature’. What are the main arguments that there is a distinct human nature that separates us from animals? If there is a human nature, is it fundamentally good or bad? Refer to at least three scholars in your work. Maximum 1 page.