Introduction
These notes have been compiled for the AQA AS-level and A-level Philosophy The specification is available to view at
specifications (2175) for the Epistemology component of Unit 1. http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-2175-W-SP-15.PDF.
The revision notes are intended to be exhaustive, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Important Exam Reminders
In the AS, 80% of marks come from AO1 and 20% of marks come from AO2.
The specification has two assessment objectives: In order to demonstrate an It is very helpful to remember Correct usage of technical
understanding of AO1, it is parables, small details and short vocabulary and an understanding
imperative to reconstruct any quotations from the cited works; of the different elements of an
• AO1: Demonstrate understanding of the core
cited arguments faithfully, with a these can be accessed in the idea or argument (e.g. a premise
concepts and methods of philosophy;
keen attention to emphasis and anthology of AQA’s dedicated and a conclusion) and their
• AO2: Analyse and evaluate philosophical
structure. textbook. interrelations are also imperative.
argument to form reasoned judgments.
In demonstrating AO2, it is imperative to reconstruct different arguments, outline where arguments may
disagree with one another and place relative weightings on the strength and importance of such arguments.
Only the fifth question assesses AO2; evaluation of points
There will be five questions for each component: raised in the first four questions will not be credited unless
it is specifically requested in the question.
The AS exam is three hours and The first question will ask you for a short definition, This question is worth two marks; up to two minutes
divided into two components, worth theory or philosophical idea. should be expended on it.
forty marks each (such that an equal The second question will ask you to outline an idea or This question is worth five marks; no more than
amount of time, i.e. 1 hour and 30 argument. 10 minutes should be expended on it.
minutes, should be expended on each The third and fourth questions will
component): ask you to outline an idea or These questions may contain two These questions are worth nine
argument, but in greater detail than parts, asking you to explain two marks; no more than 20 minutes
• Epistemology; the second question or with a greater interrelated ideas or arguments. should be expended on each question.
• Philosophy of Religion. number of points explained.
The fifth question will ask for an This question is the only question in This question is worth fifteen marks;
essay explaining and evaluating an the exam paper that will assess AO2, between 30 and 50 minutes should be
idea or argument. for which eight marks are available. expended on it.
Bibliography
Author(s) Title Publisher Goodreads Link
Dan Cardinal, Jeremy
AQA AS Philosophy Hodder Education https://tinyurl.com/y7xmrrt3
Hayward, Gerald Jones
Chris Hamilton Understanding Philosophy for AS Level Oxford University Press https://tinyurl.com/y7h365wd
Michael Lacewing Philosophy for AS Routledge https://tinyurl.com/y84zujqa
Elizabeth Burns and
Philosophy for AS and A2 Routledge https://tinyurl.com/y7uoklxd
Stephen Law (eds.)
Chris Cluett et al. AQA Philosophy Nelson Thornes https://tinyurl.com/ybqvtpru
Useful Links
Philosophy Specification http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-2175-W-SP-15.PDF
Past Papers and Mark Schemes http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/philosophy/as-and-a-level/philosophy-2175/past-papers-and-mark-schemes
Stanford Encyclopaedia https://plato.stanford.edu/
Routledge Resources http://www.routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9781138793934/
Epistemology and Important Definitions
Veridical refers to something which is real.
Inductive arguments are arguments in A reductio ad absurdum argument is an argument which aims to show that p is
Deductive arguments are arguments
which the truth of the conclusion true because not-p is impossible.
in which the truth of the conclusion is
cannot be guaranteed by the premises, A priori knowledge is knowledge A posteriori knowledge is knowledge
guaranteed by the premises: there is
usually because the argument relies which can be gained without which requires experience in order to
no way in which the premises could
on empirical observations which may experience, such as the laws of be gained, such as that the Earth
be true and the conclusion false.
not hold constant. mathematics, through reason alone. orbits the sun.
X and Y are sufficient conditions of Z if the occurrence of X and Y guarantees
X is a necessary condition of Y if without X, Y cannot happen.
the occurrence of Z.
A truth is logically necessary if it has to be true and could not be false in any A truth is logically contingent if it is true given the relevant circumstances, but
possible world. it could be true in a possible world in which said circumstances were different.
A proposition is a claim about the way the world actually is, which could be A belief is a state of mind or thought which is about the world; it is the mental
true or false. representation that a proposition is true.
A concept is a distinct thought which can be separated from other thoughts; it There is no agreed distinction between concepts and ideas, so the two nouns are
could be considered as a constituent of a proposition or something that does not interchangeable, except for the use of ‘idea’ in a propositional sense (such as:
have a truth value, unlike a proposition. ‘I’ve had a good idea: I should go shopping’).
Philosophers identify four sources of Foundationalism is any theory of knowledge which claims that all knowledge is ultimately derived from one source.
knowledge: Empiricism is the theory of
knowledge that all of a person’s
• experience; Gnosticism is the theory of Rationalism is the theory of
concepts and synthetic knowledge are
knowledge that all knowledge is knowledge that all knowledge is
• revelation; ultimately derived from sense
ultimately derived from revelation. ultimately derived from reason.
• reason; experience (and that they are
• innate ideas. therefore a posteriori).
Something which is innate is something with which a person has been born.
These notes have been compiled for the AQA AS-level and A-level Philosophy The specification is available to view at
specifications (2175) for the Epistemology component of Unit 1. http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-2175-W-SP-15.PDF.
The revision notes are intended to be exhaustive, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Important Exam Reminders
In the AS, 80% of marks come from AO1 and 20% of marks come from AO2.
The specification has two assessment objectives: In order to demonstrate an It is very helpful to remember Correct usage of technical
understanding of AO1, it is parables, small details and short vocabulary and an understanding
imperative to reconstruct any quotations from the cited works; of the different elements of an
• AO1: Demonstrate understanding of the core
cited arguments faithfully, with a these can be accessed in the idea or argument (e.g. a premise
concepts and methods of philosophy;
keen attention to emphasis and anthology of AQA’s dedicated and a conclusion) and their
• AO2: Analyse and evaluate philosophical
structure. textbook. interrelations are also imperative.
argument to form reasoned judgments.
In demonstrating AO2, it is imperative to reconstruct different arguments, outline where arguments may
disagree with one another and place relative weightings on the strength and importance of such arguments.
Only the fifth question assesses AO2; evaluation of points
There will be five questions for each component: raised in the first four questions will not be credited unless
it is specifically requested in the question.
The AS exam is three hours and The first question will ask you for a short definition, This question is worth two marks; up to two minutes
divided into two components, worth theory or philosophical idea. should be expended on it.
forty marks each (such that an equal The second question will ask you to outline an idea or This question is worth five marks; no more than
amount of time, i.e. 1 hour and 30 argument. 10 minutes should be expended on it.
minutes, should be expended on each The third and fourth questions will
component): ask you to outline an idea or These questions may contain two These questions are worth nine
argument, but in greater detail than parts, asking you to explain two marks; no more than 20 minutes
• Epistemology; the second question or with a greater interrelated ideas or arguments. should be expended on each question.
• Philosophy of Religion. number of points explained.
The fifth question will ask for an This question is the only question in This question is worth fifteen marks;
essay explaining and evaluating an the exam paper that will assess AO2, between 30 and 50 minutes should be
idea or argument. for which eight marks are available. expended on it.
Bibliography
Author(s) Title Publisher Goodreads Link
Dan Cardinal, Jeremy
AQA AS Philosophy Hodder Education https://tinyurl.com/y7xmrrt3
Hayward, Gerald Jones
Chris Hamilton Understanding Philosophy for AS Level Oxford University Press https://tinyurl.com/y7h365wd
Michael Lacewing Philosophy for AS Routledge https://tinyurl.com/y84zujqa
Elizabeth Burns and
Philosophy for AS and A2 Routledge https://tinyurl.com/y7uoklxd
Stephen Law (eds.)
Chris Cluett et al. AQA Philosophy Nelson Thornes https://tinyurl.com/ybqvtpru
Useful Links
Philosophy Specification http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-2175-W-SP-15.PDF
Past Papers and Mark Schemes http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/philosophy/as-and-a-level/philosophy-2175/past-papers-and-mark-schemes
Stanford Encyclopaedia https://plato.stanford.edu/
Routledge Resources http://www.routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9781138793934/
Epistemology and Important Definitions
Veridical refers to something which is real.
Inductive arguments are arguments in A reductio ad absurdum argument is an argument which aims to show that p is
Deductive arguments are arguments
which the truth of the conclusion true because not-p is impossible.
in which the truth of the conclusion is
cannot be guaranteed by the premises, A priori knowledge is knowledge A posteriori knowledge is knowledge
guaranteed by the premises: there is
usually because the argument relies which can be gained without which requires experience in order to
no way in which the premises could
on empirical observations which may experience, such as the laws of be gained, such as that the Earth
be true and the conclusion false.
not hold constant. mathematics, through reason alone. orbits the sun.
X and Y are sufficient conditions of Z if the occurrence of X and Y guarantees
X is a necessary condition of Y if without X, Y cannot happen.
the occurrence of Z.
A truth is logically necessary if it has to be true and could not be false in any A truth is logically contingent if it is true given the relevant circumstances, but
possible world. it could be true in a possible world in which said circumstances were different.
A proposition is a claim about the way the world actually is, which could be A belief is a state of mind or thought which is about the world; it is the mental
true or false. representation that a proposition is true.
A concept is a distinct thought which can be separated from other thoughts; it There is no agreed distinction between concepts and ideas, so the two nouns are
could be considered as a constituent of a proposition or something that does not interchangeable, except for the use of ‘idea’ in a propositional sense (such as:
have a truth value, unlike a proposition. ‘I’ve had a good idea: I should go shopping’).
Philosophers identify four sources of Foundationalism is any theory of knowledge which claims that all knowledge is ultimately derived from one source.
knowledge: Empiricism is the theory of
knowledge that all of a person’s
• experience; Gnosticism is the theory of Rationalism is the theory of
concepts and synthetic knowledge are
knowledge that all knowledge is knowledge that all knowledge is
• revelation; ultimately derived from sense
ultimately derived from revelation. ultimately derived from reason.
• reason; experience (and that they are
• innate ideas. therefore a posteriori).
Something which is innate is something with which a person has been born.
