The VCE Philosophy Study Design 2025 support materials provide teaching and learning advice for Units 1 to 4 and Units 3 and 4 and assessment advice for school-based assessment in Units 3 and 4.
The program developed and delivered to students must be in accordance with the VCE Philosophy Study Design 2025
The VCE Philosophy Study Design outlines the nature and sequence of learning and teaching necessary for students to demonstrate achievement of the outcomes for a unit. The areas of study describe the specific knowledge and skills required to demonstrate a specific outcome. Teachers are required to develop a program for their students that meet the requirements of the study design including: areas of study, outcome statements, Key Knowledge and Key Skills.
Teachers may choose to take advantage of the flexibility of the Study Design when developing a teaching and learning program that responds to student needs. It is the teacher’s decision as to what order the Key Knowledge and Skills are taught, including whether concurrently or separately; to what extent they should be integrated in various tasks; and activities including how much time to spend on each of them. Teachers should note that there is no requirement to teach the Areas of Study within a Unit in the order in which they appear in the Study Design. For example, Units 1 includes a third Area of Study which could be taught separately or integrated with the other Areas of Study. In Units 3 and 4, the content, contemporary debates and philosophical concepts, viewpoints and arguments required by an Area of Study could be taught concurrently or separately. Varying the sequence within the unit of the Study Design may influence the moderation of student work across classes or schools.
Students examine a range of Themes within the first two Areas of Study for Units 1 and 2. Each Theme provides a range of guiding questions though these should not be seen as exhaustive or totally prescriptive. Questions from outside the Study Design can also be introduced.
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TIMELINE FOR ‘ON THE NATURE OF MIND’ UNIT |
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| Lesson | Activity
| Study Design Link (Key Knowledge or Key Skill)
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1–2 Introduction
| - In small groups, make a list of things with the heading ‘what is there?’ Use this list and the differences between different groups’ lists as the beginning of a discussion about the kinds of things we think exist.
- Create a list of objects/concepts and ask students to place these on a scale from ‘real’ to ‘unreal’. Ask students to justify their choices.
- Examine the Platonic theory of forms as an introduction to non-physical entities.
- Read Descartes’s
Meditation 1 and discuss, as a class ,the limitations of sensory knowledge and the certainty with which we view the existence of the physical world.
| debates and philosophical questions that arise from exploration of at least 2 metaphysical themes listed above the meaning of key terms and concepts associated with the chosen themes formulate philosophical questions arising from the problems central to the chosen themes use examples to support philosophical discussions identify and describe key philosophical concepts associated with the chosen themes develop perspectives on philosophical questions associated with the chosen themes central viewpoints and arguments associated with the chosen themes as represented in at least one primary text viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes in general criticisms that can be raised in response to the viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes |
| 3–8 Theory | - Define and discuss the meaning of simple concepts like Substance and theories like Dualism, Materialism and Idealism. Compare these theories using Venn diagrams or similar graphic organisers.
- Read Descartes’s
Meditation 2 and outline the arguments presented there. Ask students to develop critical responses to the presented arguments.
- Define Behaviourism and examine the Little Albert experiment. Discuss how Behaviourism challenges Cartesian Dualism. Identify flaws in Behaviourist thinking.
- Read an extract from David Armstrong’s
The Nature of Mind. Outline and evaluate his core view of the mind and modifications of behaviourism.
- Ask students to research Epiphenomenalism, Functionalism, and Identity theory and make a short presentation to the class.
- Define the Hard Problem. Use a thought experiment like Mary’s Room to aid students in understanding the complexity of the problem.
- Read a short extract from Thomas Nagel’s ‘What is it like to be a bat?’ and consider how this represents and explains the Hard Problem and the inability of physicalism to resolve it.
| the meaning of key terms and concepts associated with the chosen themes viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes in general criticisms that can be raised in response to the viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes identify and describe key philosophical concepts associated with the chosen themes reflect critically on perspectives central viewpoints and arguments associated with the chosen themes as represented in at least one primary text reflect critically on perspectives |
| 9–12 Application | - Consider case studies such as Near Death Experiences, Addiction, Mental Health, Criminal Responsibility, Philosophical Zombies and AI using texts.
- Consider how a theory might respond to the phenomena, what evaluative remarks can be made about the phenomena, and the theory’s ability to make sense of it (the real world implications of the theory and phenomena).
| debates and philosophical questions that arise from exploration of at least 2 metaphysical themes listed above criticisms that can be raised in response to the viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes formulate philosophical questions arising from the problems central to the chosen themes develop perspectives on philosophical questions associated with the chosen themes explain the interplay between relevant contemporary debates and viewpoints and arguments relating to metaphysical problems |
| 13–15 Assessment Preparation | - Provide students with advice on how to effectively respond to short-answer questions in Philosophy, including the difference between outlining and evaluating, the requirements for comparing, and the importance of using clear precise language alongside examples to help articulate thinking.
- Provide practice assessment tasks for students to complete and provide marking guides and opportunities for peer-to-peer and teacher-to-student feedback.
| formulate and defend justified positions on metaphysical questions using precise language |
16 Assessment Task
| - Ask students to complete a short test that encompasses: explaining, comparing, evaluating, and applying theories and concepts studied in the topic.
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Timeline for On the Foundations of Morality Unit – 14 x 50 minute lessons = 700 minutes / 11.67 hours |
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| Lesson | Activity
| Study Design Link (Key Knowledge or Key Skill)
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1–3 Is morality subjective or objective?
| - As a class, discuss a series of common statements such as ‘It is wrong to speed in your car’ or ‘It is good to give to charity’ or ‘You should never wear white after Labour day’. Discuss which of these represents a personal choice and which a moral norm, and justify these determinations.
- Consider a variety of moral principles and discuss, as a class, the degree to which each contains subjectivity. Discuss sources of objectivity and analyse the degree to which these sources could shed light on moral principles.
- In small groups, make lists of sources of moral principles such as religion and parents. Consider which sources you have derived your principles from. Why are some sources having an impact on your values while others are not? What does this tell us about the nature of moral principles?
- Individually, in pairs, or as a class, construct a glossary with definitions for key terms and concepts associated with ethics and morality. For example: good, bad, evil, charity, justice, ethics and so on, and gradually refine these during the unit.
- Consider ethical theories such as Naturalism and Relativism and discuss the effectiveness and criticisms of these theories on sources of moral principles. Apply these theories to your own moral principles to determine if they lead to absurd results.
| the meaning of key terms and concepts associated with the chosen themes formulate philosophical questions arising from the problems central to the chosen themes identify and describe key philosophical concepts associated with the chosen themes |
4–5 What is the relationship between religious belief and morality? | - Research a religion and present its moral beliefs to the class. Discuss how the moral beliefs relate to other beliefs held within the faith.
| central viewpoints and arguments associated with the chosen themes as represented in at least one primary text concepts, viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes in general criticisms that can be raised in response to the viewpoints and arguments central to the chosen themes identify and describe key philosophical concepts associated with the chosen themes
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| 6,What is the relationship between nature and morality? | - Examine animal behaviours such as the reproductive process of the mallard duck or the parenting roles of emperor penguins, and consider the moral challenges these behaviours pose.
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| 7–9 What is the ‘is-ought gap’ and can it be bridged? | - Read an extract from David Hume’s
A Treatise of Human Nature on ‘Hume’s Fork’ and discuss the difficulty in making statements about what should ideally be the case as opposed to what is in reality the case. Then try to justify moral statements only using facts from the world. Finally, challenge these justifications to illustrate the leap in thinking required to derive an ‘ought’ from an ‘is’.
- Use a thinking tool such as a Venn Diagram to describe the differences between ‘is’ and ‘ought’. Is the distinction valid? Make explicit the arguments to make these distinctions by considering, for example, David Hume or G.E. Moore.
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| 10 What is nihilism? | - Research the theory of nihilism and common proponents such as Friedrich Nietzsche. Write a short imaginative paragraph describing a person or society that subscribed to such a principle. Reflect on this piece to consider whether nihilism is a worthwhile theory.
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| 11–12 Is it possible to speak of moral progress? | - Engage in a deep dive into the history of a nation and consider its choices over time to discuss the prospect of moral progress.
- In small groups, imagine what a society that has become ‘perfectly moral’ might look like and discuss whether such a society is sensible or impossible as a process for examining moral progress. Consider also creating a short piece of creative writing outlining what this society might be like.
| the interrelationships between ethical and moral problems associated with the chosen themes and relevant contemporary debates formulate philosophical questions associated with the problems central to the chosen themes reflect critically on perspectives explain the interplay between relevant contemporary debates and viewpoints and arguments relating to the chosen themes |
| 13–14 Assessment | - Write an essay exploring whether moral progress is possible and what this means for the nature of ethical judgements and morality itself.
| use examples to support philosophical discussions explain the interplay between relevant contemporary debates and viewpoints and arguments associated with the chosen themes develop perspectives on philosophical questions associated with the chosen themes formulate and defend philosophical positions on ethical and moral problems using precise language |
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Timeline for The Good Life and the Individual Unit – Question based approach 31 – 41 x 50 minute lessons approx. = 1550-2050 minutes/25.8-34.1 hours approx. |
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| Lesson | Activity
| Study Design Link (Key Knowledge or Key Skill)
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Introduction of concepts – 1–2 lessons
| - Work with your peers to create a class definition of words such as happiness, freedom, pleasure, duty, blame, praise, and meaningful. Create posters defining these terms and place them around your classroom. As you encounter these concepts in set texts, add refinements to your class posters based on the arguments presented.
- Write reflectively on how you interpret words and concepts such as human nature, wisdom, creativity, authenticity, pain, egoism, altruism and teleology. As you encounter these concepts in set texts, compare the opinions of thinkers to your own views.
| explain, analyse and apply philosophical concepts |
| What role do pleasure and self-discipline play in a good life? 5–6 lessons | - Read or listen to an audio tape of Aesop’s fable
The Flies and the Honey. Use this text as inspiration for a short discussion around the dangers of pleasure and the importance of self-discipline in relation to the general question on the role pleasure and self-discipline play in a good life.
- Make a list of things that you find pleasurable. For each entry in the list, indicate on a scale the extent to which this pleasure is ‘good for you’ or ‘bad for you’. Discuss your perspectives as a group and note the differences in opinion that develop over the class. Alternatively, complete a similar activity but with a pre-set list of pleasurable things. Use this as impetus for a reflection on the general question on the role pleasure and self-discipline play in a good life.
- Summarise the major conclusions of the set texts on the good life in relation to the general questions from the outcome onto post-it notes or cue cards. Put these up on a wall in the classroom. Link key ideas together by string and put post-it notes or cue cards on the string which explains the relationship. Alternatively, set up some butcher’s paper on a wall and ‘graffiti’ the wall with summary notes from the set texts. Select one conclusion from the wall and write an evaluation of the conclusion and the argument used to reach it that either supports or critiques the position in relation to the general questions from the outcome. Add this to the wall.
- Summarise the major conclusions of the set texts on the good life in relation to the general questions from the outcome onto post-it notes or cue cards. Put these up on a wall in the classroom. Link key ideas together by string and put post-it notes or cue cards on the string which explains the relationship. Alternatively, set up some butcher’s paper on a wall and ‘graffiti’ the wall with summary notes from the set texts. Select one conclusion from the wall and write an evaluation of the conclusion and the argument used to reach it that either supports or critiques the position in relation to the general questions from the outcome. Add this to the wall.
| recognise arguments, identifying the premises, the support given for the premises, conclusions and any assumptions made outline and analyse viewpoints and arguments using appropriate terminology offer relevant criticisms of arguments by assessing the plausibility of premises and any assumptions made and showing whether the conclusions follow from the premises
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| What is the nature of happiness and what is its role in the good life? 5–6 lessons | - Research an online list of short quotes or maxims about happiness (for example:
40 Best Quotes About Happiness to Help you Feel Great). Make a list of key qualities or experiences that are associated with happiness within the website and group them to create a compendium of happiness traits. As a class, discuss whether the traits can be ordered in terms of importance to happiness. Use this as impetus for reflection on the general question on the nature and role of happiness in a good life .
- Write a reflection at the start of the unit on what you think happiness is. Rewrite this reflection at the end of the unit considering your studies of set texts and compare the two pieces. How has your reading of philosophy changed your perspective on happiness? Use this as further impetus for reflection on the general question on the nature and role of happiness in a good life.
- Summarise the major conclusions of the set texts on the good life in relation to the general questions from the outcome onto post-it notes or cue cards. Put these up on a wall in the classroom. Link key ideas together by string and put post-it notes or cue cards on the string which explains the relationship.
- Create personal notes summarising the set texts’ key arguments (perhaps in standard form) in relation to general questions from the outcome. Use these notes as the basis for reflective writing on the effectiveness of the arguments presented.
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| What role do love and friendship play in the good life? 5-6 lessons | - Make a list of different kinds or types of ‘love’ (for example maternal, paternal, brotherly, sisterly, collegiate, romantic, platonic). For each one, try to define what specifically makes this love what it is, how it differs from other identified types of love, and what purpose it seems to serve in a life. Can it be said that some forms of love are more useful than others? Justify your thinking. Repeat this process for ‘friendship’. Use these reflections as stimulus for further writing on the general question from the outcome on the role of love and friendship in the good life.
- Read or listen to an audio tape of Aesop’s fable
The Lion in Love. Use this text as inspiration for a short discussion about the function of love in so far as it relates to the general question from the outcome on the role of love in a good life.
- Research examples of people living in isolation (for example, the
ABC Foreign Correspondent program ‘Living Lonely and Loveless in Japan’ and determine the extent to which such people are able to engage in good lives. Use this as stimulus for reflective writing on the potential need for social connections for living a good life in relation to the general question from the outcome on love and friendship.
- Summarise the major conclusions of the set texts on the good life in relation to the general questions from the outcome onto post-it notes or cue cards. Put these up on a wall in the classroom. Link key ideas together by string and put post-it notes or cue cards on the string which explains the relationship.
- Create personal notes summarising the set texts’ key arguments (perhaps in standard form) in relation to general questions from the outcome. Use these notes as the basis for reflective writing on the effectiveness of the arguments presented.
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| To what extent is the good life dependent on freedom and authenticity? 5–6 lessons | - Listen to a famous speech on freedom (for example Martin Luther King Jr’s
I have a dream). Analyse it to determine what value the speaker sees for freedom and the danger the speakers see in people not having freedom. Evaluate these positions in connection to the general question from the outcome on freedom and authenticity.
- Read an article on the potential value of ‘being yourself’ (for example,
Alexander Stern’s essay). Take note of the arguments made either in favour of authenticity or against it. Evaluate these arguments in connection to the general question from the outcome on freedom and authenticity.
- Summarise the major conclusions of the set texts on the good life in relation to the general questions from the outcome onto post-it notes or cue cards. Put these up on a wall in the classroom. Link key ideas together by string and put post-it notes or cue cards on the string which explains the relationship.
- Create personal notes summarising the set texts’ key arguments (perhaps in standard form) in relation to general questions from the outcome. Use these notes as the basis for reflective writing on the effectiveness of the arguments presented.
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| Consolidation 3–4 lessons | - Create a table of key terms, concepts, and questions from the course and summarise each set text in so far as it responds to each of those terms and concepts and in relation to general questions from the outcome. Note similarities and differences between texts. For extension, develop evaluative positions on the texts’ ideas and add these to the table also. Finally, develop arguments that evaluate which positions seem strongest both in the set texts and more generally in relation to general questions from the outcome.
- Create Venn diagrams comparing the set texts on key questions and concepts from the course especially in relation to general questions from the outcome. Use these to visualise where the texts are similar and different.
| critically compare viewpoints and arguments by comparing the plausibility of the premises or viewpoints, any assumptions made and the quality of the reasoning used
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| Application 2–3 lessons | - Compare the role of key concepts as laid out in set texts to the role those same concepts seem to play in contemporary society in relation to general questions from the outcome. Use this comparison for a reflection of the relevance of these ideas today and whether they have need to change from the understandings laid out in the set texts in light of contemporary life.
| use examples from applied philosophical and non-philosophical sources to support philosophical discussion develop perspectives on philosophical questions develop perspectives on questions of relevance to contemporary living |
| Assessment 4–8 lessons (including revision/practice) | - Students complete a short-answer test on one or more of the set texts in relation to one or more of the set questions.
- Students complete an extended response or essay on the broad question of the good life for the individual, taking into account at least one of the set questions.
| Note: these assessments can occur at any point during this unit and do not both need to occur at the end. |
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Timeline for Foundations of Belief Unit – Text based approach |
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| Lesson | Activity
| Study Design Link (Key Knowledge or Key Skill)
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Introduction of concepts – 1–2 lessons
| - Consider opinions you have developed prior to studying this topic about belief in terms such as: knowledge, belief, perspective, experience, testimony, expertise, truth, trust, consensus, authority, fact, reason, intuition, perception, influence, falsity, peer disagreement. Write personal definitions of these terms and compare them to the understandings found in set texts over the course.
- Brainstorm, as a class, what might be meant by terms such as: epistemic justice, epistemic injustice, and epistemic community. Make lists of examples or issues or groups who might fit into these groups.
- Consider examples from popular culture (such as the rise of fad diet culture/misinformation during the Voice referendum/the development of values within cults) where perceived expertise and personal experience through testimony can be misleading or even dangerous to hearers and the process of knowledge acquisition. Reflect on the function of experience, testimony and expertise in light of this potential for abuse. Use this as impetus for reflection and discussion regarding the general question from the outcome on testimony and experience.
- Consider examples from legal and scientific sources where experience, testimony, and expertise were vital to conclusion development. Alternatively, consider examples where they were used erroneously to create false beliefs, such as examples from wrongly convicted people or pseudo-scientific ideas. Use this as impetus for reflection and discussion regarding the general question from the outcome on testimony and experience.
| explain, analyse and apply philosophical concepts |
Introduction of key questions – 4–8 lessons Select 1–2 activities for each key question to introduce them to students. One activity is selected for each question in this example.
| What role should experience, testimony and expertise play in the formation of and justification for belief?
- Consider examples from popular culture (such as the rise of fad diet culture/misinformation during the Voice referendum/the development of values within cults) where perceived expertise and personal experience through testimony can be misleading or even dangerous to hearers and the process of knowledge acquisition. Reflect on the function of experience, testimony and expertise in light of this potential for abuse. Use this as impetus for reflection and discussion regarding the general question from the outcome on testimony and experience.
- What responsibilities, if any, do we have to ourselves and others in regards to belief, belief formation and justification?
- Examine the role of education in belief formation. Consider the function teachers play in helping students to learn how to justify their thinking and cement their beliefs. Reflect on the value of this process and the outcomes should such a process not be engaged by a society. Discuss, as a group, the advantages and risks of teaching ways of thinking rather than allowing them to develop spontaneously. Use this as impetus for discussion of the general questions of the outcome on responsibility to others regarding their beliefs and the circumstances under which we should trust others’ assertions.
- Under what circumstances should we trust assertions made by others?
- Consider sources we are likely to trust and evaluate the justification people might have for having this trust. For example, justification for trusting parents might be their perceived authority or history of nurturing. Or justification for trusting police might be the belief that they are trained well and are created with the intention of them acting in the interest of the public. Use this as impetus for discussion regarding the general question from the outcome on trusting others' assertions.
- What should we do in light of others holding beliefs that disagree with ours?
- Discuss the role of activism, protest and debate in working towards changing others’ minds when it is found that they hold different beliefs. Research historical examples where this process was successful and where it was not and consider the reason for the success or lack thereof as part of a reflection on the role these play in belief formation and defence. Use this as impetus for discussion surrounding the general question from the outcome of our responsibilities to others in relation to beliefs and belief formation as well as the obligations we may have when confronted by beliefs that disagree with our own.
| develop perspectives on philosophical questions
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| Text Studies – 15–25 lessons. Engage in a close reading of each text in relation to their arguments and how they relate to each of the set questions. The length of this is dependent on the length and number of texts set. As there are many ways to study a text, a selection of activities from across the supporting materials is provided here as an example. | - Engage in small-group role-play discussion comparing philosophers views.
- Summarise the major conclusions of the set texts on the good life in relation to the general questions from the outcome onto post-it notes or cue cards. Put these up on a wall in the classroom. Link key ideas together by string and put post-it notes or cue cards on the string which explains the relationship. Alternatively, set up some butcher’s paper on a wall and ‘graffiti’ the wall with summary notes from the set texts. Select one conclusion from the wall and write an evaluation of the conclusion and the argument used to reach it that either supports or critiques the position in relation to the general questions from the outcome. Add this to the wall.
- Create a table of key terms, concepts, and questions from the course and summarise each set text in so far as it responds to each of those terms and concepts in particular in relation to the general questions from the outcome. Note similarities and differences between texts. For extension, develop evaluative positions on the texts’ ideas and add these to the table also. Finally, develop arguments that evaluate which positions seem strongest both in the set texts and more generally.
| recognise arguments, identifying the premises, the support given for the premises, conclusions and any assumptions made outline and analyse philosophical viewpoints and arguments using appropriate terminology offer relevant criticisms of arguments by assessing the plausibility of premises and any assumptions made, showing whether the conclusions follow from the premises, and analysing the potential consequences for belief, belief formation and justification critically compare viewpoints and arguments offered in the set texts by comparing the plausibility of the premises or viewpoints, the strength of the assumptions made and the quality of the reasoning used |
| Connect to unit 3: the interrelationship between believing well and living well – 2 lessons | - Return to discussions from Unit 3 regarding the key elements to living a good life and consider what role effective beliefs have in a good life. Reflect on how previously studied philosophers might view the importance of effective belief formation and evaluate these positions.
- Examine people who have belief systems based on flawed thinking or error. For example, people who become embroiled in cults or extreme movements or enamoured with persuasive speakers who promoted false beliefs. Consider examples such as: Multi-level marketing schemes containing moral values (such as: Herbalife/Mary K/Scentsy/LuLaRoe), Andrew Tate, The People’s Temple church, Children of God, Branch Davidian, The Manson Family, Twin Flames, Teal Swan, Jared Leto’s ‘Mars Island Retreat’, and Belle Gibson. Use these examples as impetus for discussion and reflection on the dangers of false beliefs. Create posters looking at the beliefs held, the positive and negative outcomes of these beliefs for people’s lives and the likely responses of philosophers.
- Reflect on set texts in Unit 4 and how they would respond to the question of the relationship between living well and believing well.
| reflect critically on perspectives and the relationship between believing well and living well |
| Assessment 4–8 lessons (including revision/practice) | - Students complete a short-answer test on one or more of the set texts in relation to one or more of the set questions.
- Students complete an extended response or essay on the broad question of the good life for the individual taking into account at least one of the set questions.
| Note: these assessments can occur at any point during this unit and do not both need to occur at the end. |
Students study at least one primary philosophical text for the first two Areas of Study for Units 1 and 2 and study a range of primary texts for Units 3 and 4. A text need not be an entire work but can be a substantive extract from a work. For VCE Philosophy, ‘primary text’ is defined as any text that offers a positive argument or viewpoint rather than mere critique. Teachers can also use secondary texts, commentaries on a primary text or summaries of a school of thought, to expose students to philosophical thinking. Secondary texts can be used to facilitate students’ understanding of a text or extract, a key philosopher or the broader philosophical or historical context in which the text or extract is situated. Teachers may also like to make judicious use of supplementary readings, commentaries and criticisms selected for any Theme to develop a richer understanding of the Areas of Study. Some useful supplementary sources may be found in other areas of scholarship such as religious texts, psychological or sociological studies or current media articles. Of course, teachers should always emphasise the philosophical implications in any additional resource, but these additional resources may offer some meaningful engagement or discussion for students.
By studying primary texts in Units 1 and 2, students develop their ability to critically analyse and evaluate texts – skills essential for completion of the VCE Philosophy course. Teachers can use the guiding questions for each Theme to help identify an appropriate thinker for closer study. The Study Design offers a number of suggested thinkers who have written on and made a significant contribution to each Theme. These are suggestions only and teachers are encouraged to select their own primary texts for study in each Theme. When selecting primary texts for Units 1 and 2, appropriate examples of philosophical viewpoints and arguments should be used to support, stimulate and enhance student understanding of the Key Knowledge for each Area of Study. Teachers also need to ensure that specific philosophical ideas or thinkers are accessible for students: Some works discuss a range of inter-related concepts (for example, an ethical text using language of epistemology) which may need further explanation and discussion so that students can meaningfully engage with a text.
Primary texts should be selected purposefully. For example, some of the first western philosophers, the pre-Socratics, were metaphysicians interested in ontological questions. As such, students could be introduced to the ideas of ancient Greek philosophy in Unit 1 Area of Study 1, putting the development of philosophical thought into historical context. Another approach is to select philosophers thought to be essential to the various Themes. A third approach is to consider the selected philosophical thinkers or ideas in relation to other thinkers or ideas. For example, students could study the sceptical philosophy of David Hume for Area of Study 2 and the attempts by others like Immanuel Kant to solve the sceptical issues raised. Another further thought is to focus unit development on the key questions and consider thinkers as they relate to those questions specifically regardless of historical or other concerns.
When studying primary texts in Units 1 and 2, teachers should encourage students to critically reflect on relevant philosophical, historical and contemporary debates and issues. Considering how the philosophical components of the texts studied and key questions of the Themes continue to have relevance in contemporary society is one of the aims of the Study Design.
The VCAA publishes a list of set or prescribed extracts for study annually in Units 3 and 4. These are known as ‘set texts’ in the Study Design. It is crucial that teachers ensure they have the correct set texts for study each year, including the correct editions of the texts as well as the relevant chapters, sections or pages for study.
A range of ancient, modern and contemporary texts are often prescribed in Unit 3 and 4. Teachers may elect to study the ancient texts first and the modern texts second within each Area of Study, or may choose to examine each set text chronologically, beginning with the ancient texts and progressing to the modern or contemporary texts. Another approach is to use the Key Knowledge, for example the guiding questions and concepts, to study multiple texts at one time. Teachers should bear in mind the requirements of the Outcomes for each Area of Study; for example, to compare viewpoints and arguments across the set texts.
Unit 1
This Unit focuses on metaphysics, epistemology and philosophical inquiry; in particular, logic.
The first Area of Study for Unit 1 concerns philosophical inquiry. This Area of Study is primarily focused on students’ skill development and awareness of the rational and critical nature of philosophy. Philosophy is as much a process for thinking as it is a body of thought about a range of interesting questions and it entails the development of reasoning skills and critical abilities. While reasoning skills are central, philosophical inquiry analyses factors such as experience, imagination and emotions and evaluates the role they play in arguing a philosophical position. For example, analogical reasoning draws on imagination. There are no Themes in Area of Study 1. Teachers may like to teach this Area of Study prior to embarking on the philosophical themes of the other Areas of Study. This sequence is useful to ensure students can develop adequate reasoning skills which can then be applied to the Themes. Alternatively, this Area of Study can be easily incorporated into Areas of Study 2 and 3. For example, the study of cognitive biases fits in well with the study of epistemology for Area of Study 3. If choosing to teach the Areas of Study concurrently, teachers should ensure that explicit attention is paid to the Key Knowledge and Skills of Area of Study 1 and include appropriate learning activities.
In Area of Study 2, students study metaphysics, one of the oldest areas of Western philosophy. Students are required to study at least two of the six Themes offered in the Study Design and they must examine at least one primary text in at least one of the Themes for this Area of Study. Epistemology is the topic for Area of Study 3 in Unit 1. Students are required to study Theme 1 ‘On knowledge’ and at least one other Theme. They must examine at least one primary text in at least one of the Themes for this Area of Study.
Teachers may like to concurrently study the Themes of Unit 1. For example, the issue of objectivity and subjectivity lies across the study of metaphysics and epistemology: whether there is something that exists independently of anyone’s perception or whether the perception of an object is intrinsic to the object’s existence or properties. If perception is important to the existence of objects, then conceptual analysis and introspection may be legitimate tools for philosophical discovery. Another example is the difference between rationalist and empiricist perspectives on reality. A third might be scepticism and whether anything can be known at all. Teachers will note that each of these examples draws the various threads of metaphysics and epistemology close together; to assert the existence of something raises the question of how we know it to be true. Teachers may, however, prefer to keep each Theme discrete and then spend time comparing and relating the conclusions of each Theme to what has been previously explored. Teachers should also be aware of the requirement to point out the relevance of the exploration of metaphysics and epistemology to a range of contemporary debates. Some example topics are provided in the respective Areas of Study. Teachers can select how much focus to place on selected debates; for example, as illustrative examples or a detailed case study. In planning, teachers should consider the contemporary debates for students to encounter and gradually foster the conceptual and analytical skills necessary to engage with these. The use of curated resources and other guiding instructions can foster students’ conceptual and analytical skills.
Unit 2
In Area of Study 1 of this unit, students have the opportunity to grapple with a range of questions within the study of ethics and moral philosophy. Students must study two of the three Themes provided in the Study Design, though teachers will find that some of the questions provided will overlap between each Theme. Teachers must ensure that students study at least one primary text or extract in at least one of the Themes. Most of the thinkers recommended for Unit 2 in the Study Design are modern or contemporary. This certainly does not preclude the possibility of examining the perspectives of ancient philosophers for the Themes. The Study Design encourages the exploration and consideration of ethical issues through application of philosophical ideas and philosophical inquiry to contemporary debates.
Area of Study 2 offers the opportunity to explore political philosophy, aesthetics or both. Students must explore two of the four Themes provided in the Study Design and must examine at least one primary text for at least one Theme in this Area of Study. Some of the key questions in the Themes for Area of Study 2 link to Area of Study 1. For example, the ethical concerns of Area of Study 1 blend or progress well into a range of discussions on rights and responsibilities, punishment and the role of the state in enforcing moral standards, among other points for discussion within political philosophy. Another approach is to link students’ understanding from Area of Study 1 to the exploration of the nature of beauty and art, whether art has moral value or to the issues of interpretation and censorship.
The final component of Unit 2, Area of Study 3 is called Philosophy: its nature, purpose and value. This outcome is designed to allow students to apply their skills and knowledge of Philosophy to Philosophy itself, with a view to critically discussing its purpose and value. This topic is probably best studied last in Unit 2, as this will allow students the greatest amount of exposure to different ideas and thinkers’ approaches to Philosophy as stimulus for a discussion of Philosophy. Unlike the other Areas of Study in Unit 2, there are no suggested thinkers or themes to consider. Rather, the focus is on the student themselves and their reflections on the experience of studying philosophy. This Area of Study lends itself well to cross-curricular discussions, as comparison between thinking and approaches in Philosophy alongside other disciplines is suggested within the Key Knowledge.
Unit 3
The close study, discussion and contemplation of the arguments and viewpoints of the set texts account for a large portion of the teaching and learning in Units 3 and 4; however, they should not exhaust the teaching and learning time available. Teachers should carefully teach to the Study Design rather than merely teach the analysis and evaluation of the set texts. Students use the set texts to engage with a range of important concepts, viewpoints and arguments, and contemporary debates relevant to the Key Knowledge and Skills identified for each Outcome.
Unit 3, Area of Study 1 focuses on the good life and the individual. Students examine and critically discuss a range of philosophical concepts, viewpoints and arguments related to living a good life as a singular person. They learn to discuss and apply their understanding of the Key Knowledge, including ideas from the set texts, to a range of questions of contemporary living, including questions of freedom, pleasure, happiness, love, friendship and authenticity.
In Area of Study 2, students broaden the discussion from Area of Study 1 to include exploration of how we ought to consider others in relation to the good life. In this Area of Study, there is a particular emphasis on community and social interaction. Questions of obligations to others, rights and justice, and moral goodness are all central to this Area of Study. As with Area of Study 1, students learn to apply the Key Knowledge, including the conclusions of the set texts, to a range of questions of contemporary living, including questions of societal organisation, relationships between humans and non-human animals alongside the natural world, and obligations we may have as individuals to support those around us.
Unit 4
Unit 4, Area of Study 1 focuses on foundations of belief and believing. Students examine and critically discuss a range of philosophical concepts, viewpoints and arguments. They learn to discuss and apply their understanding of the Key Knowledge, including ideas from the set texts, to a range of questions regarding beliefs that include questions of experience, testimony, expertise, trust, potential responsibility to change or challenge the beliefs of others, and processes of justification. In addition, students are called upon to consider how believing ‘well’ might relate to ‘living well’. Hence there may be some crossover of ideas between Unit 3 and Unit 4 in that students can use ideas and concepts they encountered in Unit 3 as they discuss and critique the unique ideas encountered in Unit 4. However, this does not suggest that students should study Units 3 and 4 concurrently – they should not. This would be a significant error and would disadvantage students.
Unit 4, Area of Study 2 focuses on contemporary applications of the concepts and viewpoints encountered in Unit 4, Area of Study 1. Uniquely to this Area of Study, students encounter case studies drawn from contexts including: silencing, exclusion and cancelling; misinformation, disinformation, and echo chambers; and truth, trust, credibility and expertise. Students must study two specific case studies drawn from two of the available contexts. Hence, two contexts must be selected and one case study is drawn from each. In practice, teachers may find that case studies selected for one context do also have relevance to another context. While this is perfectly reasonable and understandable, students must still encounter two unique case studies during their study of this part of the course, each with a conscious focus on one of the contexts available for study. Included as part of this document in the sample activities for this outcome is a list of potential case studies to consider. This list is not exhaustive nor is it made with particular set texts in mind. It merely serves as an example of what a case study may involve or include. Teachers are encouraged to select case studies relevant to their students, school environment, and contemporary discussions occurring in the wider world at the time of teaching. In addition, teachers are required to connect the ideas and questions encountered in Unit 4, Area of Study 1 to the issues encountered during the study of the case studies and contexts selected.
Teachers should design assessment tasks that are representative of each Outcome and allow students the opportunity to demonstrate the highest level of performance. It is important that students know what is expected of them in an assessment task. Students should receive appropriate notification in advance of how and when they are going to be assessed, the conditions under which they will be assessed, and general advice on the range of Key Knowledge and Skills to be assessed. In designing and writing assessments, teachers should be aware that students can access answers to any publicly available products. This includes commercially available assessment tasks as well as previous examination questions.
Assessment rubrics and performance descriptors for Units 3 and 4 are available online. These provide a suggested guide to the levels of performance typically demonstrated within each range on the assessment task/s. The performance descriptors for each Outcome identify the qualities or characteristics expected in a student response to a task. It is not necessarily the case that one task will assess all of these, and performance descriptors should be adapted to suit the task. Teachers should note the further advice on assessment provided in the Assessment section of this Advice when designing appropriate assessment tasks as well as advice provided in the VCE Administrative Handbook.
A list of ‘set texts’ (primary source extracts) is prescribed for Units 3 and 4 of VCE Philosophy. This list is published online on the VCAA website and is updated annually. See the section titled ‘The study of philosophical texts’ for more information on the use of texts in VCE Philosophy.
This Support material contains a number of suggested learning activities for each Area of Study. They reflect some of the specific requirements of the Units and can be augmented and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of their students. Many of the learning activities suggested for a given Area of Study are suitable for adaptation and use in other Areas of Study. Some of the activities could also be converted into formative or summative assessment tasks as necessary. The activities suggested for Units 3 and 4 may need to be adjusted to meet the specific demands of the set texts in any given year. In Units 1 and 2, where different Themes can be studied, lists of theme-specific tasks have also been included to help guide unit construction for teachers.
The example learning activities as a whole encompass a range of methodologies. For example, teachers could consider activities such as excursions and incursions; visual representations, such as mind maps and flowcharts; performed dialogues; and a range of written tasks. Teachers might also support students’ understanding by using a range of journals, magazine articles and news media articles. These are especially useful when conveying the application of philosophical concepts to a range of authentic viewpoints or perspectives and contemporary debates. Films and documentaries can be used to deepen students’ understanding of an aspect of an Area of Study or provide an overview of a key thinker and their contribution to philosophy. Discussions of philosophical concepts and contemporary debates may help develop students’ abilities to explain and defend their ideas in exchanges with others. Written tasks can be used to easily assess students’ understanding of a concept or theory but also offer students an invaluable opportunity to structure a cogent and valid critical response on a topic.
Ultimately, teachers must develop a course that includes learning activities that enable students to achieve the Outcomes for each Unit, drawing on the Key Knowledge and Skills identified in each Area of Study. These learning activities should facilitate the development of capacity in each student to meet the cognitive demands identified in each Outcome. The Study Design also encourages students to ‘cultivate open-mindedness, reflect critically on their own thinking and that of others, and explore alternative approaches to philosophical questions’. In order to achieve these aims, teachers must draw out the potential richness of the curriculum by fashioning learning tasks that provide students with the opportunities to develop, put into practice and demonstrate their own abilities in philosophical thinking and reflection.
Included in these support materials is a sample topic plan for each unit. These mini-unit plans are designed to give advice on how to use the suggested activities in this document in a way that creates a learning sequence. Two specific approaches have been modelled: a question-centric approach where the unit is built around discussing specific questions outlined in the Areas of Study and incorporating activities and textual studies as they become relevant to the set questions; and an alternate approach breaking up a unit into introductory ideas, theory focused or text focused activities, application to contemporary debates and thought experiments, and assessment preparation. These two approaches are not exhaustive of the range of approaches that can be used; nor is one inherently superior to the other. Both approaches assume the teaching of outcomes separately but as noted previously, this is not the only way to teach the course. They serve merely as suggestions for new or experienced teachers to use when constructing their own courses.
The VCE Philosophy study provides students with the opportunity to engage in a range of learning activities. In addition to demonstrating their understanding and mastery of the content and skills specific to the study, students may also develop employability skills through their learning activities.
The nationally agreed employability skills* are: Communication; Planning and organising; Teamwork; Problem solving; Self-management; Initiative and enterprise; Technology; and Learning.
The table links those facets that may be understood and applied in a school or non-employment related setting, to the types of assessment commonly undertaken within the VCE study.
|
Assessment task |
Employability skills selected facets
|
|---|
Essay |
Communication (writing to the needs of the audience; reading independently; persuading effectively)
Self management (having knowledge and confidence in own ideas and visions; articulating own ideas and visions)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Problem solving (testing assumptions taking the context of data and circumstances into account)
|
Written analysis |
Communication (writing to the needs of the audience; reading independently; persuading effectively)
Self management (having knowledge and confidence in own ideas and visions; articulating own ideas and visions)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Problem Solving (testing assumptions taking the context of data and circumstances into account; applying a range of strategies to problem solving)
Initiative and enterprise (generating a range of options)
|
Extended response to stimulus |
Communication (writing to the needs of the audience; reading independently; persuading effectively)
Self management (having knowledge and confidence in own ideas and visions; articulating own ideas and visions)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Problem Solving (testing assumptions taking the context of data and circumstances into account; applying a range of strategies to problem solving)
Initiative and enterprise (generating a range of options)
|
Short-answer responses |
Communication (writing to the needs of the audience)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Problem Solving (applying a range of strategies)
Self management (articulating own ideas and visions)
|
Written reflection |
Communication (listening and understanding; reading independently)
Problem Solving (developing creative, innovative solutions)
Self management (having knowledge and confidence in own ideas and visions; articulating own ideas and visions; evaluating and monitoring own performance)
Learning (managing own learning)
|
Presentation (oral, multimedia) |
Communication (sharing information; speaking clearly and directly)
Technology (having a range of basic information technology skills; using information technology to organise data; being willing to learn new information technology skills)
Teamwork (coaching and mentoring skills including giving feedback)
|
Dialogue (oral/written) |
Communication (sharing information; speaking clearly and directly; writing to the needs of the audience)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Teamwork (working as an individual and as a member of a team)
Problem solving (developing creative, innovative solutions) |