Year 7 AQA Philosophy: Case Study Practical Exercises | 七年级AQA哲学：案例分析实战演练

📚 Year 7 AQA Philosophy: Case Study Practical Exercises | 七年级AQA哲学：案例分析实战演练

Philosophy is not just about reading big ideas; it’s about learning how to think critically. Case studies help us explore real or imaginary situations to understand concepts like justice, identity, and reality. In this practical revision guide, we will work through six famous philosophical case studies, learn how to analyse them, and sharpen our reasoning skills for AQA Year 7 assessments.

哲学不仅仅是阅读伟大的思想，更是学习如何批判性地思考。案例分析帮助我们探索真实或想象的情境，从而理解正义、身份和现实等概念。在这本实用的复习指南中，我们将研习六个著名的哲学案例，学会分析它们，并为AQA七年级评估磨炼推理能力。

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1. What is a Philosophical Case Study? | 什么是哲学案例研究？

A philosophical case study is a short story or scenario that raises a deep question. It might be an ethical dilemma, a puzzle about identity, or a thought experiment about knowledge. Instead of just giving an answer, philosophers use these cases to explore different viewpoints and test our intuitions.

哲学案例研究是提出深刻问题的短篇故事或场景。它可能是一个伦理困境、一个关于身份的谜题，或者一个关于知识的思想实验。哲学家并不是直接给出答案，而是利用这些案例来探索不同的观点并检验我们的直觉。

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2. Case Study 1: The Trolley Problem | 案例一：电车难题

A runaway trolley is heading toward five people tied to the track. You can pull a lever to switch the trolley to another track, but there is one person tied there. Do you pull the lever? This classic dilemma tests whether it is right to sacrifice one to save five.

一辆失控的电车正冲向被绑在轨道上的五个人。你可以拉动拉杆，使电车转向另一条轨道，但那里绑着一个人。你会拉动拉杆吗？这个经典困境测试了牺牲一人拯救五人是否正确。

The utilitarian view says yes, because it maximises overall happiness. The deontological view says no, because actively causing someone’s death is morally wrong, even with good consequences.

功利主义观点认为应该拉杆，因为这样做最大化了总体幸福。道义论观点认为不应拉杆，因为主动造成他人死亡在道德上是错误的，即使有好的后果。

Perspective | 观点	Key Thinker | 代表人物	Reasoning | 推理
Utilitarianism | 功利主义	Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill	The best action brings the greatest happiness for the greatest number. | 最佳行动为最多人带来最大幸福。
Deontology | 道义论	Immanuel Kant	We have a duty not to use people as mere means, even for a good end. | 我们有责任不把人仅仅当作手段，即使为了好的目的。

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3. Case Study 2: The Ship of Theseus | 案例二：忒修斯之船

Over time, every plank of a ship is replaced. Is it still the same ship? What if the old planks were reassembled into a second ship? Which one is the original? This puzzle challenges our understanding of identity and change.

随着时间流逝，船上的每一块木板都被更换了。它还是同一艘船吗？如果把旧木板重新组装成第二艘船呢？哪一艘才是原来的船？这个谜题挑战了我们对身份和变化的理解。

Some philosophers say identity lies in the continuous form, so the repaired ship is the original. Others argue that identity is tied to the original material. There is no single right answer, which teaches us to question assumptions.

有些哲学家认为身份在于连续的形式，因此修复后的船才是原来的船。其他人则主张身份与原初材料相连。没有唯一正确的答案，这教会我们质疑假设。

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4. Case Study 3: Nozick’s Experience Machine | 案例三：诺齐克的体验机器

Imagine a machine that can give you any experience you desire — happiness, adventure, success — while you float in a tank, unaware it’s not real. Would you plug in? Robert Nozick used this to argue that we value real experiences and authentic connections more than mere pleasure.

想象一台机器可以给你任何渴望的体验——幸福、冒险、成功——而你漂浮在舱中，毫无察觉它是虚幻的。你会接入吗？罗伯特·诺齐克用此论证我们更看重真实的体验和真诚的联系，而非仅仅快乐。

What does your choice reveal about what makes a good life? Is it just feeling good, or is there something more, such as truth and genuine achievement?

你的选择揭示了对美好生活构成的什么理解？仅仅是感觉良好，还是另有深意，例如真理与真实的成就？

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5. Case Study 4: Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance | 案例四：罗尔斯的无知之幕

If you had to design a fair society without knowing your own place in it — your gender, wealth, talents — what rules would you choose? John Rawls argued that behind this ‘veil of ignorance’, we would pick principles that protect the worst-off and ensure equal basic rights.

如果你必须在不知道自己在社会中的位置——性别、财富、才能——的情况下设计一个公平社会，你会选择什么规则？约翰·罗尔斯认为，在这种“无知之幕”背后，我们会选择保护最弱势群体并确保平等基本权利的原则。

Try designing a classroom rule behind such a veil. Would you allow people to be treated differently based on ability? Likely not, because you wouldn’t know if you’d be the strongest or weakest.

尝试在无知之幕之后设计一条课堂规则。你会允许基于能力区别对待吗？很可能不会，因为你不知道自己会是最强的还是最弱的。

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6. Case Study 5: Plato’s Cave Allegory | 案例五：柏拉图的洞穴寓言

Prisoners chained in a cave see only shadows on a wall and believe them to be reality. When one escapes and sees the sun, he realises the shadows were just illusions. Plato used this to explore the difference between belief and knowledge, and the challenge of accepting truth.

洞穴中被锁链束缚的囚徒只看到墙上的影子，并相信那就是现实。当一个人挣脱锁链并看到太阳时，他意识到影子只是幻象。柏拉图借此探索信念与知识的区别，以及接受真理的挑战。

This case study encourages us to ask: how do we know what is real? Can our senses be trusted? Philosophy begins with wondering whether things are as they seem.

这个案例鼓励我们发问：我们如何知道什么是真实的？感官可以信赖吗？哲学始于对事物是否如其所示的质疑。

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7. Case Study 6: The Ring of Gyges | 案例六：盖吉斯之戒

In Plato’s Republic, a shepherd finds a ring that makes him invisible. Using this power, he acts unjustly without fear of punishment. The question is: would you still be moral if you could get away with anything? Plato explores whether justice is valuable for its own sake or only for its consequences.

柏拉图《理想国》中，一个牧羊人发现了可以使他隐身的戒指。他利用这种力量行不义之事而不怕惩罚。问题在于：如果你能逃脱任何惩罚，你还会保持道德吗？柏拉图探讨了正义是因其自身而有价值，还是仅因其后果而有价值。

If you answer that you would still be just, you believe justice has intrinsic value. If you would act unjustly, you treat justice as having only instrumental value — useful only to avoid punishment.

如果你回答你仍会保持正义，那么你相信正义具有内在价值。如果你选择行不义，你则将正义仅视为工具价值——仅用于避免惩罚。

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8. How to Analyse a Philosophical Case Study | 如何分析哲学案例研究

When you face a case study in an assessment, follow these steps: (1) Identify the central philosophical question. (2) Outline the main arguments on both sides. (3) Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses. (4) State your reasoned conclusion. Always give examples to support your ideas.

在评估中遇到案例研究时，请遵循以下步骤：(1) 确定核心哲学问题。(2) 概述双方的主要论点。(3) 评估其优缺点。(4) 陈述你有理有据的结论。始终提供例子来支持你的想法。

Step | 步骤	Action | 行动
1	Identify the question: e.g. ‘Is it ever right to sacrifice one for many?’ | 识别问题：例如“牺牲一人救多人是否永远正确？”
2	Outline arguments: Utilitarian vs. deontological views. | 概述论点：功利主义与道义论视角。
3	Evaluate: Are intentions or outcomes more important? | 评估：意图还是结果更重要？
4	Conclude: ‘I argue that… because…’ | 结论：“我认为…因为…”

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9. Practical Exercise: Trolley Problem Variations | 实战练习：电车难题变体

Now try applying your skills. Consider the ‘fat man’ variant: you can push a large person off a bridge to stop the trolley. Does your answer change? Why might pushing feel different from pulling a lever? This exercise sharpens your ability to distinguish subtle moral factors.

现在尝试运用你的技能。考虑“胖子”变体：你可以把一个身材庞大的人推下桥以阻止电车。你的答案会改变吗？为什么推人感觉与拉杆不同？这个练习增强了你区分微妙道德因素的能力。

• In the standard case, you are switching a track — less direct involvement. | 在标准案例中，你是在切换轨道——直接参与度较低。

• In the bridge case, you use physical force on a person — this implicates personal responsibility more strongly. | 在桥梁案例中，你对一个人施加了物理力量——这更强烈地涉及个人责任。

• Ask yourself: which action would you be more willing to justify in public? | 问问自己：哪个行动你更愿意在公开场合辩护？

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10. Practical Exercise: Personal Identity Puzzle | 实战练习：个人身份谜题

Imagine a teleportation device that scans and destroys your body, then recreates an exact copy elsewhere. Is the copy you? Does consciousness continue? Use the Ship of Theseus reasoning to debate. This challenges assumptions about the self.

想象一个远程传送装置，它会扫描并摧毁你的身体，然后在别处创造一个完全相同的复制体。复制体是你吗？意识是否延续？运用忒修斯之船的推理进行辩论。这挑战了关于自我的假设。

If identity is just the pattern of thoughts and memories, the copy is you. If identity requires an unbroken physical continuity, the original you ends. Which view do you find more convincing?

如果身份只是思想和记忆的模式，那么复制体就是你。如果身份要求不间断的物理连续性，那么原来的你就结束了。你觉得哪种观点更有说服力？

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11. Building Your Philosophical Vocabulary | 构建你的哲学词汇表

Key terms help you express ideas precisely. Learn these and use them in your analysis.

关键术语有助于精确表达思想。学习这些并在分析中使用它们。

Term | 术语	Definition | 定义
Thought experiment | 思想实验	An imagined scenario used to test ideas. | 用于检验想法的想象场景。
Dilemma | 困境	A situation with difficult choices. | 具有困难选择的情境。
Utilitarianism | 功利主义	The greatest good for the greatest number. | 为最多人带来最大善。
Deontology | 道义论	Ethics based on duty and rules. | 基于责任和规则的伦理学。
Identity | 身份	What makes something the same over time. | 使事物随时间保持同一的东西。
Intrinsic value | 内在价值	Valuable for its own sake. | 因其自身而有价值。
Instrumental value | 工具价值	Valuable as a means to something else. | 作为达到其他目的的手段而有价值。

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12. Conclusion: Philosophy as Practice | 结论：哲学即实践

Philosophy isn’t just learning theories; it’s practising how to think. Case studies provide a safe space to explore big questions without real-world harm. As you prepare for AQA assessments, remember to stay curious, question assumptions, and enjoy the journey of inquiry.

哲学不仅仅是学习理论，更是练习如何思考。案例研究提供了一个安全的空间，让我们在不造成现实伤害的情况下探索重大问题。在你准备AQA评估时，记住保持好奇心，质疑假设，并享受探究的旅程。

Regularly testing your intuitions with these scenarios will make you a more precise and confident thinker. Philosophy rewards those who wrestle with uncertainty.

定期用这些场景检验你的直觉，将使你成为更精确、更自信的思考者。哲学会回报那些与不确定性搏斗的人。

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Published by TutorHao | Philosophy Revision Series | aleveler.com

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