Year 7 CIE Philosophy: Summer Preview & Bridging Course | Year 7 CIE 哲学：暑期预习与衔接课程

📚 Year 7 CIE Philosophy: Summer Preview & Bridging Course | Year 7 CIE 哲学：暑期预习与衔接课程

Welcome to your first step into the world of philosophy! This summer bridging course is designed especially for students about to begin Year 7 in the Cambridge International (CIE) Lower Secondary programme. Philosophy may sound like a big word, but it is simply the love of wisdom and the art of asking thoughtful questions. Over the next few weeks, you will explore big ideas, learn how to think clearly, and build the confidence to discuss life’s most interesting puzzles. This preview will help you feel prepared, curious, and ready to engage with your new subject from day one.

欢迎踏上哲学世界的第一段旅程！这个暑期衔接课程专为即将进入剑桥国际（CIE）初中七年级的学生设计。‘哲学’听起来或许很深奥，但它无非就是‘爱智慧’以及提出深刻问题的艺术。在接下来的几周里，你将探索宏大的思想，学会清晰地思考，并建立讨论生命中最有趣谜题的信心。这份预习材料将帮助你做好准备、保持好奇，并从开学第一天起就充满参与感。

1. Welcome to Philosophy! | 欢迎来到哲学世界！

Philosophy begins with wonder. When you were very young, you probably asked questions like ‘Why is the sky blue?’ or ‘What are dreams made of?’ That natural curiosity is the engine of philosophy. In this course, we treat those questions seriously and learn how to explore them using reason and evidence. Philosophy is not about memorising fixed answers; it is about learning to think for yourself and build well-supported ideas.

哲学始于惊奇。当你还很小的时候，你或许问过 ‘天空为什么是蓝色的？’ 或者 ‘梦是由什么构成的？’ 那种天然的好奇心正是哲学的动力。在这门课程中，我们认真对待这些问题，并学习如何运用理性和证据去探索它们。哲学不是背诵固定答案，而是学会独立思考并建立有充分依据的想法。

Don’t worry if your ideas feel messy at first. Philosophy classrooms thrive on open discussion, respectful disagreement, and the courage to change your mind when you encounter a better argument. Your teachers will encourage you to say ‘I wonder…’ and ‘What if…’ as often as possible.

如果你的想法起初显得杂乱无章，不必担心。哲学课堂依赖于开放的讨论、有风度的分歧，以及当你遇到更合理的论证时勇于改变观点的勇气。你的老师会鼓励你尽可能多地说 ‘我想知道……’ 以及 ‘假如……’。

2. Why Study Philosophy in Year 7? | 为什么七年级要学哲学？

Studying philosophy at this age builds transferable skills you will use in every other subject. It sharpens your critical thinking, helps you spot weak arguments, and teaches you how to express your views clearly and logically. History, science, and even mathematics all become richer when you can ask deeper questions about evidence, truth, and reasoning. Philosophy also helps you become a more empathetic person, because you learn to see the world from many different viewpoints.

在这个年龄学习哲学能培养可迁移的能力，你在任何其他学科中都会用到。它能锻炼你的批判性思维，帮你识别薄弱的论证，并教会你如何清晰、有逻辑地表达观点。当你学会对证据、真理和推理提出更深层次的问题时，历史、科学甚至数学都会变得更加丰富。哲学还能让你成为一个更有同理心的人，因为你学会了从许多不同的视角看待世界。

In the CIE Lower Secondary curriculum, philosophy often appears within English, Global Perspectives, or as a standalone Thinking Skills component. Regardless of how it is delivered, the aim is the same: to help you become an independent thinker who can tackle complex problems with confidence and creativity.

在CIE初中课程中，哲学通常融合在英语、全球视野或作为独立的思维技能模块出现。无论以何种形式开展，目标都是一致的：帮助你成为能够自信而富有创造性地处理复杂问题的独立思考者。

3. What Will You Learn in CIE Philosophy? | CIE 哲学课程学什么？

Your Year 7 philosophy journey will typically cover several fascinating areas. The table below introduces the main branches of philosophy you are likely to encounter. Don’t worry about mastering all of this now — just use it as a friendly map for the year ahead.

你七年级的哲学之旅通常会涉及若干个迷人的领域。下表介绍了你很可能接触到的哲学主要分支。现在不必全部掌握，只当它是未来一年的友好地图就好。

Branch (English)	分支（中文）	Core Question	核心问题
Epistemology	认识论	What is knowledge and how do we acquire it?	什么是知识？我们如何获取知识？
Ethics	伦理学	How should we live? What makes actions right or wrong?	我们应当如何生活？什么决定了行为的对错？
Logic	逻辑学	What makes a good argument? How can we avoid fallacies?	什么是好的论证？如何避免谬误？
Metaphysics	形而上学	What is reality? Do we have free will?	现实是什么？我们有自由意志吗？
Philosophy of Mind	心灵哲学	What is consciousness? Can machines think?	意识是什么？机器能思考吗？

You will also practise skills such as evaluating sources, identifying bias, and constructing balanced arguments. These skills are assessed through class discussions, written reflections, and small projects rather than long exams at this stage.

你也将练习评估信息来源、识别偏见以及构建平衡论证等能力。在这个阶段，这些技能往往通过课堂讨论、书面反思和小型项目进行评估，而不是通过长时间的考试。

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4. Asking Big Questions: The Heart of Philosophy | 提出大问题：哲学的核心

Philosophy is sometimes called ‘the search for big answers to big questions’. But before we can find answers, we must learn to ask better questions. A good philosophical question is open-ended, invites debate, and cannot be settled simply by looking up a fact. For example, ‘Is it ever acceptable to tell a lie?’ is a philosophical question, while ‘What is the capital of France?’ is not — that is just a fact.

哲学有时被称为‘对宏大问题的大答案的追寻’。但在找到答案之前，我们必须学会提出更好的问题。一个好的哲学问题是开放式的，会引发辩论，并且不能仅仅通过查阅事实来解决。例如，‘撒谎是否永远不可接受？’是一个哲学问题，而‘法国的首都是哪里？’则不是——那只是一个事实。

During the summer, practise turning everyday observations into philosophical questions. Look at a rule in your house and ask, ‘What makes this rule fair?’ Listen to a news story and wonder, ‘Whose perspective is missing?’ These small habits will prepare your mind to think like a philosopher.

在暑期中，练习将日常观察转化为哲学问题。看看家里的某条规则，然后问：‘是什么让这条规则变得公平？’ 听一则新闻，然后想一想：‘谁的声音被忽略了？’ 这些小习惯会让你的大脑准备好像哲学家一样思考。

5. How Do We Know Things? Epistemology Basics | 我们如何知道事物？认识论基础

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It asks questions like: How can we be sure the world around us is real? Is seeing the same as believing? One classic way to explore this is by thinking about our senses. If you see a stick in water, it looks bent — but you know it is straight. Your senses gave you information that your reason had to correct. This shows that knowledge often requires both observation and thinking.

认识论是关于知识的研究。它提出的问题比如：我们怎能确定周围的世界是真实的？眼见是否等同于相信？探索这一问题的经典方式之一是思考我们的感官。如果你看到一根棍子插在水中，它看起来是弯的——但你知道它是直的。你的感官给了你信息，而你的理性需要去纠正它。这表明知识常常需要观察和思考共同作用。

Another important idea in epistemology is the difference between belief and knowledge. You might believe it will rain tomorrow because your knee hurts, but that is not knowledge — it is just a guess based on a feeling. A meteorologist, on the other hand, uses evidence from weather models to make a justified true belief. In Year 7, you will start to explore what counts as good evidence and why we should trust some sources more than others.

认识论中另一个重要思想是信念与知识的区别。你或许相信明天会下雨，因为你的膝盖疼，但那不是知识——那只是基于感觉的猜测。相反，一位气象学家会利用气象模型的证据来形成一个被证成的真信念。在七年级，你将开始探索什么算作好的证据，以及为什么我们应该更信任某些来源。

6. Right and Wrong: Introduction to Ethics | 对与错：伦理学入门

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that asks how we ought to behave. When you share your sweets with a friend, are you doing it because you want to be kind, or because you expect them to share with you later? Ethics explores the reasons behind our choices. One famous idea is the Golden Rule: ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated.’ But is that rule always enough? What if what you would like is very different from what another person needs?

伦理学是哲学中探究我们应当如何行事的分支。当你把糖果分给朋友时，是因为你想表现得友善，还是因为你期待他们之后也会分享给你？伦理学探讨我们选择背后的理由。一个著名的理念是金规则：‘你希望别人怎样待你，你也要怎样待人。’ 但这条规则总是足够吗？如果你想要的与别人需要的截然不同呢？

In your CIE philosophy sessions, you may discuss real-life dilemmas. For instance, imagine you find a wallet full of money on the street. There is an address inside. What should you do? Some people might say returning it is the only right choice, while others might argue that the owner should have been more careful. There is often no single correct answer in ethics, but the process of reasoning through the options teaches you to consider consequences, duties, and virtues.

在你的CIE哲学课堂上，你可能会讨论现实中的两难困境。例如，想象你在街上发现一个装满钱的钱包，里面有一个地址。你应该怎么做？有人可能会说归还钱包是唯一正确的选择，而另一些人可能会辩称失主本该更小心些。伦理学中常常没有唯一正确的答案，但通过推理权衡各种选项的过程会教会你考虑后果、责任和美德。

7. Building Arguments: Logic for Beginners | 构建论证：逻辑入门

Logic is the toolkit that keeps our thinking tidy. An argument in philosophy is not a shouting match — it is a series of statements where some (called premises) lead to a conclusion. A simple example: Premise 1: All Year 7 students enjoy puzzles. Premise 2: Maria is a Year 7 student. Conclusion: Therefore, Maria enjoys puzzles. If the premises are true and the reasoning is valid, the argument is sound.

逻辑是让我们的思考保持整洁的工具箱。在哲学中，一场论证并非大声争吵——它是一系列陈述，其中一些（称作前提）推导出一个结论。一个简单的例子：前提1：所有七年级学生都喜欢解谜。前提2：玛丽亚是一名七年级学生。结论：所以，玛丽亚喜欢解谜。如果前提为真且推理有效，这个论证就是可靠的。

During your summer preview, you can start spotting arguments in everyday life. When someone says, ‘We should stay inside because it looks cloudy,’ they are offering a premise (it looks cloudy) and a conclusion (we should stay inside). Ask yourself: is the premise true? Does the conclusion really follow? Learning to spot weak links will make you a much sharper thinker.

在暑期预习中，你可以开始发现日常生活中的论证。当有人说，‘我们应该待在屋里，因为外面看起来要下雨了’，他们就在提供一个前提（外面看起来要下雨了）和一个结论（我们应该待在屋里）。问问自己：前提真实吗？结论真的能从前提中推导出来吗？学会找出薄弱环节会让你成为一个思维更加敏锐的人。

8. Famous Thought Experiments | 著名的思想实验

Philosophers love thought experiments — imaginary scenarios that test our intuitions. One of the most famous is the Trolley Problem: a runaway trolley is speeding towards five people tied to the track. You can pull a lever to switch the trolley to another track, but one person is tied there. Is it right to pull the lever? Would you push a large person off a bridge to stop the trolley? These questions force us to examine why some actions feel permissible and others do not.

哲学家钟爱思想实验——那些用来检验我们直觉的想象情景。最著名的之一是电车难题：一辆失控的电车冲向绑在轨道上的五个人。你可以拉动拉杆让电车转向另一条轨道，但那条轨道上也绑着一个人。拉动拉杆对吗？你会把一个胖子从桥上推下去以阻止电车吗？这些问题迫使我们审视为什么有些行为感觉是许可的，而有些则不然。

Another thought experiment to ponder is the Ship of Theseus. If a wooden ship has every plank replaced over time, is it still the same ship? And if someone rebuilt the original ship from the old planks, which one is the true Ship of Theseus? This puzzle challenges our understanding of identity and change. Try discussing these with your family over dinner — you will be surprised how many different views emerge.

另一个值得思考的思想实验是忒修斯之船。如果一艘木船的所有木板随着时间都被替换了，它还是同一艘船吗？而如果有人用换下来的旧木板重新建造了一艘船，哪一艘才是真正的忒修斯之船？这个谜题挑战了我们对于同一性和变化的理解。试着在晚餐时与家人讨论这些问题——你会惊讶地发现会涌现出多少不同的观点。

9. Classroom Discussion Skills | 课堂讨论技巧

Philosophy classes are built around respectful dialogue. To prepare, practise these three habits during the summer: listening carefully, waiting your turn, and disagreeing without being disagreeable. You can say, ‘I see your point, but I wonder if…’ or ‘That’s interesting — what about this example?’ Such phrases keep conversations constructive.

哲学课堂建立在相互尊重的对话之上。为了做好准备，在夏季练习这三个习惯：仔细倾听、依次发言、以及不带攻击性地表达不同意见。你可以说，‘我明白你的观点，但我想知道如果……’ 或者 ‘这很有意思——那这个例子呢？’ 这样的话能让对话保持建设性。

Another useful skill is summarising someone else’s view before responding. Try saying, ‘So what I hear you saying is…’ This shows respect and ensures you have understood correctly. In CIE assessments, teachers look for students who can build on others’ ideas, not just wait to say their own piece.

另一项有用的技能是在回应之前先概括别人的观点。试着说，‘那么我听到你的意思是……’ 这既显示了尊重，也确保你理解正确。在CIE评估中，老师们很看重那些能在他人想法基础上进行拓展的学生，而不仅仅是等着发表自己的意见。

10. Summer Activities to Prepare | 暑期准备活动

You do not need to read heavy textbooks to get ready. Here are six light and engaging activities you can sprinkle into your summer weeks. Each one builds a different philosophical muscle.

你不需要阅读厚重的教材来准备。以下是六项轻松有趣的活动，你可以将它们穿插在夏日时光中。每一项都能锻炼一种不同的哲学能力。

• Keep a ‘Wonder Journal’: write down three curious questions every evening.
• Play ‘Why?’ with a younger sibling: every answer gets another ‘why?’ until you reach the most basic assumption.
• Watch a philosophical film clip (like ‘The Matrix’ red pill scene) and discuss: Would you want to know the truth even if it hurt?
• Sort your toys or books into categories and then try a different sorting rule — this practises conceptual analysis.
• Read a simple fable (like ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’) and ask: What moral lessons are really being taught?
• Have a ‘values auction’ with your family: bid on things like friendship, money, fame — where do you place real worth?

• 写一本‘惊奇日记’：每晚写下三个让你好奇的问题。
• 与弟弟妹妹玩‘为什么’游戏：每个回答都会换来一个新的‘为什么’，直到触及最根本的假设。
• 观看一个哲学电影片段（如《黑客帝国》红药丸场景）并讨论：即使真相会令人痛苦，你也想要知道它吗？
• 将你的玩具或书籍分类，然后尝试一种不同的分类规则——这会锻炼概念分析能力。
• 阅读一则简单的寓言（如《狼来了》），然后问：故事真正想教导的道德教训是什么？
• 与家人举办一场‘价值拍卖’：为友谊、金钱、名声等竞拍——你认为真正的价值在哪里？

11. Key Terms and Glossary | 关键术语与词汇表

Learning a few new words before term starts can boost your confidence. Below is a short glossary of terms you will hear often. You can create flashcards or draw small illustrations to help you remember them.

在开学前学习一些新词汇能增强你的自信。下面是一个简短的小词典，这些词你会经常听到。你可以制作抽认卡或画些小插图来帮助记忆。

Term	术语	Simple Definition	简单定义
Argument	论证	Reasons given to support a conclusion	用以支持结论的理由
Premise	前提	A statement that provides a reason in an argument	论证中提供理由的陈述
Conclusion	结论	The main point that the premises are meant to support	前提所要支持的主要观点
Fallacy	谬误	A mistake in reasoning that weakens an argument	削弱论证的推理错误
Thought Experiment	思想实验	An imaginary scenario used to test ideas	用来检验思想的想象情景
Bias	偏见	A tendency to see things from only one angle, often unfairly	常常不公正地只从一个角度看问题的倾向

Don’t worry if these words still feel a bit wobbly; you will meet them again and again until they feel natural.

如果这些词现在还让你觉得有点拿不准，不必担心；你会一次又一次地遇到它们，直到它们变得自然而然。

12. Tips for a Smooth Start | 顺利开学的建议

As your first term approaches, remember that every philosopher started out feeling a little lost — that’s the perfect place to begin. In your first few lessons, focus on listening more than speaking, writing down questions whenever they pop into your head, and noting the names of classmates who share interesting views. Building a friendly philosophy community will make the year much more enjoyable.

随着第一学期临近，请记住每一位哲学家都曾有过些许迷茫——这恰恰是完美的起点。在最初几节课上，要多听少说，随时记录下脑中闪现的问题，并记下那些分享了有趣观点的同学的名字。建立一个友好的哲学社群会让这一整年都更加愉快。

Set a simple goal: each week, try to change your mind about something small. Philosophy is not about winning arguments; it is about growing your understanding. If you walk into your classroom willing to be surprised, you have already grasped the most important lesson of all.

设定一个简单的目标：每周，尝试在某个小问题上改变自己的想法。哲学不是赢得辩论，而是拓展你的理解。如果你走进教室时愿意接受惊喜，那你已经掌握了最重要的一课。

Published by TutorHao | Philosophy Revision Series | aleveler.com

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