📚 Year 12 CIE Philosophy: Full Syllabus Breakdown | 课程大纲全面解析
The Year 12 CIE Philosophy course (AS Level 9696) introduces students to some of the most fundamental questions ever asked. Through careful examination of classical and contemporary texts, learners develop skills in analysis, argument and evaluation. This article provides a complete breakdown of the syllabus, covering core themes, optional Paper 2 topics, assessment structure and effective study strategies.
CIE 哲学 Year 12（AS 阶段 9696）将学生引入人类历史上最根本的一系列追问。通过仔细研读古典与当代文本，学习者逐步培养分析、论证与评价的思维能力。本文将对课程大纲进行全面解析，涵盖核心主题、Paper 2 可选专题、考试架构和高效学习策略。
1. AS Philosophy Course Structure | AS 哲学课程结构
The CIE AS Philosophy qualification consists of two examination papers. Paper 1 (Core Themes) is compulsory and assesses four key areas: Reason and Experience, Why Should I Be Moral?, The Idea of God, and Persons. Paper 2 requires candidates to answer questions on two chosen themes from a list of five: Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, Philosophy of Mind, Political Philosophy, and Epistemology and Metaphysics. Students typically study all four core themes plus two or three Paper 2 options during Year 12.
CIE AS 哲学资格包含两份试卷。试卷一（核心主题）为必考内容，考查四个关键领域：理性与经验、我为什么要道德、上帝的观念以及人格。试卷二要求考生从五个选项中选取两个主题作答，选项包括宗教哲学、伦理学、心灵哲学、政治哲学以及认识论与形而上学。Year 12 学生通常需要学习全部四个核心主题，外加两到三个 Paper 2 选项。
The syllabus emphasises philosophical methods rather than simply memorising facts. You are expected to engage with primary sources, understand arguments and counter-arguments, and form your own reasoned judgments. This structure ensures a balanced foundation in both theoretical and applied philosophy.
该大纲强调哲学方法而非单纯记忆事实。学习者需要研读一手文献，理解正反论证，并形成自己的理性判断。这一结构确保学生在理论哲学与应用哲学两方面打下均衡的基础。
2. Core Theme: Reason and Experience | 核心主题：理性与经验
This theme explores the sources of human knowledge. The central debate is between rationalism, which claims that reason alone can provide us with substantive knowledge of the world, and empiricism, which insists that all knowledge ultimately comes from sense experience.
这一主题探究人类知识的来源。核心争论在唯理论与经验论之间展开：唯理论主张单凭理性就能给我们提供关于世界的实质知识，而经验论则坚持一切知识最终都来源于感官经验。
You will study Descartes’ rationalist arguments for innate ideas, his method of doubt, and his cogito argument (‘I think, therefore I am’). On the empiricist side, Locke’s attack on innate ideas and his theory of ideas as derived from sensation and reflection are key. Hume’s distinction between relations of ideas and matters of fact, and his problem of induction, also feature prominently.
你将学习笛卡尔的唯理论论证，包括天赋观念、普遍怀疑的方法以及“我思故我在”的论证。在经验论方面，洛克对天赋观念的攻击及其关于观念来自感觉与反省的理论至关重要。休谟对观念关系与事实情况的区分，以及归纳问题，也是重点内容。
The syllabus also covers the distinction between a priori and a posteriori knowledge, necessary and contingent truths, and analytic and synthetic propositions. Kant’s attempt to synthesise rationalism and empiricism is a critical evaluative point.
大纲还涵盖先天知识与后天知识、必然真理与偶然真理、分析命题与综合命题之间的区分。康德试图综合唯理论与经验论的尝试是一个关键的评价要点。
3. Core Theme: Why Should I Be Moral? | 核心主题：我为什么要道德？
This theme addresses the foundation of ethical motivation. It asks whether moral requirements are rational, self-interested, social, or divine in origin. The question is not about ‘what is moral?’ but about ‘why be moral at all?’
这一主题探讨道德动机的基础。它追问道德要求是源于理性、自利、社会契约还是神的命令。问题不在于“什么是道德的”，而在于“究竟为什么要讲道德”。
You will examine Plato’s argument in the Republic that justice is intrinsically valuable for the harmonious soul. Contrast this with Hobbes’s social contract view, where morality is a set of rules adopted to escape the brutish state of nature. The ring of Gyges thought experiment is used to test whether people would be moral if they could escape detection.
你将研读柏拉图在《理想国》中的论证：正义对于灵魂的和谐具有内在价值。与此相对照，霍布斯的社会契约论认为道德是为了摆脱野蛮自然状态而采纳的一套规则。盖吉斯戒指的思想实验则用来检验人们在能够逃避惩罚时是否还会讲道德。
Utilitarianism, especially in the form developed by Bentham and Mill, offers a happiness-based rationale for morality. Kant’s deontological approach, grounded in the categorical imperative, argues that moral actions must be done from duty, not inclination. You must evaluate whether these accounts provide convincing reasons to be moral.
功利主义，尤其是边沁和密尔发展的形式，提供了一种基于幸福的道义根基。康德的义务论方法以定言命令为基础，主张道德行为必须出于义务而非偏好。你需要评估这些学说是否给出了令人信服的讲道德的理由。
4. Core Theme: The Idea of God | 核心主题：上帝的观念
This theme examines philosophical arguments for and against the existence of God. It focuses on the coherence of the concept of God, classical theistic proofs, and the challenge posed by the problem of evil.
这一主题考察支持和反对上帝存在的哲学论证。它聚焦于上帝概念的一致性、经典的有神论证明以及恶的问题所带来的挑战。
You will learn the ontological argument as presented by Anselm and Descartes, along with Gaunilo’s and Kant’s criticisms. The teleological (design) argument by Paley and its post-Hume and post-Darwin critiques are discussed. The cosmological argument, including Aquinas’ first three ways and the Kalam version, along with Hume and Russell’s objections, requires careful analysis.
你需要学习安瑟伦和笛卡尔提出的本体论论证，以及高尼罗和康德的批判。帕里的目的论（设计论）论证及其在休谟和达尔文之后的批评也将被讨论。宇宙论论证，包括阿奎那的前三条路和卡拉姆版本，以及休谟和罗素的反对意见，都需要仔细分析。
The problem of evil presents both a logical challenge (the inconsistency of an all-powerful, all-loving God with suffering) and an evidential challenge (the sheer amount of apparently pointless suffering). Theodicies by Augustine and Irenaeus, as well as the free will defence, are key evaluative materials.
恶的问题提出了逻辑挑战（全能、全善的上帝与苦难的存在不一致）和证据挑战（大量看似毫无意义的苦难本身）。奥古斯丁和爱任纽的神义论，以及自由意志辩护，是重要的评价素材。
5. Core Theme: Persons | 核心主题：人格
This theme investigates what it means to be a person and what accounts for personal identity over time. It draws on metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and ethics.
这一主题探究作为一个人意味着什么，以及什么构成了人在时间中的同一性。它涉及形而上学、心灵哲学和伦理学。
Key theories include the substance dualist view (Descartes: the soul is a non-physical substance), the psychological continuity theory (Locke: personal identity consists in memory), the bodily continuity theory, and various reductionist and non-reductionist physicalist approaches. The bundle theory of the self, associated with Hume, denies an underlying substantial self altogether.
关键理论包括：实体二元论（笛卡尔：灵魂是非物质的实体）、心理连续性理论（洛克：人格同一性在于记忆）、身体连续性理论，以及各种还原论与非还原论的物理主义进路。与休谟相关的自我束论则完全否认存在一个恒常的实体自我。
Thought experiments involving brain transplants, split-brain cases, and teleportation are used to test these theories. The debate also touches on the ethical status of persons and whether certain non-human animals or advanced AI could count as persons under some definitions.
涉及脑移植、裂脑人案例和远程传送的思想实验被用来检验这些理论。该争论还涉及人格的伦理身份，以及根据某些定义，某些非人类动物或高级人工智能能否被视为人格。
6. Paper 2 Option: Philosophy of Religion | Paper 2 选项：宗教哲学
This optional theme extends the core module on the Idea of God. It deepens understanding of the divine attributes (omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, eternity) and examines their compatibility with human free will and moral responsibility.
这一可选主题拓展了核心模块中关于上帝观念的内容。它深入探讨神的属性（全能、全知、全善、永恒），并考察这些属性与人类自由意志和道德责任的兼容性。
The meaning of religious language is a major focus. You will study the via negativa, analogy (Aquinas), and symbol (Tillich), as well as the verificationist and falsificationist challenges from Ayer and Flew. Miracles, religious experience, and the relationship between faith and reason are also central topics.
宗教语言的意义是一个主要焦点。你将学习否定之路、类比法（阿奎那）和象征法（蒂利希），以及艾耶尔的证实原则和弗卢的证伪原则挑战。神迹、宗教经验以及信仰与理性的关系也是核心议题。
7. Paper 2 Option: Ethics | Paper 2 选项：伦理学
The Ethics option expands on ‘Why Should I Be Moral?’ by exploring normative ethical theories in depth. You will critically examine utilitarianism (Act, Rule, Preference), deontology (Kant’s categorical imperative and Ross’s prima facie duties), and virtue ethics (Aristotle’s eudaimonia and the function argument).
伦理学选项深入拓展了“我为什么要道德”这一主题，系统探讨规范伦理学理论。你将批判性审视功利主义（行为、规则、偏好功利主义）、义务论（康德的定言命令和罗斯的显见义务）以及美德伦理学（亚里士多德的幸福观与功能论证）。
Meta-ethics is another pillar of this option, addressing questions like ‘What do we mean when we say something is good?’ You will learn about cognitivism and non-cognitivism, ethical naturalism, intuitionism (Moore), and emotivism (Ayer, Stevenson). The is-ought gap and the naturalistic fallacy are crucial concepts.
元伦理学是该选项的另一支柱，处理诸如“当我们说某事物是善的时候，我们在指什么？”之类的问题。你将学习认知主义与非认知主义、伦理自然主义、直觉主义（摩尔）和情感主义（艾耶尔、史蒂文森）。实然-应然鸿沟与自然主义谬误是关键概念。
8. Paper 2 Option: Philosophy of Mind | Paper 2 选项：心灵哲学
This option tackles the mind-body problem: what is the relationship between our mental states and our physical brains? You will compare dualist theories (substance dualism and property dualism) with physicalist theories, including logical behaviourism, mind-brain identity theory, and functionalism.
这一选项处理心身问题：我们的心理状态与物理大脑之间是什么关系？你将比较二元论（实体二元论与属性二元论）与物理主义理论，包括逻辑行为主义、心脑同一论和功能主义。
The problem of consciousness, especially the nature of qualia, is examined through Frank Jackson’s ‘Mary the colour scientist’ thought experiment and Thomas Nagel’s ‘What is it like to be a bat?’ essay. You will also consider whether eliminative materialism can convincingly dismiss our folk-psychological talk of beliefs and desires.
意识问题，特别是感受质的本质，将通过弗兰克·杰克逊的“黑白屋里的玛丽”思想实验以及托马斯·内格尔的“作为一只蝙蝠是什么样子”论文来审视。你还会思考取消式唯物主义能否令人信服地消解我们关于信念和欲望的民间心理学言说。
9. Paper 2 Option: Political Philosophy | Paper 2 选项：政治哲学
This theme investigates the justification of political authority and the principles of a just society. The state of nature is a foundational starting point, explored through the contrasting views of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.
这一主题探究政治权威的证成以及正义社会的原则。自然状态是经典起点，通过霍布斯、洛克和卢梭的对比观点展开探讨。
Major theories of justice are studied, including utilitarian, liberal (Rawls’s ‘justice as fairness’ and Nozick’s libertarian entitlement theory), and communitarian (Sandel, MacIntyre) perspectives. The syllabus also addresses the limits of political obligation, civil disobedience, and the justification of punishment.
你将学习主要的正义理论，包括功利主义、自由主义（罗尔斯的“作为公平的正义”和诺齐克的自由至上主义权利理论）和社群主义（桑德尔、麦金太尔）的视角。大纲还涉及政治义务的限度、公民不服从以及惩罚的证成。
10. Paper 2 Option: Epistemology and Metaphysics | Paper 2 选项：认识论与形而上学
This option deepens the themes of Reason and Experience by examining the definition of knowledge, the challenges of scepticism, and the structure of justification. The traditional tripartite account of knowledge as justified true belief is tested against Gettier-style counter-examples.
这一选项深化了理性与经验的议题，审视知识的定义、怀疑论的挑战以及辩护的结构。传统的知识三元定义（被证成的真信念）通过葛梯尔式的反例得到检验。
You will explore internalist and externalist theories of justification, including foundationalism, coherentism, and reliabilism. The issue of whether we have any knowledge of the external world is examined through the lenses of Cartesian scepticism, the brain-in-a-vat hypothesis, and Moore’s ‘here is one hand’ response.
你将探究辩护的内在论与外在论，包括基础主义、融贯论和可靠论。我们是否对外部世界有任何知识这一问题，通过笛卡尔式怀疑论、缸中之脑假设以及摩尔的“这里有一只手”回应来检视。
Metaphysical topics typically include the problem of free will and determinism (compatibilism, incompatibilism, libertarianism) and the nature of time. You must analyse whether these metaphysical questions have genuine cognitive content or are merely verbal disputes.
形而上学议题通常包括自由意志与决定论问题（相容论、不相容论、自由意志论）以及时间的本质。你需要分析这些形而上学问题是否具有真实的认知内容，抑或仅仅是语词之争。
11. Assessment Structure and Skills | 考核形式与所需技能
Paper 1 (Core Themes) is a 1-hour 30-minute written paper worth 50% of the AS Level. It contains structured questions on each of the four core themes. You must answer all questions, which are broken into short, definitional parts and longer evaluative parts requiring you to analyse arguments and present reasoned conclusions.
试卷一（核心主题）为 1 小时 30 分钟的笔试，占 AS 成绩的 50%。试卷包含针对四个核心主题的结构化问题。你必须回答所有题目，题目分为简短的定义性部分和较长的评价性部分，要求你分析论证并提出有理据的结论。
Paper 2 (Chosen Themes) is also 1 hour 30 minutes and worth 50%. From the five available themes, your school will enter you for two. You answer one essay-style question on each chosen theme from a choice of two per theme. Essays demand clear lines of argument, familiarity with philosophers’ original ideas, and critical engagement rather than description.
试卷二（选定主题）同样为 1 小时 30 分钟，占 50%。学校会从五个可用主题中为你选择两个报考。每个选定主题下有两道论文题，你各选一题作答。论文要求清晰的论证线索，熟悉哲学家的原初观点，并进行批判性探讨而非单纯描述。
The assessment objectives test knowledge and understanding (AO1), analysis and evaluation (AO2), and the ability to construct coherent and persuasive arguments (AO3). You must be precise with terminology and always link your discussion back to the specific philosophical issue in the question.
评估目标测试知识与理解（AO1）、分析与评价（AO2），以及构建条理清晰、有说服力的论证的能力（AO3）。你必须精确使用术语，并始终将讨论与题目特定的哲学议题紧密连接。
12. Study Strategies and Resources | 学习策略与资源建议
Begin by creating a glossary of key philosophers and concepts for each theme. Regularly practice past paper questions under timed conditions, and pay close attention to the mark schemes to understand what examiners expect from high-level evaluation.
首先为每个主题建立一个关键哲学家和核心概念的词汇表。定期在限时条件下练习历年真题，并仔细研读评分标准，以理解考官对高层次评价的期待。
Engage directly with primary sources whenever possible, even if through short extracts. Reading Descartes’ ‘Meditations’, Locke’s ‘Essay’, or Mill’s ‘Utilitarianism’ in original form deepens your appreciation of the arguments and helps you move beyond textbook summaries. Form study groups to debate ethical dilemmas or sceptical scenarios, as philosophy thrives on dialogue.
尽可能直接阅读一手文献，即使是短篇节选。阅读笛卡尔的《第一哲学沉思集》、洛克的《人类理解论》或密尔的《功利主义》原文，可以加深你对论证的理解，帮助你超越教科书摘要。结成学习小组来辩论伦理困境或怀疑论场景，因为哲学在对话中才能真正活跃起来。
Finally, maintain a journal to record your own reflections on the questions studied. Philosophy is not just about learning what others have said; it is about thinking for yourself. The best answers in CIE exams display a genuine personal voice that has been shaped by rigorous study of the texts.
最后，坚持写日志记录你对于所学问题的个人反思。哲学不仅仅是学习他人的言论，更是为自己思考。CIE 考试中的最佳答案展现的是通过严谨文本研究后形成的真实的个人声音。
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