It’s that time of year again. Let’s see whether we can take a look at the previous questions and take an educated guess about what might come up. The truth is that this has become harder and harder to do. A few years ago there were a few topics that hadn’t come up. Now everything has pretty much come up in previous years. Still, I’ll have a go at predictions. Just remember the usual disclaimer: I am not psychic and I don’t know the future. These are *guesses*! Anything could come up! Please revise all areas, you just may want to have a little look in more depth at these topics. OK, that said here goes:
Philosophy:
Religious Experience: ‘Voices are not proof of God but evidence of psychological neurosis.’ Discuss (35) (Click link for essay)
Miracles: ‘Hume’s understanding of miracles is flawed’. Discuss. (35) (Click link for essay)
Attributes of God: ‘God’s foreknowledge is incompatible with human free will.’ Discuss. (35)
Life after Death: ‘Resurrection is more coherent than reincarnation’. Discuss. (35)
Religious Language: To what extent does analysis of the uses and purpose of religious language overcome the criticisms of the logical positivists? (35)
Ethics
Free Will and Determinism: Critically evaluate theological determinism. (35)
Conscience: How convincing are Newman’s claims that conscience is the voice of God? (35)
Virtue Ethics: ‘Virtue Ethics is the best approach to environmental issues.’ Discuss (35)
Sexual Ethics: Assess the usefulness of religious ethics as an approach to the issues surrounding contraception. (35)
So why have I predicted these ones? Well, in philosophy, the only topics that have never come up as far as I can see are voices in religious experience, Hume’s definition of miracles (different from his criticisms of miracles, which has come up), and the uses and purpose of religious language. Then the other two from life after death and attributes have not come up for a while.
With ethics it was a case of choosing between quite a few options – as far as I can see, no-one apart from Butler has been specified in a question, so there could be a question on any of the other conscience scholars. Also never seen a specific question on predestination which seems odd? The two applied topics have never come up in that combination.
There you go – hope that helps with revision! Now to do ‘predictions’ for AS – a bit pointless really as it is the first year, so literally anything could come up! That hasn’t stopped other people from having a go at it though!
BTW – are you interested in a really useful revision guide for AS? Get mine here: https://rs.pushmepress.com/titles/as-religious-studies-revision-guide-for-ocr-a-level-religious-studies/trade-paperback-uk
Philosophy of Religion A Level 
Hi I was wondering if you have any predictions for the AS resits in May? 🙂
I will have a look at the AS past questions
Yes please do AS for this year!!!!!!!!!
Hi sorry to nag but have you had a chance to look over the as ethics retake predictions? I know you’re probably busy, I’m just stressing.
Thank you
Hi, when will you be posting the predictions for the AS resist in May? This would be a great help! Thank you
Hi, any predictions for OCR Ethics AS resit would be really helpful. Thanks
I’d really really appreciate predictions for resits aswell please! Thank you
Do you have any predictions for the AS resit of philosophy? Thanks
hi have you managed to come up with the resit predictions yet?
His predictions for AS Philosophy resits are on his page 🙂 I don’t think he’s had the chance to do ethics predictions, best of luck!
Not yet! You are talking about the new spec?
Hi, I apologise if this is very inconvenient to you but just wondering if you have a sample answer/plan for: ‘Resurrection is more coherent than reincarnation’. Discuss. (35). As I am really stuck on how to approach it correctly, and what philosophers to use. Thanks so much!, love the blog btw
hi what would you put into the essay you’ve predicted for religious language? I don’t know what it’s asking
To be honest I think I was a bit mean with this one. Uses and purposes could be people like Braithwaite or Hare who have analysed RL in terms of its functions. Or you could talk about J L Austin and performative language e.g. ” I baptise thee” where the words create rather than describe the situation. Obviously Wittgenstein will also be very useful for this one