IB Philosophy — Study Hub

IB Philosophy has two examined papers at SL plus a philosophical analysis internal assessment. Paper 1 has two essay sections — Section A on the compulsory core theme "Being human" and Section B on the optional themes (40% at SL, 35% at HL). Paper 2 is an open-book essay on a prescribed philosophical text (30% at SL, 25% at HL). The internal assessment is a philosophical analysis of a non-philosophical stimulus (25% at SL, 20% at HL). HL students also sit Paper 3, an exam on the "Philosophy and contemporary issues" extension (20% at HL).

SL and HL share the same core theme, the open-book prescribed-text paper and the internal assessment. The differences are scope and the HL paper: SL studies one optional theme while HL studies two, and HL adds Paper 3 on the "Philosophy and contemporary issues" extension — the nature and methodology of philosophy and its bearing on technology and the environment. HL also covers more content across the year (240 teaching hours versus 150). Aimnova covers the full SL course and the HL extension.

The IB is explicit that Philosophy is a skill, not a body of knowledge to recite. "Doing philosophy" means building an argument of your own, considering objections and alternative views, and reaching a judgement you can defend — rather than describing what famous philosophers thought. There is no single correct answer; the marks are in the reasoning. Every markscheme rewards analysis and evaluation over description, so the strongest answers argue rather than report.

For Paper 2 you study one prescribed text from a list of twelve — for example Plato’s Republic, Descartes’ Meditations, Mill’s On Liberty or de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex — and bring a clean, un-annotated copy into the exam. You write a 25-mark essay that answers a set question by analysing and evaluating the philosopher’s argument, using close, accurate references to the text. The copy is a reference for exact wording; the marks come from your analysis, so you still need to know the text and its objections thoroughly.

Argue, don’t describe. The top band rewards a clear, sustained line of argument that answers the exact question, engages seriously with counter-arguments, and reaches a justified conclusion. Learn the command terms — especially "explain", "evaluate" and "discuss" — and match your effort to them. Practise the Paper 1 stimulus skill of turning an image or quotation into a philosophical problem, know your optional theme and prescribed text deeply enough to criticise them, and always leave time to weigh objections before you conclude.