The big idea: We've been hunting for what makes you the same person. The philosopher Derek Parfit asked a startling question back: what if being the same person isn't even the thing we should care about?
Go further — higher-level insight: Parfit found this idea freeing. If being 'you' isn't what really matters, then death feels less frightening.
What can carry on in others, even once you're gone
- Your values
- Your projects
- The mark you leave on other people
Use it in an answer: It's a powerful point to set against the usual view that the only thing that counts is your own survival.
Free preview
This is the free notes preview
You're reading the free notes. Aimnova Pro unlocks the full study experience — and you can try it with your first topic free to keep:
- FlashcardsLock in vocabulary and key terms with spaced repetition.
- Practice questionsAnswer exam-style questions and get instant AI marking.
- Mock exams & past-paper vaultSit full mocks and see exactly how examiners award marks.
- Personalised study planA daily plan built around your exam date and weak areas.
The move that scores: In Paper 1 you don't pick the 'right' theory. You explore two or three of these views on a stimulus, weigh them, and reach a reasoned conclusion. That doing philosophy is what the markbands reward.
Know your predicted grade
Take timed mock exams and get detailed feedback on every answer. See exactly where you're losing marks.
How Section A works: An unseen stimulus (text or image) [25]. Task: with explicit reference to the stimulus and your own knowledge, explore a philosophical issue related to what it is to be human.
Why identity works here: Identity is one of the strongest issues to reach for — this whole topic feeds it.
Stimulus — A man about to have a risky brain operation writes in his notebook: "They say I may wake up remembering nothing, feeling like someone else. Oddly, I'm not afraid — as long as he finishes what I started and looks after the people I love." With explicit reference to the stimulus and your own knowledge, explore a philosophical issue related to what it is to be human.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Common mistakes: 1. Describing views instead of arguing. 2. Ignoring the stimulus — quote it. 3. Only one view — top bands need tension. 4. No conclusion — decide, with a reason. 5. Name-dropping — a name earns nothing without its argument.