Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies Paper 2 Religion and Ethics: a complete overview
A complete overview of Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies Paper 2, Religion and Ethics. Explains the structure of the exam, the AO1 and AO2 split, and ties together the three ethical theories, utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, and applied ethics and meta-ethics.
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Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies Paper 2 is Religion and Ethics. It studies how we decide what is right, through a set of prescribed ethical theories, applies them to real moral issues, and asks the deeper meta-ethical question of what moral words mean. This overview ties together the three topic pages and explains how the paper is examined.
How Paper 2 works
Paper 2 is a two-hour written exam worth 80 marks. It covers significant concepts in ethics, the three prescribed theories (natural moral law, situation ethics, virtue ethics), utilitarianism and Kant, the application of theories to issues (war, sexual ethics, medical ethics), and ethical language (meta-ethics). As in Paper 1, questions include structured tasks, a textual-reasoning question on an anthology extract, and an extended evaluative essay, with AO1 and AO2 weighted equally.
The three ethical theories
Natural moral law (Aquinas) derives precepts from a rational, purposive view of human nature. Situation ethics (Fletcher's anthology source) subordinates all rules to agape, selfless love. Virtue ethics (Aristotle, developed by Foot and MacIntyre) is agent-centred, aiming at eudaimonia through the golden mean. The skill is comparing how each decides a case.
Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics
Utilitarianism is teleological: Bentham's act version and the hedonic calculus, Mill's rule and qualitative version, and later preference and negative forms. Kant's deontology is the rival: the good will, duty, and the categorical imperative in its three formulations. The classic test is setting consequences against duty on a hard case.
Applied ethics and meta-ethics
Applied ethics runs the theories through real issues, especially war (just war theory), sexual ethics and medical ethics (sanctity versus autonomy). Meta-ethics asks what "good" means: naturalism, Moore's intuitionism and the naturalistic fallacy, and Ayer's emotivism.
How Paper 2 is examined
- The textual-reasoning question. Explain and evaluate a printed anthology extract (such as Fletcher); revise the set texts in advance.
- The extended essay (AO2-heavy). Apply and compare the theories and reach a justified conclusion.
Sources & how we know this
- Pearson Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies (9RS0) specification — Pearson Edexcel (2016)