← Religious, Moral & Philosophical Studies syllabus

ScotlandReligious, Moral & Philosophical Studies

Religious and Philosophical Questions

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Are our actions genuinely free, or are they determined, and what does the answer mean for moral responsibility?

Free Will and Determinism: hard determinism, libertarianism and compatibilism, the bearing on moral responsibility, and religious and non-religious responses.
An SQA Higher RMPS answer on Free Will and Determinism, covering hard determinism, libertarianism and compatibilism, what each says about moral responsibility, and how religious and non-religious viewpoints respond, with the skills to evaluate them.
12 min answer →

What is a miracle, and is it ever reasonable to believe that one has happened?

Miracles: definitions of a miracle, the religious significance of miracles, Hume's argument against believing in miracles, and religious and non-religious responses.
An SQA Higher RMPS answer on Miracles, covering definitions of a miracle, their religious significance, Hume's argument against believing miracle reports, and how religious and non-religious viewpoints respond, with the skills to evaluate them.
12 min answer →

Where did the universe and life come from, and can religious accounts of origins be reconciled with science?

Origins: religious creation accounts, scientific accounts (the Big Bang and evolution), and the relationship between science and religion (conflict, independence and dialogue).
An SQA Higher RMPS answer on Origins, covering religious creation accounts, scientific accounts of the universe and life (the Big Bang and evolution), and the ways science and religion are related, from conflict to compatibility.
13 min answer →

Can the existence of God be argued for or against by reason, and how strong are the classic arguments?

The Existence of God: the cosmological, teleological (design) and ontological arguments, the case from religious experience, and challenges from atheism and the problem of evil.
An SQA Higher RMPS answer on the Existence of God, covering the cosmological, design and ontological arguments and the argument from religious experience, the main objections, and the challenge from atheism, with the skills to evaluate them.
13 min answer →

If God is all-powerful and all-good, why is there evil and suffering, and can the believer answer the challenge?

The Problem of Evil and Suffering: the logical and evidential problems, the distinction between moral and natural evil, theodicies (free will, soul-making), and religious and non-religious responses.
An SQA Higher RMPS answer on the Problem of Evil and Suffering, covering the logical and evidential problems, moral and natural evil, the free will and soul-making theodicies, and how religious and non-religious viewpoints respond, with the skills to evaluate them.
13 min answer →