VCE Philosophy (Year 12)
VCE Philosophy (Year 12) on VCE Vault: 9 lessons written for Year 12 (VCE, Victorian Certificate of Education), each with worked examples, practice questions and Aari, an AI tutor. The first 4 lessons are free; the whole subject is a one-off A$14.99.
VCE Philosophy past exams 2023–2025: 40 questions matched to these lessons.
Lessons
Philosophical Method
- Philosophical Method — Arguments, Validity, Soundness and Counterexamples (free) — Reconstruct arguments in standard form, assess validity and soundness, and evaluate arguments using counterexamples, thought experiments and objections.
Unit 3 — The Good Life
- What Makes a Life Go Well? — Hedonism, Desire Satisfaction and Objective List Theories (free) — Explain and evaluate the three main theories of wellbeing and apply them to questions about happiness and the good life.
- Flourishing and Tranquillity — Aristotle and Epicurus on the Good Life (free) — Explain and compare Aristotle’s account of eudaimonia and virtue with Epicurus’ account of pleasure as tranquillity, and evaluate each.
- Freedom and Authenticity — Is the Good Life a Life You Choose? (free) — Explain and evaluate the view that the good life depends on freedom and authenticity, drawing on existentialist ideas and objections.
- The Good Life and Others — Relationships, Community and Obligation — Evaluate how relationships, community and obligations to others contribute to — or constrain — a good life.
Unit 4 — On Believing
- The Ethics of Belief — Clifford versus James — Explain and evaluate W. K. Clifford’s evidentialism and William James’ reply on when it is permissible to believe without sufficient evidence.
- Testimony, Trust and Epistemic Injustice — Elizabeth Fricker and Miranda Fricker — Explain when it is rational to believe what others tell us, and how prejudice can produce testimonial and hermeneutical injustice.
- How Beliefs Are Fixed and Shared — Peirce, Mill and Echo Chambers — Explain Peirce’s methods of fixing belief, Mill’s case for free discussion, and Nguyen’s distinction between epistemic bubbles and echo chambers.
Exam Preparation
- Philosophy Exam Strategy — Analysing Set Texts and Writing Philosophical Essays — Analyse set text arguments accurately and write philosophical essays with a clear contention, fair reconstruction, objections and replies.