Every few years, the International Baccalaureate (IB) updates the syllabuses of specific subjects to keep them up-to-date and relevant for students. One such change occurred in August 2023 with the introduction of 4 new syllabuses including one for IB Philosophy. In this article, I will go over each component of the Philosophy syllabus, including the Core Theme, Optional Themes, Prescribed Texts, HL Extension, and Internal Assessment, underlining what has changed.
Core theme
The Core Theme, “Being human”, is a study of what it is to be a human and is mandatory for both Standard Level (SL) and (HL). Together with the Optional Themes, it is integrated into Paper 1 where students respond to a stimulus-based question related to the Core Theme and one or two essay questions focused on two Optional Themes (see Optional themes).
In summary, it explores six fundamental concepts: being a human such as identity, the self, human nature, personhood, consciousness, and freedom. Although it was also present in the previous syllabus, there will now be “more emphasis on diversity of perspectives, traditions and approaches within philosophical thinking” (IBO Blogs, 2022). This may sound a bit random, but it represents the aim of the new Philosophy course to capture as many philosophical ideas as possible.
Optional themes
The Optional Themes are the same for HL and SL, with the distinction that SL students are obligated to study one, whereas HL students must cover two. This difference is apparent in the second part of Paper 1 where SL students answer one thematic essay question, while HL students respond to two questions on two themes.
The new curriculum adds a seventh theme – “Social philosophy” – which encompasses topics such as social structures, institutions, equality, discrimination, and gender (IBO Blogs, 2022). As it stands, the current optional themes are: (1) Aesthetics, (2) Epistemology, (3) Ethics, (4) Philosophy of religion, (5) Philosophy of science, (6) Political philosophy and (7) Social philosophy.
Prescribed texts
The Prescribed Texts component involves a comprehensive exploration of a selected philosophical text. Both SL and HL students are required to study one text from the updated “IB list of prescribed philosophical texts” introduced in the new syllabus. Another change regarding this component is that students can now bring an unannotated version of a text into an exam room. This is due to the belief that critical thinking is more valuable than memorizing the work (IBO, 2023). The texts are listed below:
1. Alfred Jules Ayer Language, Truth and Logic
2. Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, Volume 1 Part 1, Volume 2 Part 1 and Part 4
3. Confucius, The Analects
4. René Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy
5. Frantz Fanon Black Skin, White Masks
6. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
7. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals
8. Martha C. Nussbaum, Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach
9. José Ortega y Gasset, The Revolt of the Masses
10.Plato, The Republic, Books IV–IX
11.Charles Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity
12.Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
HL Extension
The HL Extension is: a) reserved for HL students, b) now titled “Philosophy and contemporary issues” (previously “Exploring philosophical activity”) and c) is dedicated to studying the most urgent issues of the 21st century. The change in the HL Extension gives students a possibility to study contemporary subjects such as biotechnology, robotics, ecology, activism, in addition to delving into the nature, function, meaning, and methodology of philosophy, which was the sole focus before. The topics for study within the extension are “Philosophy and technology,” “Philosophy and the environment,” and “The nature, function, meaning and methodology of philosophy.”
Internal Assessment
The Internal Assessment (IA) component has not been altered at all. It still requires students to write a 2,000-word (excluding bibliography or references) analysis of a non-philosophical stimulus be it a film, poem, or painting.
Explore yourself
After having had a good look at the latest Philosophy syllabus, I hope you now have a nice picture of the new course and what it entails.
For more information, you may visit some websites I have referenced throughout this article: Philosophy updates, Philosophy Subject Brief, An Educator’s View of IB Philosophy.
However, if you are considering taking Philosophy, you should definitely ask your IB Coordinator for the Philosophy Guide which is an official IB document, describing the requirements of the Philosophy course. This will give you a comprehensive guide on the course content and expectations that will help you excel. (Remember: Ask for the version marked as “First Assessment in 2025”.)
You may also like…
- Cynthia’s overview of the history IA
- Tyus’s tips for writing a history EE