EDUCATIONSAMPLE
A Little Bit of RELIGIOUS
2nd Edition
Paul McAndrew
A little bit of Religious Education 2nd Edition
All the content is based on the syllabus
A detailed answer for each outcome for learning is provided
A summary of each outcome is provided
Past exam questions are included
All exam questions are from examinations.ie
Content
Section A
SEARCH FOR MEANING AND VALUES
Intro to the Search for Meaning and Values…
So, what is meaning and what do each of us value? Meaning was once considered to be mutually or universally the same. All meaning could be derived from the belief in a higher being or beings. These transcendent beings gave and formed the vast amount of purpose and meaning in one’s life.
Today, many people find purpose and meaning in sources and ways not related to a higher being; from relationships with others, to set goals or travelling all over the world to experience the many cultures that it possesses. And though the source of meaning today has changed for many today, it is still true that having meaning and purpose helps you through the day.
Now I am not a world-renowned expert on the matter but people who have meaning tend to live happier and more contend lives, than those who do not. Therefore, the search for meaning tends to be very important as it is ultimately a search for peace, happiness and fulfilment.
Value is like meaning but different. What we value is what humans will figuratively put their heart in and most of their effort towards. Again, like with meaning, what we value depends on the person and can differ vastly from one individual to another.
In my life before I was a teacher, I worked in retail for about 4-5 years. One day a human resources person from the company who I worked for came to chat with me and conduct some on the job professional development.
One of the tasks that day was to make a list of the 3 things that I most value in life. Not physical items like a house, car or horse, but things like security and peace of mind. I listed my 3 and she told me that if I make most my choices in life based on these, that I would live life by my priorities and be content.
It was a useful exercise and something that I have done regularly over the years. My list has also changed as I have gotten older but following my values tends to lead me to where I want to go.
A psychologist called Abraham Maslow came up with a hierarchy of needs and what is interesting is that once you fulfil a need like housing or job etc you move your priorities and values on to another thing. Like advancement in your chosen profession.
SAMPLE
This does not have to mean monetary benefits but I have always found that being a success or achieving it to be a constant and important part of my value system. Even if that success is small like having a good day, making a nice meal or being able to do something thoughtful for a loved one in your life. What we value is the very core of who we are.
All in all, understanding what gives each of us meaning and value is essential to achieving and living a peaceful and happy existence. Therefore, the search for both is significant to the human experience.
1.1.1
2 examples from contemporary culture that illustrate the human search for meaning… from music, art, literature, or youth culture.
Summary
Literature – use a poem or book from the LC course with meaning to illustrate the search for meaning Music – use a song which means something to you or the songwriter to illustrate the search for meaning
Meaning in Music
The search for meaning can begin with music. It can be a melody or sound that brings joy and comfort to the listener, which makes you want to celebrate being alive and dance, in whatever limited form that maybe.
Past exam questions
2009
Outline two examples of how experiences in life today could make a person question the meaning of life. (40 marks)
2020
How do I decide what is good or evil? Why is suffering part of life?
Outline the thinking of Socrates, in Ancient Greece, on either the moral good or the purpose of life. (20 marks)
Hint… use the same examples for Questions SMV 1.1.3 & 1.1.4 –
1.1.3 Identify cultural factors in contemporary society that can block the search for meaning. &
1.1.4 Give 2 examples of the contemporary phenomenon of indifference to the search for meaning.
Summary
Too much information, Religion, Stress, Anxiety, our phones and work blocking the search for meaning
All of this searching for meaning is not a true reflection of everyone in society.
For many the search for meaning is blocked by the ideas and the makeup of the world and in the way in which they live. They will search but it tends to be limited, as their culture blocks the full search for meaning.
So, why does this occur?
- the search for meaning is complex
- highly individualistic
- difficult pursuit.
People today are inundated with information that they can not ever hope to process.
- A clip, I came across years ago, said that a week’s reading of the New York Times paper would qualify as the same amount of information a person in the 1800’s would come across in their entire lifetime.
- This exponential amount of information makes it difficult to strip away the junk and discern the valuable information.
- Today phrases like “make America great again”, “get Brexit done” or “stay apart to stay together” resonate more and are easier to understand.
- However, when we do this we trust that the slogan is true and fail to realise that the underlying message though positive is filled with a complex combination of ideas and agendas, good and bad.
- But as they are easier to understand they ring truer with a large part of society.
This is one of the reasons that religions are so popular and bring believers a level of peace, as they express a simple message that is easily understood.
Our phones open a world of possibilities, but also a world of anxiety.
- You ask friends in a WhatsApp or other messaging group platform if people want to do anything this evening or on the weekend.
- No one replies.
- How do you feel? Terrible.
- So instead, you message someone privately first, agree to message yes to the invite, message the group and then your friend message yes and more people are likely to come along too.
Stressful, anxiety inducing and you cannot get away, as the device causing the stress is in your pocket. Thus, you become indifferent to the search for meaning as you are surrounded by anxiety.
Past exam questions
2007
Imagine you are doing research for a project on the search for the meaning of life today.
ii. Explain two reasons why a person could find it difficult to search for meaning in life today. (20 marks)
2009
How experiences in life today could make a person question the meaning of life. (40 marks)
2010
“What’s wrong with the world …?” – Black Eyed Peas This line from a song is an example of a person searching for meaning and value in the world.
i. Describe two other examples of how questions about the search for the meaning of life can be seen in today’s culture. (20 marks)
ii. Outline two factors that could block a person from searching for the meaning of life in society today. (20 marks)
2018
Explain how two aspects of living in society today could block people from searching for the meaning of life. (40 marks)
2023
Explain two reasons why people could become indifferent to the search for the meaning of life in the world today. (40 marks)
1.2.1 the Nature and Purpose of Philosophy
Summary philosophy is the love of wisdom the Nature of philosophy is to wonder the purpose of philosophy is to gain wisdom. all philosophy begins in wonder philosophy is based on reason and logic… not myth it moved from mythical to logical thinking about nature the Natural Philosophers philosophised about nature for Thales – water was the origin of nature for Anaximenes – air was the origin of nature for Heraclitus – fire is the origin of nature
The nature of philosophy is to wonder… The purpose of philosophy is to find wisdom…through reason and logic.
Explain how a moral philosophy/theory, listed above, could influence a p erson’s decision about what is the right thing to do on an issue concernin g one of the following:
Section E
Religion & Gender
1.1.1 Discuss the meaning of gender...
Summary
Gender is a social distinction rather an a physical one
There we will be concentrating on what “gender” means biologically, sociologically & psychologically.
Many of the points made are generalisations and there is no intention of causing offence to anyone. The purpose of these generalisations is to enable students to think about the topics from a broad perspective and allow them to grasp an understanding of the issues arising.
To begin this we must look to define gender. There is no clear, unambiguous & widely agreed upon definition of the term 'gender'. The use of the term 'gender' was introduced in the behavioural and social sciences to distinguish it from the concept of sex. In general, sex is understood to be biologically defined, while gender is culturally constructed.
Point to note - is that predominantly, gender studies tend to have a woman-centred focus. One of the main reasons for this, is due to how women have been silenced throughout recorded and unrecorded history. As a result, women have claimed back and continue to claim back their rights as equals with men.
In general, gender refers to the differentiation, usually on the basis of sex, between social roles & functions labelled as masculine and feminine.
All societies make some sort of gender distinctions. One constant feature is that, for the most part women have always had a lower status than men; but the extent of the gap between the sexes varies across cultures & times.
The definition of gender adopted in official Irish policy states: "Gender is a concept that refers to the social differences, as opposed to the biological ones, between men & women that have been learned, are changeable over time & have wide variations both within and between cultures.'
Biology
Physical characteristics determine our sexual identity, i.e. male & female genitalia.
However, scientific research demonstrates that there are at least 5 or 6 differentials in establishing sex from genes, chromosomes, sex glands, hormones & even the brain.
Neuroscience suggests that the brain maybe gendered… True or False!
Early research (1995) said that female brains are stronger in the left hemisphere, which is where language is processed but the male brain is more oriented to the right hemisphere, which is the physical & spatial centre.
Other early studies also suggest that the female brain has more connections between the left & right hemispheres. All of this suggests that men & women are significantly different in the ways that estimate time, judge speed, carry out mental calculations, visualise objects in 3D, process language, express emotion, recognise emotional overtones & carry out tasks.
However, modern neuroscientists have identified no decisive, category-defining differences between the brains of men and women. In women’s brains, language-processing is not spread any more evenly across the hemispheres than it is in men’s, as a small 1995 “Nature” study proclaimed but a large 2008 meta-analysis disproved.
Edward Wilson a Harvard entomologists used termed "sociobiology" when discussing the biological link to human social
