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TCE Philosophy (Tasmania): complete 2026 guide to the Level 3 pre-tertiary course

Study notes for TCE Level 3 Philosophy (Tasmania), accredited by TASC: logic and critical reasoning, epistemology, ethics, metaphysics, free will and the good life, with named philosophers, arguments and assessment guidance.

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TCE Philosophy (Tasmania): study hub

Welcome to the study-note hub for TCE Level 3 pre-tertiary Philosophy in Tasmania, accredited by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC), course code PHL315118. These notes break the course into clear dot points so you can revise efficiently and write accurate, well-structured philosophical answers.

What this course covers

Philosophy introduces the central questions of the discipline: what we can know, what we ought to do, what exists, whether we are free, and how to live well. Throughout, you build skills in logic and critical reasoning, learning to analyse arguments, evaluate sources and reach judgements you can defend. The course situates significant ideas in their historical context, from Plato and Aristotle to modern thinkers such as Kant, Hume, Mill and Parfit.

Module: Logic and Critical Reasoning

  • Analysing arguments: premises, conclusions, validity and soundness.
  • Recognising and explaining informal fallacies in everyday argument.

Module: Epistemology

  • Defining knowledge: Plato's justified true belief and the Gettier counterexamples.
  • The limits of knowledge: Cartesian doubt and Humean scepticism about induction.

Module: Ethics

  • Comparing the three major normative theories: consequences, duties and character.
  • Metaethics: moral realism, relativism and the status of moral claims.

Module: Metaphysics

  • Personal identity: bodily, psychological and no-self theories.

Module: Free Will and Determinism

  • Free will and determinism: hard determinism, libertarianism and compatibilism.

Module: The Good Life

  • Theories of wellbeing: hedonism, desire-satisfaction and objective list accounts.

Assessment

The TASC pre-tertiary course is assessed in two ways. School-based internal assessment is conducted throughout the year by your school against TASC criteria and standards, covering communication of philosophical ideas, the use and explanation of arguments, and the use of evidence to support reasoning. The TASC external examination is sat at the end of the year and is marked externally. Public reporting indicates the final award is built from 12 ratings, 7 internal and 5 external, but you should confirm the exact number of ratings, the criterion weightings and which criteria carry an external rating against the official TASC course document for your enrolment year.

How to use these notes

Each dot point note opens with a quick answer, then explains the concept with named philosophers and arguments, a key fact and a common mistake to avoid. Use them to build understanding first, then practise reconstructing arguments in standard form and applying theories to cases, always finishing with a reasoned, well-supported judgement.

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Common questions about Philosophy

What is TCE Philosophy and who is it for?
TCE Philosophy is the Tasmanian Certificate of Education Level 3 pre-tertiary course accredited by TASC, with course code PHL315118. It introduces senior secondary students to the major areas of philosophy and develops skills in argument, analysis and reasoned judgement, preparing them for tertiary study across the humanities, law and sciences.
How is the course assessed?
The TASC pre-tertiary course combines school-based internal assessment, set and marked at your school against TASC criteria, with a TASC external examination at the end of the year. Public reporting indicates the final award is determined from 12 ratings, with 7 from internal assessment and 5 from external assessment. Confirm the current split and which criteria are externally assessed against the official TASC course document for your year.
Does Philosophy count towards my ATAR?
Yes. As a TASC accredited Level 3 pre-tertiary subject, Philosophy can count towards your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, subject to the usual ATAR calculation rules applied across your best scaled scores.
What are the main topics covered?
The course introduces epistemology (knowledge and scepticism), ethics and metaethics, metaphysics including personal identity, free will and determinism, and the question of how to live the good life, all underpinned by logic and critical reasoning. The notes group these into clear modules with named philosophers and arguments.
Which philosophers should I know?
Aim to use real thinkers accurately, including Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Mill, Locke, Parfit, Frankfurt, Nozick, Gettier and Mackie. Examiners reward accurate reconstruction and evaluation of named arguments rather than vague opinion.
How should I prepare for the external exam?
Practise putting arguments into standard form, evaluating validity and soundness, and applying named theories to cases. Write analytical responses that explain a position, raise the strongest objection and reach a reasoned, supported judgement rather than merely describing views.