Introduction

Welcome to your essential companion for navigating the IB Diploma Programme Philosophy course. This guide provides 101 targeted prompts designed to leverage the power of Generative AI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude. Whether you’re an educator seeking to enrich your teaching or a student aiming to deepen your understanding, these prompts are crafted to align directly with the latest IB Philosophy curriculum (first assessment 2025).

How to Use This Guide:

Copy and Paste: Select a prompt that fits your needs.
Customize: Replace bracketed text [like this] with your specific philosopher, concept, or text.
Iterate: Use the AI’s first response as a starting point. Ask follow-up questions to refine the output until it meets your exact requirements.

Think of AI as a tireless teaching assistant or a personal tutor. It can help you brainstorm, create resources, and practice skills, but it is not a substitute for your own critical thinking and academic engagement. Always verify information and use the generated content as a tool for learning, not the final product.

Section 1 – Educator Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to assist with every stage of teaching, from initial planning to final assessment.

Stage 1: Curriculum & Lesson Planning

Syllabus Outline: “Generate a semester-long syllabus outline for the IB Philosophy SL course, focusing on the Core Theme ‘Being Human’ and the Optional Theme [e.g., Ethics]. Include key questions, philosophers, and suggested pacing.”
HL Extension Plan: “Create a supplementary plan for my HL students that integrates the study of the Prescribed Text [e.g., Plato’s Republic] with the Core Theme ‘Being Human’. Suggest 3 specific points of connection.”
Lesson Plan – Core Theme: “Design a 90-minute lesson plan on the sub-topic ‘The Self and the Body’ from the ‘Being Human’ Core Theme. Include learning objectives, a starter activity, main discussion points (including dualism vs. materialism), and a plenary.”
Lesson Plan – Optional Theme: “Develop an engaging lesson plan for the Optional Theme ‘Political Philosophy’ on the concept of ‘Justice’. The lesson should introduce Rawls’ ‘veil of ignorance’ and Nozick’s entitlement theory.”
Connecting Concepts: “Explain how the concept of ‘Free Will’ from the ‘Being Human’ theme can be explored through the lens of the ‘Aesthetics’ Optional Theme. Provide 3 concrete examples or questions.”
Resource Curation: “Act as a research assistant. Find 5 high-quality online resources (articles, videos, podcasts) suitable for IB students on the topic of [e.g., Feminist Epistemology].”
TOK Links: “Identify and explain 3 compelling links between the IB Philosophy Optional Theme [e.g., Philosophy of Science] and IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Focus on questions related to ‘Methods and Tools’ and ‘Scope’.”
Unit Introduction: “Write a captivating introduction for the unit on [e.g., Philosophy of Religion]. It should pose 3 provocative questions to immediately engage students.”
Key Terminology List: “Generate a glossary of the 15 most important key terms for the ‘Being Human’ Core Theme, with concise definitions suitable for an IB student.”
Philosopher Bio Sheet: “Create a one-page summary sheet for the philosopher [e.g., Simone de Beauvoir]. Include their key ideas, major works, and relevance to the IB Philosophy course.”
Interdisciplinary Connections: “Suggest 3 ways to connect the IB Philosophy topic of [e.g., Political Legitimacy] with concepts from IB History or IB Global Politics.”
IA Brainstorming: “Generate 5 non-philosophical stimuli (e.g., a news article headline, a poem, a movie scene) that would be suitable for the IB Philosophy Internal Assessment, related to the theme of [e.g., Identity].”
Scaffolding Plan: “Create a 3-step scaffolding plan to help students with learning difficulties understand the difference between ‘a priori’ and ‘a posteriori’ knowledge in the ‘Epistemology’ theme.”
Debate Structure: “Outline a formal debate structure for a class activity on the motion: ‘This house believes that a truly just society can only be achieved through utilitarian principles’.”
Long-Term Plan: “Create a two-year long-term plan for the IB Philosophy HL course, mapping out the Core Theme, Optional Theme [e.g., Aesthetics], and the Prescribed Text [e.g., The Second Sex]. Allocate time for the IA and exam revision.”

Stage 2: Content Delivery & Activities

Discussion Questions: “Generate 10 open-ended discussion questions about [e.g., Aristotle’s virtue ethics] to facilitate a student-led seminar.”
Case Study Creation: “Create a short, modern case study that illustrates the ethical dilemma between [e.g., deontology and consequentialism]. The case study should be relatable for a 17-year-old.”
Thought Experiment: “Design a new thought experiment, in the style of [e.g., The Ship of Theseus], to explore the concept of [e.g., Personal Identity] from the ‘Being Human’ theme.”
Worksheet Generator: “Create a worksheet for the ‘Being Human’ theme that asks students to compare and contrast the views of [e.g., Plato and Aristotle] on the nature of the soul. Include a Venn diagram template and 3 short-answer questions.”
Role-Play Scenario: “Develop a role-play scenario where one student acts as [e.g., John Locke] and another as [e.g., Jean-Jacques Rousseau], debating the ideal form of government.”
Presentation Slides Outline: “Outline a 15-slide presentation on the ‘Problem of Evil’ from the ‘Philosophy of Religion’ theme. Specify the content for each slide, including key arguments and counter-arguments.”
Argument Analysis Practice: “Provide a short, flawed argument related to the topic of [e.g., Artificial Intelligence]. Create a task for students to identify the logical fallacies within it.”
Philosopher ‘For and Against’: “Generate a table that lists the main arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’ [e.g., Karl Popper’s theory of falsification] from the ‘Philosophy of Science’ theme.”
Creative Writing Prompt: “Create a creative writing prompt asking students to write a short story from the perspective of a character living in [e.g., Plato’s cave] who has just been released.”
Video Analysis Task: “Suggest a specific scene from the film [e.g., The Matrix] and create 5 analysis questions that connect the scene to the ‘Being Human’ theme, specifically focusing on ‘Freedom and Determinism’.”
Jigsaw Activity Plan: “Design a jigsaw activity for the Optional Theme [e.g., Aesthetics]. Divide the topic of ‘Defining Art’ into four sub-topics (e.g., functionalism, institutional theory, historicism, formalism) for student groups to become experts on.”
Concept Mind Map: “Generate the structure for a mind map on the Optional Theme of ‘Ethics’. The central idea should be ‘Ethical Theories’, with main branches for [e.g., Virtue Ethics, Deontology, and Utilitarianism] and sub-branches for key philosophers and concepts.”
Real-World Application: “Find a recent news article about [e.g., a new surveillance technology] and formulate 3 philosophical questions that connect it to the ‘Political Philosophy’ theme of ‘Liberty and Rights’.”
Quote Analysis: “Provide 3 significant quotes from [e.g., Friedrich Nietzsche] and create a task that asks students to interpret each quote and explain its relevance to the ‘Being Human’ theme.”
Peer Teaching Task: “Create instructions for a peer-teaching activity where one student must explain the concept of [e.g., Kant’s Categorical Imperative] to a partner using only a simple analogy.”

Stage 3: Assessment & Feedback

Quiz Generator: “Generate a 10-question multiple-choice quiz on the ‘Epistemology’ Optional Theme, covering key concepts like rationalism, empiricism, and skepticism.”
Paper 1 Style Question (Core): “Act as an IB examiner. Create a Paper 1, Section A style essay question on the ‘Being Human’ Core Theme, focusing on the relationship between mind and body.”
Paper 1 Style Question (Optional): “Act as an IB examiner. Create two distinct Paper 1, Section B style essay questions for the Optional Theme [e.g., Ethics].”
Paper 2 Style Question (HL): “Act as an IB examiner. Create two Paper 2 style essay questions for the Prescribed Text [e.g., Martha Nussbaum’s Creating Capabilities].”
IA Stimulus Idea: “Suggest a non-philosophical stimulus (e.g., a data visualization, a short animation, a product advertisement) that would allow a student to explore the concept of [e.g., authenticity] for their IA.”
Rubric Creator: “Create a simplified, student-friendly rubric for a practice essay, based on the official IB Philosophy assessment criteria for AO2 (Analysis) and AO3 (Evaluation).”
Exemplar Paragraph: “Write an exemplar analytical paragraph for an essay answering the question: ‘To what extent is our identity defined by others?’ The paragraph should demonstrate strong analysis of a relevant philosopher like [e.g., Charles Taylor].”
Feedback Generator: “A student has submitted an essay on [e.g., utilitarianism]. Their work shows good knowledge but lacks critical evaluation. Provide 3 constructive ‘what if’ and ‘how about’ feedback comments to help them improve.”
Short-Answer Questions: “Create 5 short-answer questions (worth 5 marks each) covering the main arguments in [e.g., Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching].”
Mark Scheme Points: “For the essay question, ‘Evaluate the claim that scientific knowledge is always provisional,’ generate 5 key points that would be expected in a high-scoring response.”
IA Question Formulation: “A student has chosen a stimulus about [e.g., a social media influencer]. Help them formulate 3 possible philosophical questions for their IA, connecting the stimulus to the concept of [e.g., the self].”
Mock Exam Paper: “Assemble a complete mock exam paper for an IB Philosophy SL student, including one Section A question and two Section B questions from the [e.g., Philosophy of Religion] theme.”
Improving Introductions: “Provide a weak essay introduction on [e.g., Plato’s theory of Forms] and then rewrite it to be a strong, high-scoring introduction. Explain the key differences.”
Command Term Focus: “Create a short exercise that helps students differentiate between the IB command terms ‘Explain,’ ‘Compare,’ ‘Analyse,’ and ‘Evaluate’ in the context of a philosophical question.”
Common Mistakes List: “List the 5 most common mistakes students make when answering questions on the Prescribed Text [e.g., The Second Sex], and suggest how to avoid them.”

Stage 4: Enrichment & Differentiation

Extension Activity: “Design an extension activity for gifted students who have finished the unit on ‘Political Philosophy’. The task should involve them researching and comparing [e.g., anarcho-capitalism] with [e.g., anarcho-communism].”
Simplified Explanation: “Explain [e.g., Kant’s transcendental idealism] using a simple analogy that would be accessible to a student struggling with the concept. Avoid jargon.”
Connecting to CAS: “Suggest a CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) project idea that is thematically linked to the IB Philosophy course, such as [e.g., hosting a ‘philosophy cafe’ discussion for younger students].”
Further Reading List: “Create a ‘further reading’ list for a highly motivated student interested in [e.g., existentialism]. Include 2 primary texts, 2 academic articles, and 1 novel.”
Film and Philosophy: “Recommend 3 films that explore themes from the ‘Aesthetics’ optional theme (e.g., the nature of beauty, the role of the artist) and provide one key discussion question for each film.”

Section 2 – Student Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to support you at each stage of your learning journey, from understanding new ideas to acing your exams.

Stage 1: Understanding Core Concepts

Explain It Simply: “Explain [e.g., Plato’s Allegory of the Cave] as if you were talking to a 15-year-old. Use a modern analogy.”
Concept Definition: “Define the term [e.g., ‘determinism’] and explain how it relates to the problem of ‘free will’ in the ‘Being Human’ Core Theme.”
Philosopher vs. Philosopher: “Compare and contrast the views of [e.g., René Descartes and Gilbert Ryle] on the mind-body problem. Present the information in a table.”
Key Ideas Summary: “Summarize the 3 main philosophical ideas of [e.g., John Stuart Mill] in simple, bullet-pointed sentences.”
Analogy Creator: “Create an analogy to help me understand the difference between [e.g., rationalism and empiricism].”
Unpacking a Quote: “Take this quote from [e.g., Albert Camus]: ‘The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.’ Explain what it means in the context of his philosophy.”
Argument Breakdown: “Break down [e.g., the cosmological argument] for the existence of God into a step-by-step logical progression.”
Why Is This Important? “Why is the concept of [e.g., the social contract] important in political philosophy? Explain its significance in 150 words.”
Visual Explanation: “Describe a simple diagram or drawing that could represent [e.g., Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean].”
Contrasting Views: “What is the main point of disagreement between a [e.g., deontologist] and a [e.g., virtue ethicist] when evaluating a moral action?”
Real-World Example: “Give me a real-world, 21st-century example of [e.g., a panopticon] as discussed by Foucault.”
Clarify a Distinction: “What is the essential difference between [e.g., positive liberty and negative liberty]? Provide an example for each.”
Philosopher’s Goal: “In simple terms, what was [e.g., Socrates] trying to achieve with his method of questioning?”
Connecting Ideas: “How does the concept of [e.g., ‘bad faith’] from Sartre relate to the idea of ‘authenticity’ in the ‘Being Human’ theme?”
Historical Context: “Briefly explain the historical context in which [e.g., Thomas Hobbes] was writing Leviathan. How did it influence his philosophy?”

Stage 2: Practicing Skills

Argument Builder: “Help me build a basic argument in favor of the proposition that [e.g., art should be judged objectively]. Give me a premise, another premise, and a conclusion.”
Counter-Argument: “What is a strong counter-argument against [e.g., utilitarianism]? Explain it clearly.”
Identify the Fallacy: “Read the following statement: ‘Either you support this new law, or you support chaos. Therefore, you must support this law.’ What logical fallacy is being used here? Explain why.”
Essay Outline: “Create a 3-paragraph essay outline for the question: ‘To what extent is knowledge justified true belief?’ My three points will be [e.g., The Gettier problem, Coherentism, and Foundationalism].”
Strengthen My Thesis: “My current thesis statement is: ‘Feminist philosophy is about equality.’ Make this thesis statement more specific, arguable, and analytical for an IB Philosophy essay.”
Thought Experiment Analysis: “What are the philosophical implications of the [e.g., trolley problem]? What specific concepts does it force us to confront?”
Applying a Theory: “Analyze the ethical dilemma of [e.g., downloading copyrighted material without paying] using [e.g., Kant’s Categorical Imperative].”
Deconstruct a Question: “Deconstruct the essay question: ‘Critically evaluate the claim that the self is nothing more than a narrative construction.’ What are the key command terms and concepts I need to address?”
Finding Evidence: “I am writing an essay on [e.g., Plato’s Republic]. Suggest two specific passages from the text that I could use to support the argument that [e.g., justice is in the interest of the stronger].”
Improving a Paragraph: “Rewrite this paragraph to be more analytical and less descriptive: ‘Descartes was a philosopher who believed the mind and body were separate. He said that the mind was a thinking thing and the body was an extended thing. This is called dualism.'”
IA Stimulus Analysis: “I have chosen a news article about [e.g., gene editing] for my IA. Help me brainstorm 5 philosophical questions that arise from this stimulus.”
Linking Philosophers: “Create a short dialogue between [e.g., Locke and Marx] on the topic of private property.”
Self-Correction: “Here is my argument: [e.g., All humans desire happiness. Utilitarianism aims for the greatest happiness. Therefore, utilitarianism is the correct ethical theory.] Act as a critical friend and point out a potential weakness in this argument.”
Structuring a Comparison: “I need to compare [e.g., Plato’s and Aristotle’s] views on reality. Suggest three clear criteria for comparison (e.g., The nature of Forms, the role of the senses, the path to knowledge).”
Conclusion Writing Practice: “Write a short, powerful conclusion for an essay that has argued [e.g., that free will is an illusion]. The conclusion should summarize the main points and suggest a final implication.”

Stage 3: Revision & Consolidation

Flashcard Generator: “Generate 10 flashcards for the ‘Philosophy of Religion’ theme. Each card should have a key term (e.g., ‘Ontological Argument’) on one side and a concise definition and a key thinker on the other.”
Summary Notes: “Summarize the entire ‘Being Human’ Core Theme into 500 words of revision notes. Use headings and bullet points.”
Mind Map Content: “Generate the key ideas, philosophers, and arguments to include in a mind map about the ‘Aesthetics’ Optional Theme.”
Quick Quiz: “Quiz me with 5 quick-fire questions on [e.g., epistemology].”
Explain the Connections: “Create a table that shows how at least three different philosophers from the course answered the question: ‘What does it mean to be human?'”
Theme to Theme: “How does the concept of ‘power’ in the ‘Political Philosophy’ theme connect to the concept of ‘knowledge’ in the ‘Epistemology’ theme? Give an example.”
Philosopher Cheat Sheet: “Create a ‘cheat sheet’ for [e.g., Simone de Beauvoir], including her 3 big ideas, key vocabulary, and one major criticism of her work.”
Acronym Creator: “Create a simple acronym to help me remember the key features of [e.g., Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus].”
Top 5 Ideas: “What are the top 5 most important ideas to remember from the [e.g., Philosophy of Science] Optional Theme for the exam?”
Audio Script: “Write a 2-minute audio script summarizing [e.g., Aristotle’s four causes]. I will record this to listen to for revision.”

Stage 4: Preparing for Assessment

Essay Plan from Scratch: “Generate a detailed essay plan for the Paper 1 question: ‘Discuss the view that our identity is determined by our relationships with others.’ Include a thesis, three arguments with supporting philosophers, and a potential counter-argument.”
IA Self-Assessment: “Act as an IB examiner. Here is my proposed IA question: [e.g., To what extent does the language used in news reporting on immigration shape our moral duties to refugees?]. Give me feedback on its clarity, focus, and philosophical potential.”
Timed Essay Practice: “Give me an essay question about [e.g., the problem of evil]. I am going to write a response in 45 minutes. Afterwards, I will show you my response and you can give me feedback.”
Predicting Questions: “Based on the themes in [e.g., Plato’s Republic], what are three likely essay questions that could appear on the HL Paper 2 exam?”
Exam Keywords: “List the top 10 most important keywords or phrases I should try to use in an exam essay on the ‘Being Human’ theme to demonstrate my understanding.”
Introduction Hook: “Give me three different ‘hooks’ to start an essay on the question: ‘Is it possible to have a right to something that can’t be guaranteed?'”
Checklist Before Exam: “Create a final 10-point checklist for me to review the night before my IB Philosophy exam.”
HL Paper 2 Strategy: “What is the best strategy for answering the HL Paper 2 questions on the prescribed text? How should I balance explaining the text with my own philosophical analysis?”
Mark Scheme Analysis: “Explain the difference between a Level 3 response and a Level 5 response for Assessment Objective 3 (Synthesis and Evaluation) in the IB Philosophy mark scheme.”
Stress Management Tip: “Act as a mindfulness coach. Give me one practical tip to manage anxiety during the timed IB Philosophy exam.”

Section 3 – Bonus Universal Prompt

This prompt is designed for creative, interdisciplinary thinking for both educators and students.

The Modern Philosopher: “Act as a 21st-century philosopher who is a hybrid of [e.g., Aristotle] and [e.g., Simone de Beauvoir]. Write a 400-word blog post analyzing the modern phenomenon of [e.g., social media influencer culture]. Your analysis must use [Aristotle’s] concept of eudaimonia and [de Beauvoir’s] concept of the ‘Other’ to evaluate whether this phenomenon contributes to or detracts from a meaningful human life. Conclude by proposing a new ‘virtue’ for the digital age.”