Oxbridge Philosophy Interview Questions
The best way to prepare for your Oxbridge Philosophy interview is through mock interviews. As well as giving you general interview experience, they focus your mind on the types of questions asked at an Oxford or Cambridge Philosophy interview, teaching you to think in the style required for the real thing.
Below, we have compiled a series of questions of the type you will be asked in your Oxbridge Philosophy interview. Use them to gain an awareness of what's expected of you, plan out answers on your own, or give them to a teacher, friend, or family member, and ask them to conduct a mock interview with you.
Note: If you are doing mock interviews with us, we recommend waiting until afterwards to look through these questions, so that you aren't asked questions you have already prepared for (as you won't have that opportunity for the real thing!). If you haven't booked any mock interviews yet, you can do so here.
Philosophy Interview Questions
Do we have free will? Does a clam have free will? Can a machine have free will?
How would you define ‘consciousness’?
What are the differences between apes and humans, apart from their appearance?
Is ignorance really bliss?
Define tolerance, acceptance and indifference. Would you say that tolerance is a breed of acceptance?
What is the difference between truth and knowledge?
We would both agree that this table is green, but how do you know that the green that you are seeing is the same as the green that I am seeing?
What is the difference between knowledge and understanding?
Is it moral to hook up a psychopath (whose only pleasure is killing) to a reality-simulating machine so that he can believe he is in the real world and kill as much as he likes?
What is an example of an argument with false premises but a true conclusion?
What is the difference between science and religion?
What is the difference between intelligence and wisdom?
What does it mean to be happy?
Is happiness a basis for morality?
I have a rare disease, the treatment for which demands a lot of resources. Should you help me live or let me die?
How would you define forgiveness? Is it ever wrong?
How do we know right from wrong?
How would you define blackmail? Why is it wrong?
What is an example of an argument with false premises but a true conclusion?
Is the sentence ‘this sentence is false’ true or false?
If I were to remove each hair on your head, at which point do you become bald? Why are you not bald with one additional hair, at that point?
How would you define charity? Is it always right?
If a faster hare is racing a slower tortoise, and gives the tortoise a head start, by the time the hare has reached the tortoise’s starting position, the tortoise has now moved further ahead. Once the hare reaches this second position, the tortoise is again further ahead. Given that this will continue to occur, how can the hare ever overtake the tortoise?
Are human lives worth more than those of animals? How do we know human lives are worth anything? Are any human lives worthless?
What is the difference between lie, deceive, and mislead?
And that's all of them! Hopefully, you now have a sense of the types of questions you may be asked. To be even better prepared, try answering these and other questions with our tutors - you can book your mock interviews here.
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