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Year 8

Suffering and compassion

I can explain where compassion fits within different ethical theories and whether it can justify suffering.

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New
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Year 8

Suffering and compassion

I can explain where compassion fits within different ethical theories and whether it can justify suffering.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Virtue ethics, Kantian ethics, utilitarianism and situation ethics can support decision-making around compassion.
  2. People may not have an absolute view on ethical issues.
  3. Compassion may reduce or justify suffering.
  4. Philosophers create arguments to support their viewpoints.

Keywords

  • Compassion - the feeling of caring for someone’s suffering and wanting to help alleviate it

  • Justify - to explain why something is right or acceptable

  • Suffering - the experience of pain or distress

Common misconception

If we show compassion, we can eliminate suffering entirely.

While compassion can help reduce suffering, it doesn’t always eliminate it, as some suffering may be inevitable or necessary for personal growth and moral development.

For task B2, students could use some or all the sentence starters (they are progressively more difficult). The activity could also be adapted to become an oracy task or alternatively a cloze task using the sample answer (students are presented text with key elements missing for them to complete).
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Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the main difference between moral evil and natural evil?
Correct answer: Moral evil is caused by human actions, while natural evil is not.
Natural evil is always intentional, while moral evil is accidental.
Moral evil occurs in nature, while natural evil is caused by humans.
Natural evil can be controlled by humans, while moral evil cannot.
Q2.
Deontology focuses on rules or duties, whereas focuses on the consequences or outcomes of actions.
Correct Answer: teleology, Teleology, teleological ethics
Q3.
Which of the following statements best describes Kant's approach to ethics?
The rightness of an action depends on its consequences.
Correct answer: Actions are morally right if they follow universal moral rules.
Ethical decisions are based on the situation and guided by love.
Morality is determined by individual desires and personal goals.
Q4.
Which of the following statements best describes utilitarianism?
Actions are right if they follow moral rules, regardless of the outcome.
Correct answer: The right action leads to the greatest good for the greatest number.
Ethical decisions are based on individual desires and personal goals.
The right action is determined by the character of the person performing it.
Q5.
Which of the following statements best describes the principle of situation ethics?
The right action is determined by following set rules or laws.
Moral decisions are based on the greatest good for the greatest number.
Correct answer: Ethical decisions should be based on the situation and guided by love.
Actions are right if they are in line with one's personal character.
Q6.
Who is most commonly associated with the idea of eudaimonia or flourishing in ethics?
Immanuel Kant
Joseph Fletcher
Jeremy Bentham
Correct answer: Aristotle

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does the word 'compassion' originally mean in Latin?
to care for others
Correct answer: to suffer with someone
to show love unconditionally
to make things fair
Q2.
Match each ethical theory to its main focus.
Correct Answer:utilitarianism,acts based on the greatest good for the greatest number

acts based on the greatest good for the greatest number

Correct Answer:virtue ethics,emphasises developing good character traits like kindness

emphasises developing good character traits like kindness

Correct Answer:situation ethics,focuses on agape love, showing unconditional care for others

focuses on agape love, showing unconditional care for others

Correct Answer:Kantian ethics,treating others with dignity and respect, not as a means to an end

treating others with dignity and respect, not as a means to an end

Q3.
What is meant by the question 'Can compassion justify suffering?'?
Is compassion a reason to cause suffering?
Can compassion prevent suffering from happening?
Is suffering necessary to show compassion?
Correct answer: Does compassion make suffering fair or acceptable?
Q4.
Put the following steps in the correct order for preparing and writing a philosophical argument for a question such as 'Does compassion justify suffering?'.
1 - State your intention.
2 - Present an argument.
3 - Consider an objection.
4 - Counter the objection.
Q5.
Which of the following statements are arguments in support of the idea that compassion justifies suffering?
Compassion leads us to ease others' pain, especially when the pain isn't needed.
Correct answer: Compassion can make suffering worthwhile by inspiring kindness.
Suffering is never acceptable but compassion helps reduce it.
Correct answer: Compassion helps us find meaning in suffering.
Q6.
Which of the following statements are arguments in support of the idea that compassion does not justify suffering?
Compassion makes suffering fair because it inspires selflessness.
Correct answer: Compassion should be about showing that suffering is never justified.
Correct answer: Compassion may not always help someone who is suffering.
The benefits of compassion are greater than the pain caused by suffering.