Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC)

Preliminary Examination Syllabus - Philosophy

Section A : Problems of Philosophy

1. Substance and Attributes : Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley’s criticism, Nyaya- Vaisesika, Buddhist criticism of Pudgala.

2. God, Soul and the World : Thomas Acquinas, St. Augustine, Spinoza, Descartes, Nyaya- Vaisesika, Sankara, Ramanuja.

3. Universals : Realism and Nominalism (Plato, Aristotle, Berkeley’s criticism of abstract ideas, Nyaya-Vaisesika, Buddhism).

4. Bases of Knowledge : Pramanavada in Carvaka, Nyaya-Vaisesika, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta.

5. Truth and Error : Correspondence Theory, Coherence Theory, Pragmatic Theory; Khyativada (Anyathakhyati, Akhyati, Anirvacaniyakhyati).

6. Matter and Mind : Descartes, Spinoza, Leibnitz, Berkeley.

Section B : Logic

1. Truth and Validity.

2. Classification of sentences : Traditional and Modern.

3. Syllogism : Figures and Moods; Rules of Syllogism (General and special) validation by Venn Diagrammes; Formal Fallacies.

4. Sentential Calculus : Symbolisation; Truth-Functions and their interdefinability; Truth Tables; Formal Proof.

Section C : Ethics

1. Statement of fact and statement of value.

2. Right and Good; Teleology and Deontology.

3. Psychological Hedonism.

4. Utilitarianism (Bentham; J.S. Mill).

5. Kantian Ethics.

6. Problem of the freedom of will.

7. Moral Judgements : Descriptivism, Prescriptivism, Emotivism.

8. Niskamakrama : Sthitaprajna.

9. Jaina Ethics.

10. Four Noble Truths and Eight fold path in Buddhism.

11. Gandhian Ethics : Satya, Ahimsa, Ends and Means.

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Courtesy : ppsc.gov.in