UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus : Philosophy Optional

UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus - Philosophy (Optional)

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History and Problems of Philosophy

Plato and Aristotle : Ideas; Substance; Form and Matter; Causation; Actuality and Potentiality.
Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz); Cartesian Method and Certain Knowledge; Substance; God; Mind-Body Dualism; Determinism and Freedom.
Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume) : Theory of Knowledge; Substance and Qualities; Self and God; Scepticism.
Kant: Possibility of Synthetic a priori Judgments; Space and Time; Categories; Ideas of Reason; Antinomies; Critique of Proofs for the Existence of God.
Hegel : Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism.
Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein : Defence of Commonsense; Refutation of Idealism; Logical Atomism; Logical Constructions; Incomplete Symbols; Picture Theory of Meaning; Sying and Showing.
Logical Positivism : Verification Theory of Meaning; Rejection of Metaphysics; Linguistic Theory of Necessary Propositions.
Later Wittgenstein : Meaning and Use; Language-games; Critique of Private Language.
Phenomenology (Husserl): Method; Theory of Essences; Avoidance of Psychologism.
Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Sarte, Heidegger): Existence and Essence; Choice, Responsibility and Authentic Existence; Being-in-the-world and Temporality.
Quine and Strawson : Critique of Empiricism; Theory of Basic Particulars and Persons.
Carvaka : Theory of Knowlegde; Rejection of Transcendent Entities.
Jainism : Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation.
Schools of Buddhism : Prat Ityasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada.
Nyaya—Vaiesesika : Theory of Categories; Theory of Appearance; Theory of Pramana; Self, Liberation; God; Proofs for the Existence of God; Theory of Causation; Atomistic Theory of Creation.
Samkhya; Prakrit; Purusa; Causation; Liberation.
Yoga; Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya.
Mimamsa: Theory of Knowlegde.
Schools of Vedanta : Brahman; Isvara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avida; Adhyasa; Moksa; Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda.
Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga.

IAS Mains General Studies Study Kit

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Socio-Political Philosophy

Social and Political ldeals : Equality, Justice, Liberty.
Sovereignty : Austin, Bodin, Laski, Kautilya.
Individual and State : Rights; Duties and Accountability.
Forms of Government : Monarchy; Theocracy and Democracy.
Political Ideologies: Anarchism; Marxism and Socialism.
Humanism; Secularism; Multi-culturalism.
Crime and Punishment : Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment.
Development and Social Progress.
Gender Discrimination : Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights; Empowerment.
Caste Discrimination : Gandhi and Ambedkar.

Philosophy of Religion

Notions of God : Attributes; Relation to Man and the World. (Indian and Western).
Proofs for the Existence of God and their Critique (Indian and Western).
Problem of Evil.
Soul : Immortality; Rebirth and Liberation.
Reason, Revelation and Faith.
Religious Experience : Nature and Object (Indian and Western).
Religion without God.
Religion and Morality.
Religious Pluralism and the Problem of Absolute Truth.
Nature of Religious Language : Analogical and Symbolic; Cognitivist and Non-cognitive.