
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.