Philosophy Optional

Paper 1 : History and Problems of Philosophy

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1. Plato and Aristotle: Ideas; Substance; Form and Matter; Causation; Actuality and Potentiality. 

2. Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz); Cartesian Method and Certain Knowledge; Substance; God; Mind-Body Dualism; Determinism and Freedom. 

3. Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume): Theory of Knowledge; Substance and Qualities; Self and God; Scepticism. 

4. Kant: Possibility of Synthetic a priori Judgments; Space and Time; Categories; Ideas of Reason; Antinomies; Critique of Proofs for the Existence of God. 

5. Hegel: Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism. 

6. Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein: Defence of Commonsense; Refutation of Idealism; Logical Atomism; Logical Constructions; Incomplete Symbols; Picture Theory of Meaning; Sying and Showing. 

7. Logical Positivism: Verification Theory of Meaning; Rejection of Metaphysics; Linguistic Theory of Necessary Propositions. 

8. Later Wittgenstein: Meaning and Use; Language-games; Critique of Private Language. 

9. Phenomenology (Husserl): Method; Theory of Essences; Avoidance of Psychologism. 

10. Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Sarte, Heidegger): Existence and Essence; Choice, Responsibility and Authentic Existence; Being-in-the-world and Temporality. 

11. Quine and Strawson: Critique of Empiricism; Theory of Basic Particulars and Persons. 

12. Carvaka: Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities. 

13. Jainism: Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation. 

14. Schools of Buddhism : Prat Ityasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada. 

15. 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. 

16. Samkhya; Prakrit; Purusa; Causation; Liberation. 

17. Yoga; Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya. 

18. Mimamsa: Theory of Knowledge.

19. Schools of Vedanta : Brahman; Isvara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avida; Adhyasa; Moksa; Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda. 

20. Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga. 

Paper 2 :

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Socio‐Political Philosophy

1. Social and Political ideals: Equality, Justice, Liberty. 

2. Sovereignty: Austin, Bodin, Laski, Kautilya. 

3. Individual and State: Rights; Duties and Accountability. 

4. Forms of Government: Monarchy; Theocracy and Democracy. 

5. Political Ideologies: Anarchism; Marxism and Socialism. 

6. Humanism; Secularism; Multiculturalism. 

7. Crime and Punishment: Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment. 

8. Development and Social Progress. 

9. Gender Discrimination: Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights; Empowerment. 

10. Caste Discrimination: Gandhi and Ambedkar. 

Philosophy of Religion

1. Notions of God: Attributes; Relation to Man and the World. (Indian and Western). 

2. Proofs for the Existence of God and their Critique (Indian and Western). 

3. Problem of Evil. 

4. Soul: Immortality; Rebirth and Liberation. 

5. Reason, Revelation and Faith. 

6. Religious Experience: Nature and Object (Indian and Western). 

7. Religion without God. 

8. Religion and Morality. 

9. Religious Pluralism and the Problem of Absolute Truth. 

10. Nature of Religious Language: Analogical and Symbolic; Cognitivist and Non-cognitive.