Philosophy - UPSC Optional | Why Choose UPSC Philosophy as a Optional Subject? -

Table of Contents

Paper-1

History and Problems of Philosophy:

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

Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz): Cartesian Method.

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 Common-sense; Refutation of Idealism; Logical Atomism; Logical Constructions; Incomplete Symbols; Picture Theory of Meaning; Saying 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, Sartre, 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.

Caravan: Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities.

Jainism: Theory of Reality; Saptabhaoginaya; Bondage and Liberation.

Schools of Buddhism: Pratityasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada

Nyaya- Vaiuesika: Theory of Categories; Theory of Appearance; Theory of Parmesan; Self, Liberation; God; Proofs for the Existence of God; Theory of Causation; Atomistic Theory of Creation.

Samkhya: Prakrti; Purusa; Causation; Liberation

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

Mimamsa: Theory of Knowledge

Schools of Vedânta: Brahman; Iuvara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avidya; Adhyasa; Moksha; Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda

Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga.

UPSC IAS MAINS PHILOSOPHY SYLLABUS PAPER

Social and Political Ideals: 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; Multiculturalism.

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.

UPSC Philosophy paper 1 is thinker based and Philosophy paper 2 is very general and contains topics of common interest. UPSC Philosophy paper questions are direct and often get repeated.

UPSC mains Philosophy is syllabus is short and scoring paper. Syllabus is the best guide so while preparing student must keep this UPSC philosophy syllabus to check the progress.