UPSC Civil Services (Mains) Examination Philosophy Syllabus

Paper � I

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; 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.
• Carvaka :�Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities.
• Jainism:�Theory of Reality; Saptabha�ginaya; Bondage and Liberation.
• Schools�of Buddhism: Prat�tyasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada
• Nyaya- Vai�esika: 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: Prakrti;�Purusa; Causation; Liberation
• Yoga:�Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya.
• Mimamsa:�Theory of Knowledge
• Schools of Vedanta:�Brahman; ��vara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avidya; Adhyasa; Moksa; Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda
• Aurobindo:�Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga.

Paper � II

Socio-Political Philosophy:

• 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; Empowernment.
• 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 Noncognitive.

Written by princy