Philosophy Syllabus – UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam

Philosophy Syllabus – UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam

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.

Cârvâka: Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities.

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

Schools of Buddhism: Pratîtyasamutpâda; Ksanikavada, Nairâtmyavâda.

Nyâya- Vaiúesika: Theory of Categories; Theory of Appearance; Theory of Pramâna; Self, Liberation; God; Proofs for the Existence of God; Theory of Causation; Atomistic Theory of Creation.

Sâmkhya: Prakrti; Purusa; Causation; Liberation.

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

Mimâmsâ: Theory of Knowledge.

Schools of Vedânta: Brahman; Îúvara; Âtman; Jiva; Jagat; Mâyâ; Avidyâ; Adhyâsa; 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; Empowerment.

10. Caste Discrimination: Gandhi and Ambedkar

Philosophy of Religion: