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Philosophy Optional Syllabus for Civil Service Examination

The optional list of UPSC includes Philosophy as one of the 48 subjects. The UPSC Philosophy syllabus for IAS focuses on the candidate’s grasp of the subject and its application in Indian society. The topics studied under this subject pertain to the history of philosophy and religion and social structures.

Candidates who opt for Philosophy optional subject will realise that most of the syllabus is focussed on problems and topics of the history and development of philosophy and its impact on Indian culture. 

 

Medical Science Syllabus for UPSC Optional – 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; Sying 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, Sarte, 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 Knowlegde; Rejection of Transcendent Entities.
    • Jainism: Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation.
    • Schools of Buddhism : Prat Ityasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada.
    • 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.
    • Samkhya; Prakrit; Purusa; Causation; Liberation. 
    • Yoga; Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya. 
    • Mimamsa: Theory of Knowlegde.
    • Schools of Vedanta Brahman; Isvara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avida; Adhyasa; Moksa; Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda.
    • Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga.

 

Medical Science Syllabus for UPSC Optional – Paper II

 

  • Socio-Political Philosophy
    • Social and Political Ideals: Equality, Justice, Liberty. 2. 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; Multi-culturalism.
    • Crime and Punishment: Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment. 8. 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.

 

If Philosophy has been chosen by you as an optional subject for UPSC Mains, then you will have to prepare it well by studying the previous years’ papers and consulting the relevant books of Philosophy for UPSC. The spillover effect is there in both, which IAS aspirants can also use in integrating their preparation of Philosophy optional with General Studies.