Strategy to Prepare Philosophy in Prelims
Section A:
Philosophy as an optional subject has become
very popular in UPSC. As we know, it has monopolised State Services already.
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Philosophy has shortest syllabus so it can be prepared within minimum time with
reasonable effort. Generally students think that Philosophy is absurd subject
and it has no practical relevence but it is not true picture of the subject.
Philosophy is very analytical and speculative that makes it very interesting and
highly scoring.
The syllabus of �Preliminary examination has
three sections : Section A, B and C. Section A is Problem of philosophy�. Here
we are concerned with Indian Philosophy and Western Philosophy. So we have to
read them thoroughly. The questions are generally asked on terminology and
theories like �What is Pratitya Samutpada?�. We must have understanding of terms
and theories. In Indian Philosophy there are nine schools. Six schools are
orthodox (Samkhya Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika Mimansa and Vedanta) and two are
heterodox (Jainism and Buddhism). One other school is Materialism. UPSC
generally asks questions in Indian philosophy on some specific points like
substance, attributes. In western philosophy there is no precise syllabus.
Generally questions are asked from Thales to Sartre.
Section B:
deals with Logic. Here we have to read only
seven topics from Irwin M. Copi. Plus we have to study Symbolic Logic by Dr.
Ashok Verma. Generally 30-35 questions are asked from logic in Prelims. 20
questions are just theoretical : they do not need any explanation. 5-8 questions
are on Quantification which also can be answered at first sight if you have
already practised. Remaining 5-8 questions are from Deduction which need
explanation : this depends upon your practice and even these are not decisive.
Section C:
deals with Ethics. It consists of Indian Ethics
and Western Ethics. In Indian Ethics questions are from Charvaka to Vedanta. Dr.
Divakar Pathak�s book on Indian Ethics is essential for this section. In Western
Ethics, questions are from Thales� to Advanced Ethics. Here we have to study
Thilly and another book by Dr. V.P. Verma. The question in this section are
generally factual so we have to collect facts and memorize them.
Strategy to Prepare Philosophy in Mains
Paper I
Paper I deals with Indian Philosophy and
Western Philosophy. Here we have to attempt 5 questions out of 8. 2 questions
are compulsory which are generally on specific topics. The compulsory question
of Indian philosophy is generally on epistemology or it can be a short note. In
Western Philosophy the compulsory question is mostly a short note. The first
paper is highly scoring because all the questions are predictable. We have to
critically examine the questions and give as many comments as possible. The
questions are generally direct like refutation of inference given by Charvakay
Syatvada and Anekantavada in Jainism, Pratitya Samutpada and Kshan Bhangvada in
Early Buddhism, Shunyavada and Vigyanvada in Later Buddhism, Purush prakriti and
Theory of Evolution from Samkhya, categories and atomism from Vaisheshika,
Brahma and Maya from Sankara, Qualified non-dualism and refutation of Mayaism
from Ramayanya. These are the common questions on Indian Philosophy which are
generally asked in UPSC. In Western philosophy, theories of ideas of Plato,
substance and form of Aristotle, �Cogito ergo sum� of Descartes, substance or
pantheism of Spinoza, monadology of Leibnitz, Esse est percipi of Berkeley,
Scepticism of Hume, Synthetic a priori judgement of Kant, Truth is rational and
rational is truth of Hegel, appearance and reality of Bradley, Radical
empiricism of James, Common sense philosophy and refutation of idealism of
Moore, Logical atomism and Theory of Description of Rusell, Eliminaation of
metaphysics and verification theory of Ayer, Picture theory and language game of
Wittgenstein, Category mistake of Ryle Nothingness of Heidegger, Existence
precedes essence and man is condemned to be free of Sartre� all the common
questions of Western philosophy.
Paper II
Paper II has 2 sections and there are also 2
compulsory questions in each sections (one from each section). Philosophy of
religion and Socio-political philosophy are the 2 sections of Paper II.
Philosophy of religion is very short. There are only 7 topics in the whole
syllabus and always 1 question from each topic. If certain specific topics are
covoered, philosophy of religion can be covered easily. In the section of socio-
political philosophy there are 11 topics given inour syllabus. There are some
topics which are invariably asked like Sarvodaya, Gandhism, comparison between
Marxism and Gandhism and sort notes are always on political ideals (equality,
liberty, sovereignity and justice).
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