UPSC Mains 2018 Philosophy Optional Paper I questions

29 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2018. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All Philosophy Optional PYQs

1. Write short answers to the following in about J50 words cach

2. Are the two truths—"The Sun will rise tomorrow' and "2+2=4" of the same necessity for Hume? Give reasons in favour of your answer.

3. Is there any place for freedom in Leibniz's philosophy, when he speaks of 'pre-established harmony'? Discuss.

4. How does the notion of "family resemblance' help Wittgenstein to uphold that "Language is a game'? Discuss.

5. How docs Sartre connect inauthenticity with bad faith? Why does Sartre show thal inauthenticity and bad faith lead to alienation? Discuss,

6. How does Strawson explain the concept of person in his philosophy? Discuss.

7. What is the reason for the difference in the definitions and classifications of substances made by Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz in spite of the fact that they all belonged to the rationalist school of thought? Discuss,

   20 marks

8. Explain the significance of the Kantian dictum, 'Understanding makes Nature'. How far do you agree that Hegel's Absolutism is the culmination of the Kantian Dualism? Discuss. Give reasons in favour of your answer.

   5 marks

9. How does Quine show that the notion of a prion knowledge as discussed by Kant is 'a metaphysical article of faith"? Give reasons for your answer.

   15 marks

10. How does Berkeley establish that Mind and its ideas alone are real? How do Moore and Russell react to Berkeley's view in this regard? Do you find any difference between Moore's reaction and Russell's one? Discuss.

    20 marks

11. How do the logical positivists show that metaphysical sentences are meaningless? Can their verification theory of meaning account for the meaningfulness of all scientific sentences? Discuss.

12. How does Wittgenstein apply the distinction between 'saying' and 'showing' to point to a single way of apprehending the most decisive problems of philosophy? Is he justified? Give reasons for your answer.

13. What is Epoche'? How does Heidegger reject this method of phenomenological reduction? Explain Heidegger's concept of 'being in the world' as opposed to the concept of a transcendental ego.

    20 marks

14. Is the relation between the Idea and the World as discussed by Plato logically consistent? Discuss Aristotle's views regarding this and also give arguments in favour of your answer.

    5 marks

15. How is Russell's theory of definite description related to his Logical Atomism? Discuss and give reasons for your answer, 4 Cgqt- PR PHYO 3 [P.7.0.

16. How do the Vaisesika philosophers explain the difference of the relationships in the two cases—(i) the brown colour of the table and (ii) the book on the table? Discuss.

17. How do the Madhyamika Buddhists apply the notion of Pratityasamutpdda to establish their doctrine of Sanyata? Discuss.

18. What is the difference between the indeseribability |Anirvacaniyatd) of Brahman and the indescribability (Anirvacanlyata) of Maya in the Advaita Vedinta system? Discuss.

19. How do the Buddhists and the Nydya philosophers explain our knowledge of 'the absence of the jar on the table'? Answer in detail.

20. Is Puruga one or many? Explain the Samkhya position in this regard and give arguments in support of your answer.

21. How do the Naiyayikas prove the existence of God? Do the Yoga philosophers prove God in the same way? If yes, how? And if no, why? Give reasons for your answer,

    20 marks

22. Is it consistent for the Buddhists to admit the theory of Nairatmyavada and the doctrine of Nirvana simultaneously? Give reasons in favour of your answer.

23. How do the Jaina philosophers explain 'bondage'? What, according to them, is the distinction between 'liberated soul' and "bound soul'? What do the Jainas think about the condition of the 'liberated soul'? Discuss.

24. Give a comparative exposition of the concept of Moksa as found in the systems of Visistadvaita, Dvaita, Suddhadvaita and Acintyabhedabheda,

    20 marks

25. How do the Advaita Vedantins react to the Prakrtiparindmavada of the Samkhya philosophy? How do the Sarnkhyas defend their own position in this regard? Discuss.

26. How does Ramanuja refute the doctrine of Maya as propounded by Sankara? Why is Maya needed by both Raménuja and Sankara to establish their doctrines? Discuss.

27. Does the admission of Svayamprakdsavdda necessarily lead to the admission of Svatahpramanyavada? Discuss after the Naiyayikas, the Mimamsakas and the Advaita Vedantins.

28. Is Carvaka rejection of inference acceptable to the other systems of Indian philosophy? lf not, why? Do you think the views of other systems to be justified? Give reasons for your answer,

    15 marks

29. What is Evolution according to Sn Aurobindo? Describe the process of triple transformation and the nature of gnostic being in his philosophy.

    5 marks