UPSC Mains 2023 Philosophy Optional Paper I questions

28 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2023. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All Philosophy Optional PYQs

1. "Precepts without concepts are blind and concepts without precepts are empty." In the light of this statement discuss how Kant reconciles rationalism with empiricism.

2. "History is a process of dialectical change." In the light of this statement discuss Hegel's approach in understanding history.

   10 marks

3. "That thing is said to be free which exists solely from the necessity of its own nature, and is determined to action by itself alone." Discuss Spinoza's views on freedom and determinism in the light of the above statement.

   10 marks

4. How does Kierkegaard argue against Hegel's idea of universal spirit in favour of the individual as the essence of spirit? Critically discuss.

   10 marks

5. What are the main arguments offered by Kant to prove that apriori synthetic judgements are possible? Discuss with examples.

   10 marks

6. Critically analyse Hume's argument that causality is a matter of habit/custom involving psychological principle of association.

   20 marks

7. Present an exposition of Aristotle's distinction between actuality and potentiality. Does it provide a solution to the problem of being and becoming as presented in ancient Greek philosophy? Discuss with suitable examples.

   15 marks

8. Discuss Descartes' theory of innate ideas and the grounds on which Locke refutes it.

9. Does the rejection of metaphysics as proposed by Logical Positivists relate to problem of meaning or problem of knowledge or nature of things or all of them together? Discuss with suitable examples.

   20 marks

10. Elucidate the significance of bracketing and reduction in Husserl's phenomenological method.

11. "Consciousness is what it is not and is not what it is." In the light of this statement bring out the chief features of Sartre's conception of consciousness.

    15 marks

12. Why does Strawson consider person to be a primitive concept? What implication does it have for the mind-body dualism? Discuss.

    20 marks

13. aaa frat tire Why according to Russell is the proposition — "The present king of France is bald" problematic? Critically discuss.

    15 marks

14. What were the main reasons that led Wittgenstein to shift from picture-theory of meaning to use-theory of meaning? Critically discuss.

    15 marks

15. "All human knowledge is empirical and therefore relative." Critically examine Jaina theory of sevenfold judgement (saptabhanginaya) in the light of above statement.

    10 marks

16. "If Purusa and Prakrti are two completely independent realities, then no relation between the two is possible." In the light of this statement make a brief presentation of Sankara's criticism of Sarnkhya dualism.

    10 marks

17. What is Advaitin interpretation of the great sentence (mahavakya) 'Thou art that' (tat tvam asi)? Briefly discuss.

18. Present an account of Vaisesika's view of negation in the light of their statement — "Negation always has a counterpositive and absolute negation is an impossibility."

19. Explain the nature and role of Supermind in evolution as per Aurobindo's philosophy.

    10 marks

20. Discuss Ramanuja's criticism of Sankara's conception of Brahman and Iévara (God).

21. Present Bhatta's view of anupalabdhi (non-cognition) as a valid means of knowledge.

    15 marks

22. Elucidate Naiyayikas view of ordinary and extraordinary perception. Are they justified in accepting that universals are perceived? Discuss.

    15 marks

23. Elucidate Naiyayikas account of fallacies of the middle term in relation to five. characteristics of valid middle term.

    20 marks

24. Liberation is defined by Advaita Vedantins as 'attainment of that which is already attained'. How does Sankara illustrate this statement? Discuss with your own comments.

    15 marks

25. Explain Chitta and its modifications in the philosophy of Yoga. Why does Yoga philosophy prescribe cessation of modifications of Chitta? Give reasons in support of your answer.

    15 marks

26. "Ignorance of dependent origination is suffering while its knowledge is cessation of suffering." Present an account of Buddhist soteriology in the light of above statement.

    20 marks

27. Write a note on Nyaya notion of Pragabhava (prior non-existence). How does this notion help Naiyayikas in defending their position on causation against the Sarnkhya view of causation? Critically discuss.

    15 marks

28. Do words refer to universals or particulars or both? Present an exposition of Nyaya and Mimamsa position with regard to above question along with suitable examples.