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Optional · Philosophy

40 topics · 4 sections — from the official UPSC syllabus. Study material lands topic by topic.

Paper I · Western Philosophy

  1. 1
    Plato and Aristotle: Ideas; Substance; Form and Matter; Causation; Actuality and Potentiality
    1. 1.Plato and Aristotle: Ideas; Substance; Form and Matter; Causation; Actuality and Potentiality26 min
  2. 2
    Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz): Substance; Modes; Attributes; Innate Ideas
    1. 1.Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz)44 min
  3. 3
    Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume): Theory of Knowledge; Substance and Qualities; Self and God
    1. 1.Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume)38 min
  4. 4
    Kant: Categories; A Priori Synthetic Judgments; Space and Time; Ideas of Pure Reason; Antinomies
    1. 1.Kant29 min
  5. 5
    Hegel: Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism
    1. 1.Hegel: Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism28 min
  6. 6
    Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein: Defence of Common Sense; Logical Atomism; Picture Theory of Meaning
    1. 1.Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein34 min
  7. 7
    Logical Positivism: Verification Theory of Meaning; Rejection of Metaphysics
    1. 1.Logical Positivism23 min
  8. 8
    Later Wittgenstein: Meaning and Use; Language-Games
    1. 1.Later Wittgenstein: Meaning and Use; Language-Games; Critique of Private Language24 min
  9. 9
    Phenomenology (Husserl): Method; Theory of Essences; Avoidance of Psychologism
    1. 1.Phenomenology (Husserl): Method; Theory of Essences; Avoidance of Psychologism20 min
  10. 10
    Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Sartre, Heidegger): Existence and Essence; Authentic Existence
    1. 1.Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Sartre [printed in the syllabus as "Sarte"], Heidegger)26 min
  11. 11
    Quine and Strawson: Critique of Empiricism; Theory of Basic Particulars and Persons
    1. 1.Quine and Strawson24 min

Paper I · Indian Philosophy

  1. 1
    Carvaka: Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities
    1. 1.Carvaka: Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities22 min
  2. 2
    Jainism: Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation
    1. 1.Jainism: Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation27 min
  3. 3
    Schools of Buddhism: Pratityasamutpada; Ksanikavada; Nairatmyavada
    1. 1.Schools of Buddhism: Pratītyasamutpāda, Kṣaṇikavāda, Nairātmyavāda23 min
  4. 4
    Nyaya-Vaisesika: Theory of Categories; Theory of Pramana; Self, Liberation, God
    1. 1.Nyaya-Vaisesika36 min
  5. 5
    Samkhya: Prakrti; Purusa; Causation; Liberation
    1. 1.Samkhya17 min
  6. 6
    Yoga: Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya
    1. 1.Yoga: Citta, Cittavṛtti, Kleśas, Samādhi, Kaivalya24 min
  7. 7
    Mimamsa: Theory of Knowledge
    1. 1.Mimamsa: Theory of Knowledge19 min
  8. 8
    Schools of Vedanta: Brahman, Isvara, Atman, Jiva, Jagat, Maya, Avidya
    1. 1.Schools of Vedanta: Brahman, Isvara, Atman, Jiva, Jagat, Maya, Avidya, Adhyasa, Moksa, Aprthaksiddhi, Pancavidhabheda23 min
  9. 9
    Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga
    1. 1.Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga26 min

Paper II · Socio-Political Philosophy

  1. 1
    Social and Political Ideals: Equality, Justice, Liberty
    1. 1.Social and Political Ideals — Equality, Justice, Liberty31 min
  2. 2
    Sovereignty: Austin, Bodin, Laski, Kautilya
    1. 1.Sovereignty — Austin, Bodin, Laski, Kautilya30 min
  3. 3
    Individual and State: Rights, Duties and Accountability
    1. 1.Part A — Rights: What the Individual Is Entitled to Hold Against the State29 min
  4. 4
    Forms of Government: Monarchy, Theocracy, Democracy
    1. 1.Forms of Government — Monarchy, Theocracy, Democracy27 min
  5. 5
    Political Ideologies: Anarchism, Marxism and Socialism
    1. 1.Political Ideologies — Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism and Feminism37 min
  6. 6
    Humanism; Secularism; Multiculturalism
    1. 1.Humanism, Secularism and Multiculturalism29 min
  7. 7
    Crime and Punishment: Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment
    1. 1.Crime and Punishment — Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment40 min
  8. 8
    Development and Social Progress
    1. 1.Development and Social Progress33 min
  9. 9
    Gender Discrimination: Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights; Empowerment
    1. 1.Gender Discrimination — Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights, Empowerment31 min
  10. 10
    Caste Discrimination: Gandhi and Ambedkar
    1. 1.Caste Discrimination — Gandhi and Ambedkar35 min

Paper II · Philosophy of Religion

  1. 1
    Notions of God: Attributes; Relation to Man and the World
    1. 1.Notions of God — Attributes, Relation to Man and the World (Indian and Western)31 min
  2. 2
    Proofs for the Existence of God and their Critique
    1. 1.Proofs for the Existence of God and their Critique (Indian and Western)36 min
  3. 3
    The Problem of Evil
    1. 1.Problem of Evil25 min
  4. 4
    Soul: Immortality, Rebirth and Liberation
    1. 1.Soul — Immortality, Rebirth and Liberation24 min
  5. 5
    Reason, Revelation and Faith
    1. 1.Reason, Revelation and Faith46 min
  6. 6
    Religious Experience: Nature and Object (Indian and Western Views)
    1. 1.Religious Experience — Nature and Object (Indian and Western)30 min
  7. 7
    Religion without God
    1. 1.Religion without God37 min
  8. 8
    Religion and Morality
    1. 1.Religion and Morality25 min
  9. 9
    Religious Pluralism and the Problem of Absolute Truth
    1. 1.Religious Pluralism and the Problem of Absolute Truth17 min
  10. 10
    Nature of Religious Language: Analogical and Symbolic
    1. 1.Nature of Religious Language — Analogical and Symbolic, Cognitivist and Non-cognitive22 min

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