UPSC Philosophy 2023

Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each: (a) "Precepts without concepts are blind and concepts without precepts are empty." In the light of this statement dis…

(a) Critically analyse Hume's argument that causality is a matter of habit/custom involving psychological principle of association. (20 marks) (b) Present an exposition of Aristot…

(a) 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…

(a) Why does Strawson consider person to be a primitive concept ? What implication does it have for the mind-body dualism ? Discuss. (20 marks) (b) Why according to Russell is the…

Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each: (a) "All human knowledge is empirical and therefore relative." Critically examine Jaina theory of sevenfold judgement…

(a) Discuss Rāmānuja's criticism of Śaṅkara's conception of Brahman and Īśvara (God). (20 marks) (b) Present Bhatta's view of anupalabdhi (non-cognition) as a valid means of knowl…

(a) Elucidate Naiyāyikas account of fallacies of the middle term in relation to five characteristics of valid middle term. (20 marks) (b) Liberation is defined by Advaita Vedāntin…

(a) "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. (2…

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: (a) What is meant by justice as fairness? Explain Rawls' theory of justice. (10 marks) (b) Critically examine the anarchist…

(a) Elucidate why the absolute nature of sovereignty was rejected by Laski. (20 marks) (b) Do you agree that duty and accountability must be given priority over rights for the bet…

(a) Explain Historical Materialism and discuss its relevance in the context of social development and change. (20 marks) (b) Critically analyse the social and political significan…

(a) "Severity of punishment should be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime." — Do you agree that while punishing a juvenile, the nature of the crime should be considered?…

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: (a) Elucidate the personalistic and impersonalistic aspects of God. (10 marks) (b) Can religious beliefs be justified? Disc…

(a) Critically examine Plato's apriori proofs for the immortality of the soul. (20 marks) (b) In what sense is God both immanent and transcendent in theism? Discuss. (15 marks) (c…

(a) Critically examine the arguments of Nyaya for the existence of God. (20 marks) (b) Examine the significance of the concept of rebirth in the theory of Karma. (15 marks) (c) Ex…

(a) "All evil is either sin or punishment for sin." – St. Augustine. Critically discuss. (20 marks) (b) Does religious pluralism invite inter-religious conflicts and destroy the t…