Philosophy Optional Paper 1- 2020 | UPSC Previous Year Question Papers and Video Analysis PDF Download

 Page 1


A / SEcTIoN-A 
Write 
short answers 
to the 
iolowing in 
about 
150 woru 
10x5-50 h 
ut 
How docs 
Aristotle 
arguc 
for 
the 
priority of 
Form 
over 
Matter 
and 
Actuality over 
Potentiality? Critically discuss. 
How does Leibniz's conception of monads bear upon his views on determinism and 
freedom? Discuss with 
your 
own 
commenits 
What, according to Husserl, is wrong with psychologism? How does Husserl address 
the problems with psychologism in his phenomenological method? 
Examine the reality of the phenomenal world in the light of Hegel's Absolute ldealism. 
"The Soul of Superman is Good." 
Critically
examine the above statement in the 
light 
of 
logical 
positivism. 
never can catch 
myself at any 
time 
without 
percepuon, 
and never can observe 
anything 
but the 
perception." 
How does 
this 
statcment by 
Hume problematize 
the 
philosophical 
notion of 
personal identity? 
How 
does 
Kant deal with this 
problem 
in his 
Critique of Pure Reason? 
20 
URC-U-PHLY/15 
2 
Page 2


A / SEcTIoN-A 
Write 
short answers 
to the 
iolowing in 
about 
150 woru 
10x5-50 h 
ut 
How docs 
Aristotle 
arguc 
for 
the 
priority of 
Form 
over 
Matter 
and 
Actuality over 
Potentiality? Critically discuss. 
How does Leibniz's conception of monads bear upon his views on determinism and 
freedom? Discuss with 
your 
own 
commenits 
What, according to Husserl, is wrong with psychologism? How does Husserl address 
the problems with psychologism in his phenomenological method? 
Examine the reality of the phenomenal world in the light of Hegel's Absolute ldealism. 
"The Soul of Superman is Good." 
Critically
examine the above statement in the 
light 
of 
logical 
positivism. 
never can catch 
myself at any 
time 
without 
percepuon, 
and never can observe 
anything 
but the 
perception." 
How does 
this 
statcment by 
Hume problematize 
the 
philosophical 
notion of 
personal identity? 
How 
does 
Kant deal with this 
problem 
in his 
Critique of Pure Reason? 
20 
URC-U-PHLY/15 
2 
Critically discuss the following stalcment by Moore: 
If anyone tells us that to say 5luc cxists' is the same thing as to say that 'Both 
blue and consciousncss 
eXIsne makes a mistake and a 
self contradictory 
mistake. " 
15 
"The reason that I call my doctrine logical atomism is bccause the atoms that I wish to 
arive at as the sort of last residue in analysis are logical atoms and not physical atorms 
Wrlc a note on the nature of atomic facts according to Russcll in the light of the 
above statement. 15 
What docs Kicrkegaard mean by saying "Subjectivity is the truth" in the context of 
the problem of 'the single individual'"2 
Evatuate the role of spatio-temporal thinking in objective thinking with reference to 
Strawson's thcory of basic particulars. 
When does Pure Reason cnter mo n rean or Antinomies according to Kant? Is 
Kant's notion of Antinomics ol Pure NesOn a natural culmination of his distinction 
between Phenomena and Noumena: ove ieasons in favour of your 
answer. 
5 
"You can 
always 
makc 
something 
out 
of 
what 
discuss 
this 
statement by 
Sartre 
with 
relcrence 
mcthing 
out of 
what 
you have 
been 
made 
into." 
Critically 
Sartre witnrence to 
his 
views 
on 
existentialism. 
20 
niinitely 
many 
ways." 
Explain 
this 
ccnghu 
criticisms. 
divinc na 
there 
must 
follow 
infinitely 
many 
things 
in 
this 
staement 
by 
Spinoza along 
with 
some 
possible
From 
the necessity of 
the 
divinc 
n 
there 
URC-U-PHILY/15 P.T.O. 
Page 3


A / SEcTIoN-A 
Write 
short answers 
to the 
iolowing in 
about 
150 woru 
10x5-50 h 
ut 
How docs 
Aristotle 
arguc 
for 
the 
priority of 
Form 
over 
Matter 
and 
Actuality over 
Potentiality? Critically discuss. 
How does Leibniz's conception of monads bear upon his views on determinism and 
freedom? Discuss with 
your 
own 
commenits 
What, according to Husserl, is wrong with psychologism? How does Husserl address 
the problems with psychologism in his phenomenological method? 
Examine the reality of the phenomenal world in the light of Hegel's Absolute ldealism. 
"The Soul of Superman is Good." 
Critically
examine the above statement in the 
light 
of 
logical 
positivism. 
never can catch 
myself at any 
time 
without 
percepuon, 
and never can observe 
anything 
but the 
perception." 
How does 
this 
statcment by 
Hume problematize 
the 
philosophical 
notion of 
personal identity? 
How 
does 
Kant deal with this 
problem 
in his 
Critique of Pure Reason? 
20 
URC-U-PHLY/15 
2 
Critically discuss the following stalcment by Moore: 
If anyone tells us that to say 5luc cxists' is the same thing as to say that 'Both 
blue and consciousncss 
eXIsne makes a mistake and a 
self contradictory 
mistake. " 
15 
"The reason that I call my doctrine logical atomism is bccause the atoms that I wish to 
arive at as the sort of last residue in analysis are logical atoms and not physical atorms 
Wrlc a note on the nature of atomic facts according to Russcll in the light of the 
above statement. 15 
What docs Kicrkegaard mean by saying "Subjectivity is the truth" in the context of 
the problem of 'the single individual'"2 
Evatuate the role of spatio-temporal thinking in objective thinking with reference to 
Strawson's thcory of basic particulars. 
When does Pure Reason cnter mo n rean or Antinomies according to Kant? Is 
Kant's notion of Antinomics ol Pure NesOn a natural culmination of his distinction 
between Phenomena and Noumena: ove ieasons in favour of your 
answer. 
5 
"You can 
always 
makc 
something 
out 
of 
what 
discuss 
this 
statement by 
Sartre 
with 
relcrence 
mcthing 
out of 
what 
you have 
been 
made 
into." 
Critically 
Sartre witnrence to 
his 
views 
on 
existentialism. 
20 
niinitely 
many 
ways." 
Explain 
this 
ccnghu 
criticisms. 
divinc na 
there 
must 
follow 
infinitely 
many 
things 
in 
this 
staement 
by 
Spinoza along 
with 
some 
possible
From 
the necessity of 
the 
divinc 
n 
there 
URC-U-PHILY/15 P.T.O. 
*"But 
coukd 
we also 
imagine 
a 
language in 
which 
a 
person 
could write 
down 
or 
give 
vocal 
cxprcssion 
to 
his 
inncr 
cxperiences his 
fcelings, 
moods and the rest-for 
his 
private 
use? 
Critically discuss 
the 
answer offcred 
by 
dwer offered 
by 
Witlgenstein 
to this 
question. 
15 
U-B I SECTION-B 
Write shori 
answers 
to the 
following 
in 
about 
150 
words 
cach 
105-5 50 
EXamine the concepl of Karma according to Jainism. How does it bear upon their 
conception of Liberation? 
Explain the diference between Samprajñäta Samàdhi and Asamprajñata Samádhi 
Why is memory not a valid knowledge according to Mimärmsa? 
Point out the significance of the ive-fold diffcrences in the Dualistic School of 
Vedänta. 
Discuss the nature and types of matier according to Nimb
rka. 
How is K_anikav
da a logical derivative of Pratityasamutpãda in Buddhism? Explain. 
Critically 
evaluate Carvakas' 
rejection 
of 
Ákäaa as one of 
the elements of 
reality 
and 
examine their criticism of transmigration of Soul. 
15 
URC-U-PHLY/15 
4 
Page 4


A / SEcTIoN-A 
Write 
short answers 
to the 
iolowing in 
about 
150 woru 
10x5-50 h 
ut 
How docs 
Aristotle 
arguc 
for 
the 
priority of 
Form 
over 
Matter 
and 
Actuality over 
Potentiality? Critically discuss. 
How does Leibniz's conception of monads bear upon his views on determinism and 
freedom? Discuss with 
your 
own 
commenits 
What, according to Husserl, is wrong with psychologism? How does Husserl address 
the problems with psychologism in his phenomenological method? 
Examine the reality of the phenomenal world in the light of Hegel's Absolute ldealism. 
"The Soul of Superman is Good." 
Critically
examine the above statement in the 
light 
of 
logical 
positivism. 
never can catch 
myself at any 
time 
without 
percepuon, 
and never can observe 
anything 
but the 
perception." 
How does 
this 
statcment by 
Hume problematize 
the 
philosophical 
notion of 
personal identity? 
How 
does 
Kant deal with this 
problem 
in his 
Critique of Pure Reason? 
20 
URC-U-PHLY/15 
2 
Critically discuss the following stalcment by Moore: 
If anyone tells us that to say 5luc cxists' is the same thing as to say that 'Both 
blue and consciousncss 
eXIsne makes a mistake and a 
self contradictory 
mistake. " 
15 
"The reason that I call my doctrine logical atomism is bccause the atoms that I wish to 
arive at as the sort of last residue in analysis are logical atoms and not physical atorms 
Wrlc a note on the nature of atomic facts according to Russcll in the light of the 
above statement. 15 
What docs Kicrkegaard mean by saying "Subjectivity is the truth" in the context of 
the problem of 'the single individual'"2 
Evatuate the role of spatio-temporal thinking in objective thinking with reference to 
Strawson's thcory of basic particulars. 
When does Pure Reason cnter mo n rean or Antinomies according to Kant? Is 
Kant's notion of Antinomics ol Pure NesOn a natural culmination of his distinction 
between Phenomena and Noumena: ove ieasons in favour of your 
answer. 
5 
"You can 
always 
makc 
something 
out 
of 
what 
discuss 
this 
statement by 
Sartre 
with 
relcrence 
mcthing 
out of 
what 
you have 
been 
made 
into." 
Critically 
Sartre witnrence to 
his 
views 
on 
existentialism. 
20 
niinitely 
many 
ways." 
Explain 
this 
ccnghu 
criticisms. 
divinc na 
there 
must 
follow 
infinitely 
many 
things 
in 
this 
staement 
by 
Spinoza along 
with 
some 
possible
From 
the necessity of 
the 
divinc 
n 
there 
URC-U-PHILY/15 P.T.O. 
*"But 
coukd 
we also 
imagine 
a 
language in 
which 
a 
person 
could write 
down 
or 
give 
vocal 
cxprcssion 
to 
his 
inncr 
cxperiences his 
fcelings, 
moods and the rest-for 
his 
private 
use? 
Critically discuss 
the 
answer offcred 
by 
dwer offered 
by 
Witlgenstein 
to this 
question. 
15 
U-B I SECTION-B 
Write shori 
answers 
to the 
following 
in 
about 
150 
words 
cach 
105-5 50 
EXamine the concepl of Karma according to Jainism. How does it bear upon their 
conception of Liberation? 
Explain the diference between Samprajñäta Samàdhi and Asamprajñata Samádhi 
Why is memory not a valid knowledge according to Mimärmsa? 
Point out the significance of the ive-fold diffcrences in the Dualistic School of 
Vedänta. 
Discuss the nature and types of matier according to Nimb
rka. 
How is K_anikav
da a logical derivative of Pratityasamutpãda in Buddhism? Explain. 
Critically 
evaluate Carvakas' 
rejection 
of 
Ákäaa as one of 
the elements of 
reality 
and 
examine their criticism of transmigration of Soul. 
15 
URC-U-PHLY/15 
4 
Explain the concepts of 'Anyalnauna and 'Ananyathâsiddha' in the contcxt of 
15 
Asatkaryavada. 
A 
mango 
trec is 
grown 
out of a 
mango sccd," How will 
Sârmkhya systcm 
cxplain 
this 
20 
process through their theory of causation by rejecting their rival pcrspcctives5? 
15 
How 
does 
Buddhism 
explain 
Self in 
terms of 
Pañcaskandhas? 
What is Libcration for 
Buddhism if there is no Soul? 
15 
Explain 
the 
differences of 
conception of 
Reality 
between 
Cárväka and Jainism. 
0 
What does 
Aurobindo mean 
by 
lite 
divine 
as a 
possibility 
and 
inevitability? 
Critically 
evaluate the 
logical 
and 
metaphysical satus of 
Vi[e_a 
in the 
context of 
Vaisesika Philosophy. 
15 
Discuss the nature and relationship of 
Jiva 
and 
Jiva-sak_i 
according 
to 
non-dualism. 
155 
21BS-702 
URC-U-PHLY/15