COTTON COLLEGE STATE UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy Postgraduate Syllabus

DISTRIBUTION OF PAPERS/CREDITS (L+T+P format)

Semester I
Paper Code
PHL 701C
PHL 702C
PHL 703C
PHL 704C

Paper Name
Western Metaphysics
Indian Metaphysics
Introduction to Modern Logic
Ethical Theories
An Elective Paper to be decided by the Department
from the list given in this syllabus

Credits
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
2+1+0

Semester II
Paper Code
PHL 801C
PHL 802C
PHL 803C
PHL 804C

Paper Name
Western Epistemology
Indian Epistemology and Logic
Contemporary Political philosophy
Analytic Philosophy
An Elective Paper to be decided by the Department
from the list given in this syllabus

Credits
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
2+1+0

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Semester III
Paper Code
PHL 901C
PHL 902C
PHL 903C
PHL 904C

Paper Name
Problems in Indian Moral and Social Philosophy
Asian Philosophy
Phenomenology and Existentialism
Philosophy of Religion
An Elective Paper to be decided by the Department
from the list given in this syllabus

Credits
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
2+1+0

Semester - IV

Paper Code
PHL 1001C
PHL 1002C
PHL 1003C
PHL 1004C

Paper Name
Contemporary Indian thought
Recent Trends in Continental Philosophy
Feminist Philosophy
Research Paper
An Elective Paper to be decided by the Department
from the list given in this syllabus

Credits
3+1+0
3+1+0
3+1+0
0+2+2
2+1+0

Elective Papers
Paper Code
PHL 1201E
PHL 1202E
PHL 1203E
PHL 1204E
PHL 1205E

Paper Name
Practical Ethics
Philosophy of Arts
Philosophy of Science
Sankara Vedanta
Gandhian Thought

Credits
2+1+0
2+1+0
2+1+0
2+1+0
2+1+0

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SEMESTER-I
Paper: PHL 701C
WESTERN METAPHYSICS
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I- Ancient Greek Metaphysics:

Aristotles critique of Platos theory of ideas; his solution hylomorphism; his teleological account
of causality.
Unit II Substance:
Cartesian dualism; Spinozist monism; Leibnizian monadism.
Unit III Causality:
Humean attack on causality.
Unit IV Idealism:
Berkeleian subjective idealism and Hegelian absolute idealism.
Reading List :
1. Cooper, David E., ed. 200. Metaphysics: The Classic Readings. Malden, MA: WileyBlackwell.
2. Taylor, Richard. 1991. Metaphysics, Series: Foundations of Philosophy. New Delhi: Prentice
Hall.
3. Copleston, Frederick. 1993. A History of Philosophy, 11 Volumes. New York: Image.
(relevant portions).
4. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles)

SEMESTER-I
Paper: PHL 702C
INDIAN METAPHYSICS
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I Theory of causation:

Satkaryavada of Samkhya; Asatkaryavada/ Arambhavada of Nyaya; Pratityasamutpadavada of
Buddhism; Vivartavada of Advaita; Brahma-parinamavada of Visistadvaita.
Unit II Theory of the physical world:
World as manifestation or evolution of Prakrti in Samkhya; World as a product of atoms in
Vaisesika; World as vyavaharika satta in Advaita; World as inseparable from Brahman in
Visistadvaita (aprtaksidhi).
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Unit III Theories of reality (Sat):

Vaisesika view of padarthas; Sat as eternal reality in Samkhya and Vedanta; Sat as eternal and noneternal in Jainism; Sat as momentary in Buddhism; Sat in Carvaka materialism.
Unit IV Theory of human essence (Jiva/Atman):
In the Samkhya-Yoga; in Advaita; In Visistadvaita; In Buddhism; In Jainism; In Carvaka.

Reading List :
1. Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli. 1967. A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy. Princeton, NJ:
Princeton University Press
2. Phillips, Stephen H. 1997. Classical Indian Metaphysics. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
3. Hiriyana, M. 1993. Outlines of Indian Philosophy. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
4. Dasgupta, Surendranath. 2000. History of Indian Philosophy, 5 Volumes Set. New Delhi:
Motilal Bnarsidass, (relevant portions)
5. Potter, Karl H. 2011. The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Currently in 19 Volumes. New
Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, (relevant portions).

SEMESTER-I
Paper: PHL 703C
INTRODUCTION TO MODERN LOGIC
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I Propositional logic:

Logic and the nature of argument; Truth and validity; Symbolic logic; Truth functions; Techniques
of symbolization; Proof construction; Shorter truth table technique.
Unit II Quantification theory:
Singular and general propositions; Techniques of symbolization; Quantification rules; Proof
construction; Logical truth involving quantifiers
Unit III The logic of relations:
Symbolizing relations; Arguments involving relations; Attributes of relations; Identity and definite
description.
Unit IV Introduction to set theory: Definition of sets; Basic operations; Venn diagrams; Relations,
Binary relations, Equivalence relations; Ordering relations; Operations on relations; Functions;
Operations on functions.
Reading List :
1. Jacquette, Dale, ed. 2001. Philosophy of Logic: An Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell.
2. Copi, Irving M., and Carl Cohen. Introduction to Logic. 11th Edition. Harlow, UK: Pearson.
3. Copi, Irving M. 2009. Symbolic Logic. Fifth Edition. New Delhi: Prentice Hall India.
4. Klenk, Virginia. 2007. Understanding Symbolic Logic. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
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5. Suppes, Patrick. 1999. Introduction to Logic, Series: Dover Books on Mathematics. Mineola,
NY: Dover Publications.
6. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER-I
Paper: PHL 704C
ETHICAL THEORIES
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I Virtue ethics:

Aristotles virtue ethics (Eudaimonism) .
Unit II Utilitarian ethics:
Its hedonism, consequentialism and maximization scheme; Mills improved utilitarianism;Problems
with utilitarianism; Contemporary improvements:Rule utilitarianism and act utilitarianism, and
their problems.
Unit III Deontological ethics:
Kants notion of theoretical and practical reason; ethics as practical reason; Categorical
imperatives; Principle of humanity and the autonomous moral subject.
Unit IV Metaethics:
Moral realism; Moral naturalism and non-naturalism; Freewill and moral responsibility; Moral
relativism and moral nihilism.
Reading List :
1. Sher, George. 2012. Ethics: Essential Readings in Moral Theory. New York: Routledge.
Deigh, John. 2010. An Introduction to Ethics. Series name: Cambridge Introductions to
Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. Pojman, Louis. 2005. How should we Live?: An Introduction to Ethics. Belmont, CA:
Wordsworth.
3. Miller, Alexander. 2013. Contemporary Metaethics: An Introduction. Cambridge: Polity
Press.
4. Darwall, Stephen. 1997. Philosophical Ethics, Series: Dimensions of Philosophy. Boulder,
CO: Westview Press
5. Follesdal, Andreas, and Reidar Maliks, eds. 2014. Kantian Theory and Human Rights, Series:
Routledge Innovations in Political Theory. New York: Routledge.
6. Copp, David, ed. 2006. The Oxford Handbook of Ethical Theory. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
7. Russell, Daniel C. 2013. The Cambridge Companion to Virtue Ethics. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
8. Copleston, Frederick. 1993. A History of Philosophy, 11 Volumes. New York: Image.
(relevant portions).
9. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles)
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SEMESTER-II
Paper: PHL 801C
WESTERN EPISTEMOLOGY
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I
Knowledge as justified true belief; The Gettier problem; Responses to it
Unit II Rationalism-empiricism debate:
Cartesian method of doubt and modern epistemological foundationalism; Spinozas threefold
division of knowledge; Leibniz on knowledge; Rationalist notion of innate ideas and Lockes
critique of it; Lockes account of knowledge acquisition; Berkeleys idealistic empiricism; Humes
skeptical empiricism; Relations of ideas and matters of fact.
Unit III Kants critical idealism:
Kants Copernican revolution; Notion of the transcendental; Structure of sensibility, imagination
and understanding; Division of judgments and possibility of synthetic a priori judgments;
Transcendental idealism.
Unit IV
Correspondence and coherence theories of truth.
Reading List :
1. Cahn, Steven M., ed. 2012. Classics of Western Philosophy, Eighth Edition. Indianapolis, IN:
Hackett Publishing
2. Pojman, Louis P. 2003. Theory of Knowledge: Classic and Contemporary Readings, Third
Edition. Andover, UK: Cengage Learning.
3. Rescher, Nicholas. 2003. Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge, Series:
SUNY Series in Philosophy. Albany, NY: State University of New York
4. Crumley II, Jack S. 2009. An Introduction to Epistemology, Second Edition, Series:
Broadview Guides to Philosophy. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press.
5. Copleston, Frederick. 1993. A History of Philosophy, 11 Volumes. New York: Image.
(relevant portions).
6. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER-II
Paper: PHL 802C
INDIAN EPISTEMOLOGY AND LOGIC
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I
The close relation between logic, epistemology and metaphysics in Indian philosophy;
The necessity to refute all other systems in order to establish ones own system of
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philosophy; The Indian method of purvapaksa and sidhanta; Anviksiki and anumiti
Unit II Theories of error (Kyativada):
Carvakas asat-kyativada; Yogacara Buddhists atma-kyativada; Prabhakara mimamsakas
akyativada; Naiyayikas anyatha-kyativada; Advaitins anirvacaniya-kyativada; Madhvas Abhinava
anyata-khyativada; Bhatta mimamsakas viparitakyativada; Samkyas sadasadkyativada;
Visistadvaitins satkyativada; Debate about the status of dream cognition
Unit III Valid means of knowledge (pramana):
pratyaksa, anumana, sabda, upamana, arthapatti, anupalabdi; The special status of sabda
pramana; Svatahpramanyavada and paratahpramanyavada; Valid (prama) and invalid (aprama)
cognition;
Unit IV Anumana pramana:
Definition, constituents and types of anumana in Nyaya and Buddhism; inductive elements in
Indian logic: vyaptigrahopaya, samanya laksana pratyasatti, tarka, upadhi
Reading List :
1. Prasad, Jwala. 1987. History of Indian Epistemology, Third Edition. New Delhi: Munshiram
Manoharlal.
2. Barlingay, Surendra Sheodas. 1965. A Modern Introduction to Indian Logic. New Delhi:
National Publishing House.
3. Matilal, Bimal Krishna. 1992. Perception: An Essay on Classical Indian Theories of
Knowledge, Series: Clarendon Paperbacks. New York: Oxford University Press.
4. Matilala, Bimal Krishna. 1998. The Character of Logic in India, eds. Jonardon Ganeri and
Heeraman Tiwari, Series: SUNY Series in Indian Thought, Texts and Studies. Albany, NY:
State University of New York Press.
5. Datta, D. M. 1997. The Six Ways of Knowing: A Critical Study of the Advaita Theory of
Knowledge. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
6. Rao, Srinivasa. 1998. Perceptual Error: The Indian Theories, Series: Monographs of the
Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, No. 15, Book 16. Honolulu, HI: University of
Hawaii Press.
7. Dasgupta, Surendranath. 2000. History of Indian Philosophy, 5 Volumes Set. New Delhi:
Motilal Bnarsidass, (relevant portions).
8. Potter, Karl H. 2011. The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Currently in 19 Volumes.
New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, (relevant portions).

SEMESTER-II
Paper: PHL 803C
CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I Introduction:
Greek political thought; The social contract tradition of political thought:Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau;
The utilitarian tradition of political thought: Bentham,Mill; Marxs radical challenge of liberalism
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Unit II Contemporary liberalism:

Rawlsian liberal egalitarian justice theory; Nozicks libertarian critique of liberalism;
Unit III Contemporary secularism:
Western secularism; Indian secularism
Reading List :
1. Bailey, Andrew, and others. 2012. The Broadview Anthology of Social and Political Thought:
Essential Readings. New York: Broadway Press.
2. Pettit, Philip, and Robert E. Goodin, eds. 1997. Contemporary Political Philosophy: An
Anthology. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
3. Kymlicka, Will. 2002. Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction, Second Edition.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
4. Christman, John. 2002. Social and Political Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction, Series:
Contemporary Introductions to Philosophy. London: Routledge.
5. Bhargava, Rajeev, and Ashok Acharya. 2012. Political Theory: An Introduction. New Delhi:
Pearson Education India, (relevant articles).
6. Gaus, Gerald F., and Fred DAgostino, eds. 2013. The Routledge Companion to Social and
Political Philosophy, Series: Routledge Philosophy Companions. New York: Routledge,
(relevant articles).
7. Goodin, Robert E., Phillip Pettit and Thomas W. Pogge, eds. 2012. A Companion to
Contemporary Political Philosophy, Series name: Blackwell Companions to Philosophy.
Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, (relevant articles).
8. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER-II
Paper: PHL 804C
ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I The Ideal Language Phase I:

The linguistic turn of Moore, Russell and Frege; Ideal language and logical atomism of Russell and
Wittgenstein; Theory of descriptions of Frege and Russell; Wittgensteins picture theory of
meaning in the Tractatus
Unit II The Ideal Language Phase II:
Vienna circles logical positivism: Verification and falsification; critique of logical positivism
Unit III The Ordinary Language Phase:
Later Wittgensteins notions of family resemblance, form of life and the use theory of meaning;
Austins speech act theory.
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Reading List :
1. Martinich, A. P., and David Sosa, eds. 2011. Analytic Philosophy: An Anthology, Second
Edition. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
2. Glock, Hans-Johann, ed. 1997. The Rise of Analytic Philosophy. Oxford: Blackwell.
3. Glock, Hans-Johann. 2008. What is Analytic Philosophy?. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
4. Schwartz, Stephen P. 2012. A Brief History of Analytic Philosophy: From Russell to Rawls.
Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
5. Stroll, Avrum. 2000. Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy. New York: Columbia University
Press.
6. Mandik, Pete. 2014. This is Philosophy of Mind: An Introduction. Malden, MA: WileyBlackwell.
7. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER-III
Paper: PHL 901C
PROBLEMS IN INDIAN MORAL AND SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I Dharma:
Indian metaphysics of human existence in terms of karma-dharma-moksa; The place of virtuous
life within this metaphysical scheme in Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism and Jainism;The ideal of
niskamakarma; Is Indian ethics fatalistic?
Unit II Varnsrama Dharma:
The social scheme of varnasrama dharma; The purusartha scheme of gradation of human goods
within the varnasrama dharma social scheme; Varna dharma and sadharan dharma
Unit III Caste and Untouchability:
Untouchability and the ethics of purity; Critique of the varnasrama scheme; The ability/aptitude
account of varnasrama defended by Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi; Is the ability
account defendable in terms of the modern social ethos?; Dr. Ambedkars attack against the
varnasrama social scheme; Daya Krishnas criticism of the purusartha scheme; Possibility of Indian
ethics independent of the varnasrama-dharma-pursusartha scheme; Social egalitarianism in the
Bhakti movement and practical Vedanta.
Reading List :
1. Prasad, Rajendra. 2008. History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Vol.
XII, Part 1: A Conceptual-Analytic Study of Classical Indian Philosophy of Morals. New Delhi:
Centre for Studies in Civilizations.
2. Prasad, Rajendra, ed. 2009. History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization,
Vol. XII, Part 2: A Conceptual-Analytic Study of Classical Indian Philosophy of Morals. New
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Delhi: Centre for Studies in Civilizations.

3. Perrett, Roy W. 1998. Hindu Ethics: A Philosophical Study. Honolulu, HI: University of
Hawaii Press.
4. Billimoria, Purusottama, Joseph Prabhu, and Renuka M. Sharma. 2007. Indian Ethics:
Classical Traditions and Contemporary Challenges, Vol. 1. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate
Publishing.
5. Ambedkar, B. R. 2014. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition. New Delhi:
Navyana.
6. Sharma, Urmila, and S. K. Sharma. 1996. Indian Political Thought. New Delhi: Atlantic
Publishers.
7. Coward, Harold. 2003. Gandhi, Ambedker and Untouchability. In Indian Critiques of
Gandhi, ed. Harold Coward, 41-66. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
8. Dasgupta, Surendranath. 2000. History of Indian Philosophy, 5 Volumes Set. New Delhi:
Motilal Bnarsidass, (relevant portions).
9. Potter, Karl H. 2011. The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Currently in 19 Volumes. New
Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, (relevant portions).

SEMESTER-III
Paper: PHL 902C
ASIAN PHILOSOPHY
Credits: 4 (3+1+0)

Unit I Zoroastrianism:
Ahura Mazda and Ahriman
Unit II Taoism:
The concept of Tao
Unit III Cofucianism:
Moral teachings of the Analects
Unit IV Islam:
Basic philosophical teachings, Sufism
Unit V Shintoism:
The concept of Kami
Reading List:
1. Boyce, M.: Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, London: Routledge and Kegan
Paul, 1987
2. Chan, W: A Sourcebook of Chinese Philosophy, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1963
3. Fakhry, M: A History of Islamic Philosophy, London, Longmans, 1983
4. Nakamura, H: A History of the Development of Japanese Thought, 2 Volumes, Tokyo:
Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai, 1967

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SEMESTER III
Paper: PHL 903C
PHENOMENOLOGY AND EXISTENTIALISM
(Credits: 3+1+0)

Unit I
Husserls descriptive science of phenomenology; Structure of intentionality; Epoche or
phenomenological reduction; Constitution of things; Time, space, self (transcendental ego), others
(intersubjectivity)
Unit II
Existentialism as foreshadowed in Kierkegaards notions of subjectivity as truth and the leap of
faith, and Nietzsches notions of the death of God, nihilism and the overman; Heidegger
Existential phenomenology: hermeneutics and ontology; Everydayness: Structures of Being-in-theworld and disclosedness; Authenticity: Being-towards-death, anticipatory resoluteness and
temporality
Unit III
Sartre Existentialism; Being-for-itself and being-in-itself; Being and nothingness; Bad
faith; Authenticity and freedom characteristics; perception; freedom
Reading List :
1. Moran, Dermot, and Timothy Mooney, eds. 2002. The Phenomenology Reader. London:
Routledge.
2. Kauffman, Walter, ed. 1975. Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre, Revised and
Expanded Edition. New York: Penguin.
3. Moran, Dermot. 2000. Introduction to Phenomenology. London: Routledge.
4. Lewis, Michael, and Tanja Staehler. 2010. Phenomenology: An Introduction. London:
Continuum.
5. Barrett, William. 1990. The Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy. New York:
Anchor Books.
6. Oaklander, Nathan L. 1995. Existential Philosophy: An Introduction, Second Edition. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
7. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER III
Paper: PHL 904C
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
(Credits: 3+1+0)

Unit I- Nature of Religion:

Understanding the concept of religion and the philosophy of religion; Different religious theologies
like polytheism, animism, monotheism, monism, pantheism, panentheism, deism; Religious
pluralism and religious absolutism; Science
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Unit II- Nature of the Ultimate:

Arguments for and against the existence of God: Indian and western; Isvara and Brahman
distinction; Revelation and faith; The concept of apauriseya, sabda and its authority; Theories of
creation: Indian and Western
Unit III- Nature of Religious language:
Unit IV- Human Destiny:
Immortality of the soul; Karma and reincarnation; God-human relation; Problem of evil (theodicy)
Reading List:
1. Eshleman, Andrew, ed. 2008. Readings in the Philosophy of Religion: East Meets West.
Malden, MA: Blackwell.
2. Clark, Kelly James, ed. 2008. Readings in the Philosophy of Religion, Second Edition. New
York: Broadview Press.
3. Zagzebski, Linda, and Timothy D. Miller, eds. Readings in Philosophy of Religion: Ancient to
Contemporary. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
4. Hick, John H. 1991. Philosophy of Religion, Fourth Edition. New Delhi: Prentice Hall.
5. Murray, Michael J., and Michael C. Rea. 2008. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
6. Ramamurty, A. 2002. Indian Philosophy of Religion, Series: Hyderabad Studies in
Philosophy. Delhi: D. K. Printworld.
7. Perrett, R. W., ed. 1989. Indian Philosophy of religion, Series: Studies in Philosophy and
Religion. New York: Springer.
8. Taliaferro, Charles, Paul Draper and Phillip L. Quinn, eds. 2010. A Companion to Philosophy
of Religion, Series: Blackwell Companions to Philosophy. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
9. Copleston, Frederick. 1993. A History of Philosophy, 11 Volumes. New York: Image.
10. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER IV
Paper: PHL 1001C

CONTEMPORARY INDIAN THOUGHT

(Credits: 3+1+0)

Unit IVivekananda Practical Vedanta and universal religion; Nationalism; Aurobindo reality as sat-citananda, three phases of evolution of the Absolute, mind and super-mind, integral yoga
Unit IITagore The surplus in humans; philosophy of art; religion and artist;
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Unit IIIK. C. Bhattacharya The Absolute and Its alternative forms, subject as freedom,
Unit IVRadhakrishnan God and the Absolute; the idealist view of life
Unit VM. K. Gandhi: Truth; Satyagraha; Swaraj; Sarvodaya; Trusteeship; Critique of modern civilization;
Inter-religious dialogue and tolerance; Nation
Reading List:
1. Radhakrishnan, S., and Muirhead, J. H. 1936. Contemporary Indian Philosophy. London:
Macmillan (readings).
2. Guha, Ramachandra. ed. 2011. The Makers of Modern India. Cambridge, MA: Belknap
Press (readings).
3. Raju, P. T. 2008. Idealistic Thought of India. Abingdon: Routledge.
4. Lal, Basant Kumar. 2010. Contemporary Indian Philosophy. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
5. Singh, Mahendra Prasad, and Himanshu Roy, eds. 2011. Indian Political Thought: Themes
and Thinkers. Noida: Dorling Kindersley (India).

SEMESTER IV
Paper: PHL 1002C

RECENT TRENDS IN CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY

(Credits: 3+1+0)

Unit I- Hermeneutics:
Gadamer prejudice, tradition, understanding and fusion of horizon; Ricoeur the narrative view
of self and identity; Discourse, agency, action, time, memory, history
Unit II- Critical Theory:
Its emancipatory vision and differences from traditional Marxism; Horkheimers critique of
ideology; Adornos negative dialectics; Marcuses one-dimensional society; Habermas and
universal pragmatics, critique and practical action
Unit III- Postmodernism:
Lyotards definition of postmodernism; Poststructuralism and postmodernism; Differences with
modernity; Foucaults notion of power-knowledge and the death of the subject; Derridas critique
of the metaphysics of presence, and his notion of difference; Habermass critique of
postmodernism
Reading List:
1. McNeill, William, and Karen S. Feldman, eds. 1998. Continental Philosophy: An Anthology.
Malden, MA: Blackwell.
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2. West, David. 2010. Continental Philosophy: An Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press.

3. Porter, Stanley E., and Jason Robinson. 2011. Hermeneutics: An Introduction to Interpretive
Theory. Cambridge: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
4. Malpas, Simon, and Paul Wake, eds. 2006. The Routledge Companion to Critical Theory.
Abingdon: Routledge.
5. Sarup, Madan. 1993. An Introductory Guide to Post-Structuralism, Second Edition. Athens,
GA: Georgia University Press.
6. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER IV
Paper: PHL 1003C
FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY
(Credits: 3+1+0)

Unit IIntroduction to Feminist philosophy; Sex, gender, sexuality, sexual difference

Unit IIFeminist ontology: Essentialism and constructionism; Critique of representation; Feminist theory
of self-identity
Unit IIIFeminist epistemology: Method of feminist epistemology; Critique of knowledge; Critique of
philosophical knowledge; Feminism and science
Unit IVFeminist ethics and politics: Critique of traditional ethics; Care ethics; Public-private distinction;
Politics and the private
Reading List:
1. Bailey, Alison, and Chuomo Chris, eds. 2008. The Feminist Philosophy Reader. New York:
MacGraw-Hill.
2. Garry, Ann, and Marilyn Pearsall, eds. 1996. Women, Knowledge, and Reality: Explorations
in Feminist Philosophy. New York: Routledge (readings)
3. Fricker, Miranda, and Jennifer Hornsby, eds. 2000. The Cambridge Companion to Feminism
in Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4. Schott, Robin May. 2003. Discovering Feminist Philosophy: Knowledge, Ethics, Politics.
Lanham, MA: Rowman and Littlefield.
5. Kourany, Janet A. 1998. Philosophy in a Feminist Voice: Critiques and Reconstructions.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
6. Stone, Alison. 2007. An Introduction to Feminist Philosophy. Cambridge: Polity Press.
7. Jagger, Alison M., and Iris Marion Young, eds. 2000. A Companion to Feminist Philosophy,
Series: Blackwell Companion to Philosophy. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
8. Donovan, Josephine. 2012. Feminist Theory: The Intellectual Traditions, Fourth Edition.
London: Continuum.
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9. Rich, Jennifer. 2007. Modern Feminist Theory: An Introduction. Tirril, UK: Humanities EBooks.
10. Stanley, Liz, and Sue Wise. 1993. Breaking Out Again: Feminist Ontology and Epistemology,
Second Edition. London: ROutledge & Kegan Paul.
11. Tanesini, Alessandra. 1999. An Introduction to Feminist Epistemologies. Malden, MA:
Blackwell.
12. Lindemann, Hilde. 2005. An Invitation to Feminist Ethics. New York: MacGraw-Hill.
13. Bryson, Valerie. 2003. Feminist Political Theory: An Introduction, Second Edition. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan.
14. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

SEMESTER IV
Paper: PHL 1004C

RESEARCH PAPER
(Credits: 0+2+2)

1. 8 hrs of work per week for the whole semester

2. A research paper on a suitable philosophical theme of about 10,000 words composed in
a proper philosophy paper format
3. Appropriate referencing style is to be followed (preferably, the Chicago Manuel of Style
Notes-Bibliography format; a ready reference is available here:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/1300991022_717.pdf

ELECTIVE PAPERS
Elective Paper: PHL 1201E
PRACTICAL ETHICS
(Credits: 2+1+0)

Unit ILife: Suicide; Abortion; Euthanasia; Capital punishment; War

Unit IIEquality: Intrinsic worth of nature; Animal rights; Rights of children; Rights of the disabled;
Economic rights (of the disadvantaged); Racial and caste discrimination; Ethics of affirmative
action (reservation)
Unit IIIOther debates: The gene revolution and cloning; Nationalism, rights of foreigners and right to
secession; Corruption and whistleblowing; Terrorism
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Reading List:
1. Singer, Peter, ed. 1986. Applied Ethics, Series: Oxford Readings in Philosophy. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
2. Camp, Julie C. Van, Jeffrey Olen, and Vincent Barry, eds. 2013. Applying Ethics: A Text with
Readings, Eleventh Edition. Stamford, CT: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
3. May, Larry, Kai Wong, and Jill Delgston. 2010. Applied Ethics: A Multicultural Approach.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
4. Frey, R. G., and Christopher Heath Wellman, eds. 2005. A Companion to Applied Ethics,
Series: Blackwell Companions to Philosophy. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
5. Almond, Brenda, ed. 1995. Introducing Applied Ethics. Oxford: Blackwell.
6. Lafollette, Hugh, ed. 2003. The Oxford Handbook of Practical Ethics. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
7. Singer, Peter. 2011. Practical Ethics, Third Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
8. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

Elective Paper: PHL 1202E

PHILOSOPHY OF ART
(Credits: 2+1+0)

Unit IPlatonic and Aristotelian theories of art

Unit IIAesthetic philosophies of Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche
Unit IIIAesthetics of Wittgenstein, Heidegger and Sartre
Reading List:
1. Cahn, Steve, Aaron Meskin, eds. 2008. Aesthetics: A Comprehensive Anthology. Malden,
MA: Blackwell.
2. Cazeaux, Clive ed. The Continental Aesthetics Reader. Abingdon: Routledge.
3. Lamargue, Peter, and Stein Haugom Olsen. 2003. Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art: The
Analytics Tradition An Anthology. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
4. Wood, Robert E. 1999. Placing Aesthetics: Reflections on Philosophic Tradition. Athens, OH:
Ohio University Press.
5. Beardsley, Monroe C. 1975. Aesthetics from Classical Greece to the Present: A Short History.
Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press.
6. Lewis, Peter. 2004. Wittgenstein, Aesthetics, and Philosophy. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate
Publishing.
7. Copleston, Frederick. 1993. A History of Philosophy, 11 Volumes. New York: Image.
(relevant portions).
8. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).
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Elective Paper: PHL 1203E

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
(Credits: 2+1+0)

Unit IIntroduction: Nature of philosophy of science; Inductive probability

Unit IIPoppers Philosophy of Science: Falsifiability; Accumulation of human knowledge; Probability,
knowledge and verisimilitude
Unit IIIKuhns philosophy of science: The idea of the development of science; the concept of paradigm;
Incommensurability; Paradigm shift; Kuhn and the social sciences.
Reading List:
1. Popper, Karl. 2002. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. New York: Routledge.
2. Kuhn, Thomas S. 2012. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition.
Chicago, IL: The Chicago University Press.
3. Gattei, Stefano. 2009. Karl Poppers Philosophy of Science: Rationality without Foundations.
New York: Routledge.
4. Hoyningen-Guene, Paul. 1993. Reconstructing Scientific Revolutions: Thoms S. Kuhns
5. Philosophy of Science, trans. Alex Levine. Chicago, IL: The Chicago University Press.
6. Fuller, Steve. 2004. Kuhn Vs. Popper: The Struggle for the Soul of Science, Series:
7. Revolutions in Science. New York: Columbia University Press.
8. Rosenberg, Alex. 2012. Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction. New York:
Routledge.
9. Zalta, Edward N. ed. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, URL: http://plato.stanford.edu/
(relevant articles).

Elective Paper: PHL 1204E

SANKARA VEDANTA
(Credits: 2+1+0)

Unit IThe three-tier structure of consciousness of the system of Advaita: pratibhasika, vyavaharika,
paramarthika; The doctrine of Brahmans absolute reality and the relative unreality of the world
and jiva; Establishing the system through the criticism of rival systems like Samkhya, Vaisesika,
Buddhism, Jainism and Mimamsa
Unit IIThe World of Maya: Nirguna Brahman; Maya; Adhyasa; Avarana sakti and viksepasakti; Rejection
of Samkhyas prakrti as the (jada) cause of the universe; Cetana-Brahman as the material and
efficient cause of the universe; theory of causation
Unit IIINature of the jiva; Jivanmukti;; The higher and the lower teachings of the Prasthanatrayi; The
relative importance of reason and Sruti; Jnana as the means to
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Reading List :
1. Sankara. 1965. Brahma Sutra Bhasya, trans. Swami Gambhirananda. Kolkata: Advaita
Ashrama.
2. Rangaswami, Sudhakshina, ed. 2012. The Roots of Vedanta: Selections from Sankaras
Writings. New Delhi: Penguin.
3. Sundaram, P. K., 1981. Advaita and Other Systems. Madras: University of Madras.
4. Pande, Govind Chandra. 1998. Life and Thought of Sankaracarya. New Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass.
5. Mahadevan, T. M. P. 2011. The Philosophy of Advaita. Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan.
6. Isayeva, Natalia. 1992. Shankara and Indian Philosophy, Series: SUNY Series in Religious
Studies. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
7. Dasgupta, Surendranath. 2000. History of Indian Philosophy, 5 Volumes Set. New Delhi:
Motilal Banarsidass, (relevant portions).
8. Potter, Karl H. 2011. The Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies, Currently in 19 Volumes.
New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, (relevant portions).

Elective Paper: PHL 1205E

GANDHIAN THOUGHT
(Credits: 2+1+0)

Unit IGandhis ideas of knowledge, truth and love; Understanding of culture and tradition;
Understanding of the relationship between self, world and God.
Unit IIMoral foundations of good life; Swaraj, satyagraha and ahimsa; Brahmacarya and sexuality;
Religion, spiritual practice and service; Means-end relationship; Critique of modern civilization.
Unit IIICommunity and fellowship; The good society; Statelessness (anarchism), rural republic;
trusteeship, sarvodaya, panchayati raj; Idea of India; Hindu-Muslim unity; Religious
Reading List :
1. Johnson, Richard L., , ed. 2006. Gandhis Experiments with Truth: Essential Writings by and
about Mahatma Gandhi. Oxford: Lexington Books.
2. Parel, Anthony J., ed. 1997. Gandhi: Hind Swaraj and Other Writings. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
3. Bhikhu, Parekh. 1991. Gandhis Political Philosophy. New Delhi: Macmillan.
4. Allen, Doughlas, ed. 2008. The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi for the Twenty-First Century.
Oxford: Lexington Books.
5. Parel, Anthony J., 2007. Gandhis Philosophy and the Quest for Harmony. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
6. Parekh, Bhikhu. 2000. Colonialism, Tradition and Reform: An Analysis of Gandhis Political
Discourse. New Delhi: Sage.
7. Richards, Glyn. 1995. The Philosophy of Gandhi: A Study of his Basic Ideas. Abingdon:
Routledge.
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