Professional Documents
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Core Courses
PH 201 : Moral Philosophy
[Objectives: To acquaint the student with major trends of thought in Classical
Western Modern Philosophy and help them to understand them critically.
To acquaint the student with the normative framework of values as accepted in
ancient Indian traditions both heterodox and orthodox]
Section I
Moral Philosophy (Western)
Unit : I
Subject matter of ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics, meta-ethics and their
inter-relation
Unit : II
Concept of Eudemonia Ethics
Aristotle on virtue, excellence of character, virtue and happiness;
problem of weakness of the will.
Unit : III
Kant : Deontological Ethics
Kant on goodwill, duty, categorical imperative.
Unit : IV
Mill Utlitarianism
Principle of utility, problem of sanction and justification of morality, utility and Justice.
Section II
Moral Philosophy (Indian)
Unit : V
a) Indian Philosophies of Lif: Nature and significance.
b) Preyas, reyas and Nireyas.
c) The concept of Pururtha : Kama-Artha-centric, Trivarga-centric and
Moka-centric.
Unit : VI
a) The conceptions of ta-a. The conceptions of Dharma: Vedic and
rmanic.
b) Kinds of Dharma according to Vedic tradition: Sdhraadharma and
Vieadharma (Varramadharma).
c) Jainism : Vratas, rvakcra and ramcra.
d) Buddhist : la.
Unit : VII
a) The doctrines of Karma and Rebirth; The conceptions of Bandha
(bondage) and Moka (liberation).
b) Analysis of suffering according to Sakhya and Buddhism.
c) Various conceptions of Moka: Nirva, Kaivalya, Brahmbhva,
Jivanmukti, Videhamukti.
Section I
Unit I
a) Concept of society, State and nation, Justification of state. Justification of
Nation and Nationalism.
b) Social contract theories : Hobbs, Locke, Rousseau.
Unit II
Controversy between individualism and holism. Relation between
individual and society. Statues of society in the light of Hegel, Marx and
Popper.
Unit III
a) Social order and Regulation : Western view and Indian view.
b) Dharma, Law and Morality
Unit IV
Concept of Justice : Plato, Aristotle, Rawls, Nozick
Section II
Unit V
a) Democracy, Socialism and Liberalism : Foundations and Justification.
b) Liberty, Equality and Fraternity : History and Relevance
Unit VI
Concept of right. Theory of Natural rights. Legal and moral rights.
Justification of rights.
Unit VII
Distinction between Obligation, Duty and Responsibility. Concept of
social and political obligation.
Unit VIII
Civil disobedience, Sarvodaya, Styagraha, Globalization
Section I
Philosophy of Bhagawtgt
Unit I
a) Place and importance of Bhagavadgt
b)Bhagavadgt as Prastna : Historical and Philosophical Development
Unit III
Metaphysics of Bhagavadgt
a) Concept of Kara, Akara
b) Concept of Khetra-Khetrajna
c) Concept of Prakiti
d) Concept of Puruottama
Unit IV
Socio-Ethical aspects of Bhagavadgta
a) Varndharma, Swadharma
b) Nihkma Karma
c) Sthitapraja
d)Lokasamgraha
Section II
Saints of Maharashtra
Unit : V
a) Salient features of bhakti movement and it socio-cultural impact.
b) Cakradharas views regarding knowledge and pramaas.
c) Nature of and interrelation among vara,Jagat, Devat and Jva.
d) The nature of Moka and pathway to it. Acradharma.
Unit : VI
a) Jnnesvaras views regarding knowledge.
b) The roles of anubhava, abda, jnna and ajnna.
c) The nature of Reality (Vastu); Jagat and Jva and their interrelation.
d) The role of Jnna, Karma and Bhakti with regard to liberation.
Unit : VII
a) Tukrm : approach to Vedic and Upanisadic philosophy.
b) His concept of Santa, The nature of vara and Bhakti. Social Philosophy.
c) Bahenabai : concept of non-dualism and My, Brahmana
d) Dnyna, Bhakti, Karma; Loyalty to ones husband (Ptivratya) in
conventional and spiritual sense
Unit : VIII
a) Ramdasa : Jnna, Ajnna, Viveka
b) Nature of Brahman, vara,Jagat, My, Ninefold bhakti and fourfold
mukti, social philosophy (Prapanca and Paramrtha, Prarabdha, Prayatna
and Pururtha)
c) Ekanatha : Critique of caste system and religious dogmatism.
d) Bhagawat Dharma.
PH 204 : Vednta
Unit II
a) ankars Adhysabhsya :
b) Refutation of different theories of error
Unit III
ankaras concept of Brahma, Jagat, Jva & My
Unit IV
a) The concept of Moka : The significance of Jnayoga as stated in
Bhagavadgitbhya.
B) ankaras concept of God
Section II
Unit V : Ramanuja
a) Criticism of Myvda of Samkara, nature of Brahman, Jva; Cit, Acit
and vara and their inter-relation.
b) Criticism of Nirvikalpajna. Satkhytivda..
c) Concepts of Moka and Bhakti. Synthesis of Jna, Karma and Bhakti.
Unit VI : Vallabha
a) Concepts of Brahman, Jva, Jagat and their inter-relation.
b) Nature & kinds of Prama as & Prameyas. Anyathkhyti.
c) The concepts of Moka, Bhakti, Mukti, Puti and vara and their
relationships.
Unit VII: Madhva
a) Criticism of Advaita. Concept and kinds of Bheda.
b) Concepts of vara, Jva, Jagat and their inter-relationship
c) Concepts of Svatantra, Asvatantra, Bhakti and Moka.
Unit VIII: Nimbarka
a) Nature of Brahman, Jva, Cit and Acit. The doctrine of Bhedbheda.
b) Concept and five means to attain Moka. Nature and kinds of Prapatti
c) Doctrine of Bhakti.
Section I
Gandhian Philosophy
Unit I
Religious and Ethical thoughts
a) Truth and God; Relation between Truth and Non Violence
b) Equality of all religions (Sarva-Dharma-sama-bhva)
c) Ansaktiyoga
Unit II
Social Thoughts
a) Doctrine of Santanadharma; Varnsramadharma;
b) Approach to Varna, Jti and untouchability;
c) The status and role of women
d) Conception of ideal society (Ramarjya)
e) Doctrine of Sarvodaya
f) Critique of modern civilization
Unit III
Political Thought
a) The doctrine of Satygraha: scope and application
b) Limits and significance of Satygraha
c) Civil Disobedience
d) Doctrine of Swaraj (self-rule)
Unit IV
(A) Economic and Educational thought:
a) The doctrine of Bread labour
b) Trusteeship
c) The doctrine of Swadeshi (self-reliance)
d) Gandhis views on education
Section II
Philosophy of Ambedkar
Unit V
(a) Ambedkar's analysis of caste system. The ways of abolishing caste.
(b) Concept of Ideal Society.The notion of ideal social order in the context of
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
Unit VI
(a) Philosophy of religion; The idea of ideal religion; Religion, Dhamma and
Morality.
(b) Critique of Hinduism.
(c) Ambedkar's understanding of Buddhism- interpretation of four noble truth,
ahimsa, role of Bhikkhu in the society
Unit VII
(a) Concept of Democracy.
(b) Concept of social justice.
(c) Philosophical background of constitution of India.
Unit VIII
(a) Gandhi Ambedkar controversy on i.) Varna and Jati. ii.) Special
constituencies for reserve categories.
(b) Karl Marx and Ambedkar.
[Objectives : To acquaint the students with various issues which arise regarding
the nature and structure of religion, religious beliefs and its postulates.]
Section I
Unit I
Nature and structure of religion as a social institution. Variety of religions and the
problem of their interrelation. Religion and the state.
Unit II
The concept of secularism. India as a secular state: problem and prospects.
Unit III
Nature and structure of morality as a social institution. Relation between morality
and religion. Possibility of morality without religion/independent of religion in
historical and contemporary perspective.
Unit IV
Nature and structure of religious belief. Grounds of conflict between religion and
science. Empiricist view of the nature of religious belief. The problem of
verification and justification of religious belief.
Section II
Unit V
Nature of religious reality : the concept of God. Ontological, Cosmological,
Teleological, Moral arguments to prove the existence of God. A critical study of
proofs for existence of God. (Western view)
Unit VI
Nature of religious reality : the concept of God : Nyaya, Advaita Darshana.
Arguments to prove the existence of God by Nyaya Darshana. A critical study of
proofs for existence of God by Charvaka and Jaina Darshana.
Unit VII
Nature, Structure and dynamics of religious experience. Mysticism. Pathway of
God. God and Self. Divine necessity and freedom of self. Growth of moral and
spiritual virtues in the self. Meaning of God-realization. The problem of evil and
grace.
Unit VIII
Religion as a form of life. Critical thinking on major issues by Vivekanand,
Jyotiba Phule, B.R. Ambedkar