Savitribai Phule Pune University

(Formerly University of Pune)

Syllabus for M.Phil./Ph.D. (PET) Entrance Exam: Philosophy

Research Methodology

Unit 1: Foundations of Research

1. Meaning and objectives of research
2. Research in philosophy and its relation with natural and social sciences.

Unit 2: Basic terms and types of research

1. Theory, concept, fact, perspective and, arguments
2. Types of research- Exploratory, descriptive, analytical/explanatory, hermeneutical,
interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary, trans-disciplinary, applied research, participatory and
non- participatory research

Unit 3: Research Design

1. Research design- concept and definition, relevance, advantages of planning a research,
characteristics of good research design,
2. Steps in research design; Identification, Selection and Formulation of problem, Literature
Review, Primary and secondary data, sources of data- authenticity, credibility, reliability
of sources and data

Unit 4: Hypothesis
1. Definition and sources of hypothesis
2. Types of hypothesis, Null hypothesis and Alternative Hypothesis
3. Hypothesis testing-Verifiability, falsifiability and, logical consistency

Unit 5: Methods of research: Western Philosophical Methodology

Analytic, phenomenology, hermeneutics, rhetoric and critical arguments, critical theory,
feminist approach, ethics, skepticism, post-structuralism and, thought experiments.

Unit 6: Indian Philosophical Methodology

1. Dialogical method (parva and uttarpaksa)
2. Types of argument (vadajalpa, vitanda)
3. Sotra, bhcsva, vartika, Tika
4. Philosophy and Darshan

Unit 7: Research Ethics

1. Introduction to ethical principles - What is morality?, What is ethics?, What is ethical
theory?, Anonymity, Confidentiality, Informed consent, Rights of participants, Care to
respondents and Researchers, Principles of biomedical and social science ethics, Ethical
Guideline in Humanities and Social Research
2. Plagiarism; its meaning and how to avoid it, Self-plagiarism, Anti-plagiarism measures -
guidelines and software
Unit 8: Publication of Research
1. Sources of Scholarly discourse, books, journals, monographs, proceedings,
encyclopaedias etc., Databases online and print, Indexing databases, bibliographic
databases
2. Ranking of journals (ISSN/ISBN),citation indices, avoiding predatory journals, Impact
factor and, h-index

Unit 9: Referencing and Citations

1. Referencing and Citations: What is Citation? Citation styles, its basic components
(Authors or editors, Book, journals etc, year and month of publication, page numbers,
volume and issue etc) Differences in Citations of: Journal Articles, Authored books,
Edited books, conference proceedings, posters, other media such as newspapers and
magazines, electronic media such as websites and blogs, social media, photographs,
videos and audio recordings, Legal proceedings, Reports of various agencies etc.
2. Citation and References management: traditional methods - 3 X 5 cards for references
and notes, Computer based- reference management software: Paid- Endnote, Free-
Mendeley , Zotero and others

Subject Concerned Syllabus

Philosophy

1. Philosophers : Plato, Aristotle" Descartes, Hume, Kant, Mill, Wittgenstein, Russell.

Moore, Sartre, Husser!'
2. Indian Systems : Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa, Advaita Vedanta,
Carvaka, Buddhism, Jainism.
3. Social and Political Philosophy : Justice, Equality, Liberty, Democracy, Feminism.
4. Logic and Epistemology: Knowledge, Truth, Justification, Pramanas.
5. Ethics (theoretical and applied) : Deontological Theories, Teleological Theories, Issues in
Bioethics, Environmental Ethics and Business ethics.
6. Metaphysics and Philosophy of Religion : God, Self, Liberation, Free will and
Determinism, Evil, Reality (Monism, Dualism, Realism, Pluralism).