GUIDELINES AND SYLLABUS FOR ADMISSION INTO

M A PROGRAM IN PHILOSOPHY

The qualifying marks in the entrance test for admission into the M A program shall
be 40% as announced earlier. The suitable relaxation will be given to SC, ST and
OBC candidates as per university rules.

All the questions will be of Multiple Choice types. The total number of questions
will be 50 – each carrying 2 marks. These 50 questions will be evenly distributed
over five major areas of Philosophy – viz. (i) Metaphysics, (ii) Epistemology (iii)
Logic (iv) Ethics, and (v) Social and Political Philosophy. The relevant B.A.
Philosophy Syllabus (FYUP) of University of Delhi shall be the basis for the
entrance test.

Quarries and clarification, if any, may be addressed to the

Nodal Officer, Admissions, Department of Philosophy at du26@du.ac.in

The syllabus is reproduced below to help students prepare for the entrance test.
SYLLABUS

ETHICS-1

1 What is Morality?

Cultural Relativism

Subjectivism

Morality and religion.

2 Marriage:

Simone de Beauvoir ‘On Marriage’

Bertrand Russell: On Love and Marriage

3 Structures of inequality

Caste

Inequality

4. Media and Ethics:

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 Ethics and information

Privacy and public interest

Sex and pornography

5. Violence and Responsibility

Terrorism

The Problem of Dirty-Hands

ESSENTIAL READINGS:

1. James Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, McGraw Hill 2002, (Chapters 1-4 pp. 1-
63)

2. Simone DeBouvoir,TheSecond Sex Random House, 2010. (Part V chapter 1: the married
woman).

3. Bertrand Russell, Marriage and Morals, London 1967 (Chapters ix and x pp. 62-75).

4. B. R. Ambedkar: ‘Caste in India” (from Writings and Speeches Vol. 3. Bombay 1987 (pp. 99-
111).

5. Amartya Sen: Inequality Re-examined, Oxford, 1992 (chapter 4).

6. “Nihilism on the information highway (in On the Internet by Herbert Dreyfus, Routledge
2001, pp.71-87)

7. David Archard, ‘Privacy, the public interest and a prurient public’ in Media Ethics ed. Mathew
Kieran, Routledge 1998 (pp 82-94).

8. Ann Garry, ‘Sex, Lies and Pornography’ in Ethics and Practice: An Anthology (ed.) Hugh La
Follette, Blackwell 2002 pp 344-355.

9. M. Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars(chapter 12, pp.197-207), Penguin Books 1977.

10. Gerald F. Gaus ‘Dirty Hands” in Blackwell Companion to Applied Ethics, (ed.) R. G. Frey
and C. H. Wellman, Wiley 2003.

Ethics II

1. The Socratic Question Reading: “Socrates’ Question’ in B. Williams, Ethics and the limits of
Philosophy, Routledge: London, 1985, pp 1-21.

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2. Virtue ethics Readings: Aristotle Nichomachean Ethics books 1-4 (Selections) John McDowell
“Virtue and Reason’ in Roger Crisp and M. Slote eds. Virtue Ethics, Oxford University Press 1997, pp
141-162; Iris Murdoch, “The Sovereignty of Good over other concepts’ in Crisp and Slote (1997) pp.
99-177.

3. Deontological Theories: Reading: Immanuel Kant: Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals

chapters 1-2; Christine M.Korsgaard ‘Self-Constitution: Action, Identity and Integrity’ (The Locke
Lectures 2002).

4. Consequentialist theories: J. S. Mill Utilitarianism (chapter 2) J. J. C. Smart, In Defence of

Utilitarianism; Bernard Williams both essays in J.J. C. Smart and Bernard Williams (ed.)
Utilitarianism For and Against, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1973).

5. Contractarianism: John Rawls: “The original position” and ‘the two principles” in A Theory of
Justice Harvard University Press 1971, Thomas Scanlon, ‘Contractualism and Utilitarianism’ in
Beyond Utilitarianism eds. AmartyaSen and Bernard Williams, Cambridge University Press, 1982,
103-28.

Further Readings:

1. Phillipa Foot, (ed) Theories of Ethics, Oxford University Press, 1976.

2. Williams, B., Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy, Harvard 1985.
3. Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Bloomsbury, USA, 2013.
4. Sandel, Michael,Liberalism and the Limits of Justice, Cambridge University Press,New York,
1982.
5. Brian Barry, A Liberal Theory of Justice, Claredon Press, Oxford, 1973.

Social and Political Philosophy (Indian)

1. Ashok, 13 major Rock Edicts

2. Dhammapada (Selections).

3. Manavdharmashastra: Stridharma; ‘rules for time of adversity; fruits of action

4. Purusharthas and the varnaashrama system

5. Tagore: On Nationalism

6. Gandhi on Ahimsā

7. Hamid Dalwai on Secularism

Essential Readings:

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 1. Dhammapada trans Daw Mya Tin, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan studies, Varanasi
1990, verses and stories from chapter 8,9,10,12,14,16,18,19 and 20.
2. Rupert Gethin, ‘He who sees Dhamma sees Dhammas’ in Dharma, ed. Patrick
OlivelleMotilalBanarsidas, Delhi, 2009, pp 91-120.
3. Manu's Code of Law: A Critical Edition and Translation of the Mānava-Dharma's-astra
by Patrick OlivelleChapter 5 ‘Law with Respect to Women;’ Chapter 9 ‘Chapter 10:
chapter 12, Oxford University Press, New York, 2005.
4. Readings:B. K. Matilal: "Gita, Karma and ethics." (in Ethics and Epics ed. J. Ganeri, Oxford
University Press,Oxford 2002, pp. 136-144.
5. Alf Hiltebeital, ‘Draupadi and Sita.’ in Dharma, Oxford University Press, London, 2011,
Chapter 10 pp. 481-518.
6. Ambedkar, ‘Caste in India’ From Writings and Speeches Vol 3. Bombay, 1987.
7. Patrick Olivelle theAsrama System, Oxford University Press, London, 1993.
8. RaghavanIyer, TheMoral and Political Teachings of Gandhi, Oxford University Press,
London, 1986.
9. ‘Opposing Gandhi: Hindu Nationalism and political violence’ by Christopher Jaffrelot in
Violence/Non-Violence, eds. Denis Vidal, Gilles Tarabout and Eric Meyer, pp. 299-324,
Manohar Publishers, Delhi, 2003.
10. Hamid Dalwai, Muslim Politics in Secular India BombayNachiketa Publications,India, 1968.

Social and Political Philosophy (Western)

1. Aristotle,NichomacheanEthics, (Book V chaps 1-9; 1129a-1137a): on particular justice:

2. John Locke: Second Treatise on Government, Chapters V-IX.
3. Immanuel Kant: "On Enlightenment".
4. John Rawls: "The Original Position: The Two Principles, (From A Theory of Justice, Harvard
University Press), 1996.
5. Sen, Amartya, “Capability and Well-being,” in Nussbaum and Sen (eds.), The Quality of Life,
Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp. 30–53, 1993.

Further Readings:

1. Michael Pakaluk, Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, Cambridge University Press, London, 2005.
2. Immanuel Kant, Towards Perpetual Peace and other Writings, Yale, USA, 2006
3. Brian Barry,The Liberal Theory of Justice,Oxford University Press,Oxford, 1973
4. Christopher Morris, AmartyaSen,(Contemporary Philosophers in Focus) 2009.

LOGIC-1

1. What is Logic?
Definitions of logical concepts:
Argument and Inference
Truth, validity and soundness.
Sentence and proposition
Argument and Explanation: Forms and Fallacies/Dilemma

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 Deduction and Induction

2. Logic and Language:

i. Definition of a term. What is a word? Difference betweenthe two.
ii. Connotation and Denotation of a term and the relationship between the two
iii. Uses of Language: Three Basic functions of Language.
iv. Agreement and disagreement in Belief and attitude
v. Definition

3. Aristotelian Logic:
A. i. Categorical Propositions
ii. Square of Opposition, The Problem of Existential Import
iii. Immediate Inferences
B. i. Categorical Syllogisms: Mood, Figure
ii. Validating / Invalidating Catgorical Syllogisms through syllogistic rules and Special
Theorems
iii. Venn Diagrams

Essential Readings:

1. Copi. I.M, Introductionto Logic, Pearson, Delhi, Hindi. translation of this text is also available
with Pearson, 14th Edition 2012.
2 Cohen & Nagel, An Introduction to logic and Scientific Method, Allied Publishers,Delhi. 1968.

Further Reading:

i. Hurley, Patrick, Introduction to Logic, Wadsworth, Delhi, 2007

LOGIC -2

1. LOGIC OF COMPOUND PROPOSITIONS(Sentential):

i. Logical Connectives: And (.), Or (V) and Not ()
ii. Material Conditional () and Biconditional (≡)

iii. Truth Tables for Logical Connectives

iv. Truth functions: Symbols and Translation
v. Statements and statement-forms: Logical status
vi. Truth table Method
vii. Shorter Truth Tables (Reductio ad absurdum)

1.1 PROVING VALIDITY (PROOF PROCEDURES)

i. Formal Proofs
ii. Conjunctional Normal form &Disjunctional Normal Form

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iii. Indirect Proof
iv. Conditional Proof

2. LOGIC OF SINGULAR/ UNIVERSAL PROPOSITIONS (Predicate):

i. Symbolization of Propositions
ii. Quantification Rules (19 rules)
iii. Proving Validity
iv. Proving Invalidity

3. PHILOSOPHICAL LOGIC
i. Logical Appraisal
ii. Logical Form
iii. Truth Function constants and ordinary words

Essential Readings:

1. Copi. I.M.Introduction to Logic, 14th Edition, Pearson, India, 2012.

Hindi translation also available with Pearson details.
2. Copi. I.M, Symbolic Logic, Pearson, India, 2008.
3. Strawson. P.F,Introduction to Logical Theory, B.I.Publications, India, 1976.

Further Readings:
1. Hurley. Patrick, Introduction to Logic, Wadsworth, Delhi, 2007.

Metaphysics and Epistemology

1. Introducing Metaphysics
“Metaphysics” by Peter Van Inwagen, in Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy.2007
2. Appearance and Reality
“Appearance and Reality”: Chapter 1 of Bertrand Russell’s Problems of Philosophy
3. Universals
“The World of Universals”: Chapter 9 of Problems of Philosophy
“On our Knowledge of Universals”: Chapter 10 of Problems of Philosophy
4. Idealism
“Idealism”: Chapter 4 in Problems of Philosophy
5. Dualism
Chapter II of Rene Descartes’ Meditations (In Haldane and Ross’s Translation or any other
suitable translation)
6. Freedom and Determinism
“The Illusion of Free Will” Baron D’Holbach (1723-1789) (from his book System of Nature)
http://myweb.facstaff.wwu.edu/wasserr/114/the_illusion_of_free_will.pdf
“Freedom and Necessity” Chapter 12 of Philosophical Essays, A Jayer.
http://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/philosophers/ayer/freedom_and_necessity.html
7. Skepticism
“The Problem of the External World”: Chapter 1 of Barry Stroud.The Significance of Philosophical
Skepticism, Oxford Clarendon Press, 1984, http://uvmphil219.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/stroud-
ch1.pdf
8. Varieties of Knowledge

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 Chapters 5, 7 and 8 of Problems of Philosophy
i “Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description”
ii“On Our Knowledge of General Principles”
iii“How A Priori Knowledge is Possible”.

Essential Readings:
1. Russell, Bertrand,Problems of Philosophy, Oxford University Press, Delhi.1924.
Further Readings:
1. Blackburn, Simon, Think! A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy, OUP.1998.
2. Van Inwagen, Peter,Metaphysics, Westview Press,2008.
3. Sosa, Ernest and Jaegwon Kim, Epistemology: An Anthology, Blackwell, 2000.

PHILOSOPHICAL CLASSICS

1. Aristotle: Metaphysics: On substance, actuality and potentiality (books Zeta. Eta and Theta)
2. Immanuel Kant: Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysic
3. Martin Heidegger: What is Metaphysics?

Further Readings:
David Bostock, Aristotle’s Metaphysics Books Zeta and Eta, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996
Stephen Makin, Aristotle: Metaphysics theta, Oxford University Press 2006
Immanuel Kant, Gary Hatfield- Prolegomena to any future metaphysics, Cambridge 2005
Heidegger, Martin, What is Metaphysics?, http://wagner.wpengine.netdna-
cdn.com/psychology/files/2013/01/Heidegger-What-Is-Metaphysics-Translation-GROTH.pdf