University Department of Philosophy

UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

L.N. MITHILA UNIVERSITY

Kameshwarnagar, Darbhanga

Post Graduate Programme

(Course of Study)

For

M.A. (Philosophy) Examination

Under Semester System w.e.f. Academic Session 2014-16

UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

L.N. MITHILA UNIVERSITY

Kameshwarnagar, Darbhanga

Post Graduate Programme

(Course of Study)

For

M.A. (Philosophy) Examination

Under Semester System w.e.f. Academic Session 2014-16

1.General Outline :

1.1The Programme (Course of Study) of P.G. Philosophy will be of two years duration divided into two academic sessions called MA Previous and MA Final respectively. Each academic session shall consist of two Semesters, having 15 weeks of teaching schedule for each Semester. First and Second Semester shall cover the Previous year whereas Third and Fourth Semester shall be extended over the Final year consecutively .

1.2There shall be sixteen papers in PG Philosophy Programme comprising four papers in each Semester . The course papers shall be of two categories -(a) Compulsory/ Core Courses and (b) Specialized / Elective Courses . Number of papers of Compulsory/ Core Courses shall be twelve and Specialised / Elective courses shall consist of four papers .

1.3In First, Second and Third Semesters twelve papers shall be core courses whereas in Fourth Semester there shall be four specialized courses .

1.4The students shall be required to study any one of the following Specialised / Elective courses of their choice in the fourth semester :

Group -A- Philosophy of Religion

Group -B- Comparative Religion

Group -C-Yoga as Applied Philosophy

Group - D- Philosophy of Mind

Group -E- Philosophical Approach to Gandhi

Group -F-Environmental Ethics

1.5The syllabus shall be covered by 80 credits (teaching hours) , i.e. an average of 20 credits for each Semester , for which at least 90 days teaching schedule shall be provided for each Semester

2. Components of Evaluation :

Each paper shall carry 100 marks out of which at least two continuous Internal Assessment (CIA) of 30 marks shall be conducted and external (University) examination of 70 marks shall be held towards the end of each semester called the End Semester Evaluation (ESE) . The Components of CIA and ESE shall be as follows :

I. CIA :

a. Two mid - semester Written Tests 15 marks

of one hour duration each

b. Seminar / Quiz 05 marks

c. Assignments 05 marks

d. Regularity, Punctuality and conduct 05 marks

Total -30 Marks

The concerned teacher of the Course/ Paper shall be responsible for conducting and evaluating the mid- semester Test and for assessment of other components of the paper concerned . The answer scripts of first mid- semester Test shall be shown to students of the class

II. ESE :

End semester Examination of each semester shall be conducted by the University . Syllabus for each paper shall be divided into 5 units consisting four topics in each unit and the question pattern of these papers shall be as follows :

Part A : Ten objective type questions 10x02 = 20 marks

(Two questions from each unit)

Part B : Five short answered questions in

which four to be answered in 160 words each

(one question from each unit shall be asked)

Part C : Five long answered questions , 3x10=30 marks

in which three to be answered in 600 words each

(one question from each unit shall be asked)

c. Normally ESE of First and Third Semesters shall be held in the month of November, December whereas the ESE of second and fourth semesters shall be conducted in the month of April , May .

d. Only those students who have appeared in mid semester written tests and have completed 75% of the delivered lectures shall be obliged for appearing at the ESE . However, Head of the Department / Principal may condone 5% and the Vice- Chancellor 10% attendance of any students on the basis of medical, certificate after having satisfaction in the medical reports , submitted by the students .

3. Passing of Examination and Promotion Rules :

3.1. To be declared passed in End Semester Examination : Student will have to secure at least 40% marks in each paper separately both in CIA as well as in ESE and a minimum of 45 % of the grand total . However,

i.If a student passes in at least two papers in First, Second, Third Semester Examinations shall be permitted to next higher Semester . But promotion from Third to Fourth semester, it shall be required to clear all the four papers of First Semester by the student concerned .

ii.Promoted students will have to clear all the backlog papers in the next End Semester Examination of that semester (backlog) whenever it is available .

iii.Even if a student is promoted to Fourth Semester, the final result of that student shall be declared only after the clearance of all backlog papers .

iv.Promoted students who has failed to secure minimum 40% of any paper in CIA , will have to reappear in both the CIA and ESE of that paper of the same semester of next available academic session .

v.But a promoted student, who has passed in any paper of CIA but has failed to secure minimum marks of that papers in ESE will retain the marks of CIA and will have to reappear only in the ESE of that paper of the same semester of next available academic session .

vi.The name of the promoted students will not be included in the merit list .

3.2The Final result shall be published on the basis of students performance in all the 16 papers spread over four semesters .

3.3There shall be no supplementary examination in any semester .

3.4A failed students in a semester shall have to repeat the semester on payment of semester fee .

4. Grading

4.1. Since it is a continuous available programme, students shall be awarded Grade point (GP) at the end of each semester Examination and commulative Grade point (CGP) at the end of Final End Semester Examination in 10 point scoring system .

Post Graduate Programme

M.A. (Philosophy)

PAPER / SUBJECT / MARKS ESE+CIA / Cr. Hr. CR(T+P) / PAPER
CODE
SEMESTER-I
Paper-I / Indian Logic / 70+30 / 4(4+0) / PLS 511
Paper-II / Indian Epistemology / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 512
Paper-III / Western Epistemology / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 513
Paper-IV / Indian Ethics / 70+30 / 6(6+0) / PLS 514
Total / 400 / 20(20+0)
SEMESTER-II
Paper-V / Western Symbolic Logic / 70+30 / 6(6+0) / PLS 521
Paper-VI / Indian Metaphysics / 70+30 / 4(4+0) / PLS 522
Paper-VII / Modern Indian Thought / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 523
Paper-VIII / Philosophy of Language (Western) / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 524
Total - / 400 / 20(20+0)
SEMESTER-III
Paper-IX / Applied Ethics / 70+30 / 6(6+0) / PLS 531
Paper-X / Social & Political Philosophy / 70+30 / 4(4+0) / PLS 532
Paper-XI / Philosophy of Language (Indian) / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 533
Paper-XII / Western Ethical Theories / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 534
Total- / 400 / 20(20+0)
SEMESTER-IV
Paper-XIII / Philosophy of Religion-I / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 541
OR Comparative Religion-I / PLS 542
OR Yoga as Applied Philosophy-I / PLS 543
Paper-XIV / Philosophy of Mind (Indian-I) / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 544
OR Philosophical Approaches to Gandhi-I / PLS 545
OR Environmental Ethics -I / PLS 546
Paper-XV / Philosophy of Religion-II / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 547
OR Comparative Religion-II / PLS 548
OR Yoga as Applied .Philosophy-II / PLS 549
Paper-XVI / Philosophy of Mind (Western) -II / 70+30 / 5(5+0) / PLS 550
ORPhilosophical Approach to Gandhi-II / PLS 551
OR Environmental Ethics-II / PLS 552
Total - / 400 / 20(20+0)
80(80+0)

The following grading system has been used:

Letter Grade / Percentage Range / Numerical of Letter Grade / Description of Grade
A / 100-90 / 10 / Outstanding
B / 80-89 / 9 / Excellent
C / 70-79 / 8 / Very Good
D / 60-79 / 7 / Good
E / 50-59 / 6 / Average
P / 45-49 / 5 / Pass
F / Less than 45 / Less than 5 / Fail

M.A. SEMESTER

PHILOSOPHY

DEPT. OF PHILOSOPHY

L.N.MITHILA UNIVERSITY , DARBHANGA

IST SEMESTER

M.A. (Philosophy)

FIRST SEMESTER

Paper Code- PLS 511

Maximum Marks– 100

Theory – 70 Marks

Assessment– 30 Marks

Time Allowed– 3 Hours

Year of Examination :

Paper–I : Indian Logic

Unit-1: Nature, Scope and Utility of logic with special reference to Indian logic: Definition and constituents of Anumana in Nyaya and Buddhism; Definition of Vyapti in Nyaya.

Unit-2: Types of Anumana in Nyaya; Buddhist Jaina and, Advaitic Perspectives.

Unit-3: Inductive Elements in Indian Logic; the concepts of Vyaptigrahopaya, Samanya laksana pratyasati, Tarka, Upadhi-nirsa.

Unit-4: Anekantavada – (The theory of relative plurasism or manifoldness); Syadvada – (The theory of conditional predication); Nayavada– (The theory of partial standpoints)

Unit-5: Pakasata, Paramarsa, Hetvabhasa, Budhist Doctrines of Apoha.

Suggested Readings:–

B. N. Singh : Indian Logic

B. K. Matilal: The Navya-Nyaya Doctrine of Negation.

B. K. Matital : Logic, Language and Reality.

D. C. Guha: Navya-Nyaya's System of Logic.

F. Th. Stcherbatsky: Buddhist Logic, Vol. I & II

Nandita Bandyopadhyaya: The Concept of Logical Fallacies

S. Barlingay : A Modern Introduction to Indian Logic.

S. R. Bhatt (Tr): Buddhist Epistemology.

M.A. (Philosophy)

FIRST SEMESTER

Paper Code- PLS 512

Maximum Marks– 100

Theory – 70 Marks

Assessment– 30 Marks

Time Allowed– 3 Hours

Year of Examination :

Paper–II : Indian Epistemology

Unit-1 : Nature and subject-matter of Epistemology, Epistemological Problems from the Indian point of view, Relation of Epistemology with Metaphysics and Logic.

Unit-2: The debate about the nature, origin (utpatti) and ascertainment (jnapti) of validity: svatahpramanyavada; paratahpramanyavada.

Unit-3: The Theories about invalid perceptual congnitions (Khyativada): Akhayati, Anyathakhyati, Viparitakhyati, Atmakhyati, Asatkhyati, Aniravacanliyakhyati, Satkhyati.

Unit-4: A brief survey of six sources of knowledge (Pramanas) : Parmana Vyavastha and Pramana Samplava.

Unit-5:Instinct, intellect and intuition

Suggested Readings:–

B. K. Matilal: Perception, OxfordUniversity Press, 1986.

Debabrata Sen: The Concept of Knowledge, Calcutta, 1984.

D. M. Dutta: The Six ways of Knowing, Calcutta, 1960.

Dharmakirti : Nyayabindu

(Tr. In Stecherbatsky's Buddhist Logic, Vol. II).

Govardhan P. Bhatt: Epistemology of the Bhatta School of Purva Mimamsa,

Varanasi, 1962.

J. N. Mohanty : Gangesa's Theory of Knowledge, Calcutta, 1965

Sami Satprakasananda : Method of Knowledge, London, 1965

Satishehandra Chatterjee: The Nyaya Theory of Knowledge, Calcutta, 1965.

Srinivasa Rao : Perceptual Error, The Indian Theories, University Press of

Hawai, Honolulu, 1998.

Visvanatha: Siddhantamuktavali (Tr. Svami Madhavananda)

S. Radhakrishnan : An Idealist View of Life

M.A. (Philosophy)

FIRST SEMESTER

Paper Code- PLS 513

Maximum Marks– 100

Theory – 70 Marks

Assessment– 30 Marks

Time Allowed– 3 Hours

Year of Examination :

Paper–III : WesternEpistemology

Unit-1: Socrates: Method of Knowledge; Plato: Theory of Knowledge. Aristotle;

Method of Deduction

Unit-2: Francis Bacon : Inductive Method.

Rene Descartes: Method of Doubt, Cogito ergo sum, Benedict Spinoza:

Theory of Knowledge, Leibnitz: Theory of Knowledge.

Unit-3: John Locke: Origin, Nature and Validity of Knowledge; Limits of

Knowledge, Geogre Berkeley: Esse est percipii, Hume : Scepticism.

Unit-4: Immanuel Kant: Problem of Knowledge; synthetic A prior judgements,

Criticism: reconciliation of Rationalism & Empiricism

Unit-5: Kant – Space and Time, Agnosticism, Hegel - Dialectical Method.

Suggested Readings:–

A. J. Ayer: The Problem of Knowledge

A. C. Danto: Analytical Philosophy of Knowledge

B. Russell: Problems of Philosophy

Daya Krishna: Pashchatya Darsan ka Itihasa

Francis Bacon: Inductive Method

F. Copleston: A History of Philosophy

Jagdish Sahay Srivastava : Adhunik Darshana Ka Viagyanika Itihasa

J. Hintikka : Knowledge and Belief

John Hospers: An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis

K. Lehrer: Knowledge

Frank Thilly: A History of Philosophy

D. J. O' Conner: A Critical History of Western Philosophy

R. M. Chisholm: Theory of Knowledge, (3rd, Ed.)

Roger Scrution: A History of Philosophy from Descrates to Wittgenstein.

W. K. Wright: A History of Modern Philosophy.

W. T. Stace: Critical History of Greek Philosophy. (Dr. R. K. Deswal)

M.A. (Philosophy)

FIRST SEMESTER

Paper Code- PLS 514

Maximum Marks– 100

Theory – 70 Marks

Assessment– 30 Marks

Time Allowed– 3 Hours

Year of Examination :

Paper–IV : Indian Ethics

Unit-1: Nature and scope of Indian Ethics: Its relation with other branches of Philosophy; Yama and Niyama of Yoga.

Unit-2:Law of Karma– Ethical Implications; Sadharana Dharma; Concept of Rna and Yajna,Rta and Satya

Unit-3:Buddhism--- Astangamarga (Eight fold noble path); The Ideal of Arhat and Bodhisatava; Panchmahavrat of Jainism.

Unit-4: Gita's Notion of Svadharma; Lokasangraha; Karam Yoga; Jnana Yoga; Bhakti Yoga; Ideal of Sthitaprajna.

Unit-5: A Study of Following concept with inference to Purva-Miniamism(a) Sabda,Veda Pramanya, Apaureseyatva, Dharma, Sadhya-Shadan, Istasadhana, Vidhi-Nisedha, Arthavada.

Suggested Readings:–

B. G. Tilak: Gita Rahasya

I. C. Sharma : Ethical Philosophies of India.

N. K. Brahma: Philosophy of the Hindu Sadhana

M. Hiriyanna: The Indian Conception of Values.

R. Prasad: Karma, Causation and Retributive Morality.

R. Prasad: Varnadharma, Niskama Karma and Practical Morality.

Sir Aurobindo: Essays on the Gita

S. K. Mitra: The Ethics of the Hindu

M.A. SEMESTER

PHILOSOPHY

DEPT. OF PHILOSOPHY

L.N.MITHILA UNIVERSITY , DARBHANGA

2ND SEMESTER

M.A. (Philosophy)

SECOND SEMESTER

Paper Code- PLS 521

Maximum Marks– 100

Theory – 70 Marks

Assessment– 30 Marks

Time Allowed– 3 Hours

Year of Examination :

Paper–V : Western Symbolic Logic

Unit-1: Definition and Nature of Argument, Truth and validity, Nature of

Symbolic Logic , Utility of Symbolic Logic

Unit-2 :Simple and Compound Statements, Conditional Statements,

Symbilization of Statements,Statement and Statement Forms'

Unit-3: Argument and Argument Forms, Validity of Arguments by Truth

Tables Method, Tautology, Contingent & Contradictory Statements

Unit-4: Rules of Inference , Formal Proof of Validity , Proving Invalidity

Unit-5: The Rule of Replacement, The Rule of Conditional Proof ,

The Rule of Indirect Proof , Proofs of Tautologies ,The Strengthened

Rule of Conditional Proof , Shorter Truth Table Technique –

Reductio ad Absurdum Method

Suggested Readings:–

I. M. Copi: Introduction of Logic (Hindi Version also available)

I. M. Copi: Symbolic Logic (6th Edition), Chapter 4 and 5

Richard Jeffrey: Formal Logic: Its Scope and Limits (2nd Edition) Chapter 1 to 5

A. N. Prior: Formal Logic

Patrick Suppes: Introduction to Logic

A. Singh & Co. Goswami : Fundamentals of Logic

B. L. Sharma: Tarka Shastra Pravesh

M.A. (Philosophy)

SECOND SEMESTER

Paper Code- PLS 522

Maximum Marks– 100

Theory – 70 Marks

Assessment– 30 Marks

Time Allowed– 3 Hours

Year of Examination :

Paper–VI : Indian Metaphysics

Unit-1: The role of God in Nyaya-Vaisesika, Yoga & Advaita Vedanta. central role of God in the BhaktiSchool with special reference to Ramanuja.

Unit-2:Self as Atman in Jainism,Nyaya–Vaisesika, Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta.

Unit-3: Dravya, Guna, Paryana in Jainism; Vaisesika; Seven Categories (Padartha).

Causation: the debate between Satkaryavada and Asatkaryavada.

Unit-4:Concept of Nirvana in Buddhism, Bondage and liberation in Jainism, Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta.

Unit-5:Nature and constitution of the physical world; the theories of five elements (Pancabhutas), gunas and Pancikarana.