MPSC Philosophy Syllabus 2023: Download Free PDF Now!

Paper‐ I (subject code 1045)

History and Problems of Philosophy

• Plato and Aristotle: Ideas; Substance; Form and Matter; Causation; Actuality and Potentiality.
• Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz); Cartesian Method and Certain Knowledge; Substance; God; Mind-Body Dualism; Determinism and Freedom.
• Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume): Theory of Knowledge; Substance and Qualities; Self and God; Scepticism.
• Kant: Possibility of Synthetic a priori Judgments; Space and Time; Categories; Ideas of Reason; Antinomies; Critique of Proofs for the Existence of God. 
• Hegel: Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism. 
• Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein: Defence of Common Sense; Refutation of Idealism; Logical Atomism; Logical Constructions; Incomplete Symbols; Picture Theory of Meaning; Saying and Showing. 
• Logical Positivism: Verification Theory of Meaning; Rejection of Metaphysics; Linguistic Theory of Necessary Propositions.
• Later Wittgenstein: Meaning and Use; Language-games; Critique of Private Language.
• Phenomenology (Husserl): Method; Theory of Essences; Avoidance of Psychologism. 
• Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Sartre, Heidegger): Existence and Essence; Choice, Responsibility, and Authentic Existence; Being-in-the-world and Temporality.
• Quine and Strawson: Critique of Empiricism; Theory of Basic Particulars and Persons.
• Carvaka: Theory of Knowledge; Rejection of Transcendent Entities. 
• Jainism: Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation. 
• Schools of Buddhism: PratItyasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada.
• Nyaya—Vaiesesika: Theory of Categories; Theory of Appearance; Theory of Pramana; Self, Liberation; God; Proofs for the Existence of God; Theory of Causation; Atomistic Theory of Creation.
• Samkhya; Prakrit; Purusa; Causation; Liberation.
• Yoga; Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya.
• Mimamsa: Theory of Knowledge
• Schools of Vedanta: Brahman; Isvara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avida; Adhyasa; Moksa; Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda.
• Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga. 

Paper‐II (subject code 1046)

Socio‐Political Philosophy

• Social and Political ideals: Equality, Justice, Liberty. 
• Sovereignty : Austin, Bodin, Laski, Kautilya.
• Individual and State: Rights; Duties and Accountability.
• Forms of Government: Monarchy; Theocracy and Democracy.
• Political Ideologies: Anarchism; Marxism and Socialism.
• Humanism; Secularism; Multiculturalism.
• Crime and Punishment: Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment. 
• Development and Social Progress. 
• Gender Discrimination: Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights; Empowerment. 
• Caste Discrimination: Gandhi and Ambedkar. 

Philosophy of Religion

• Notions of God: Attributes; Relation to Man and the World. (Indian and Western).
• Proofs for the Existence of God and their Critique (Indian and Western).
• Problem of Evil.
• Soul: Immortality; Rebirth and Liberation.
• Reason, Revelation, and Faith.
• Religious Experience: Nature and Object (Indian and Western). 
• Religion without God. 
• Religion and Morality. 
• Religious Pluralism and the Problem of Absolute Truth. 
• Nature of Religious Language: Analogical and Symbolic; Cognitivist and Non-cognitive. 

1

General Studies

200

100

2 hours

2

Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)

200

80

2 hours

Paper 1 (Code 1001)

Marathi 

300

Marathi 

3 hours

Qualifying with 25 % marks

Conventional / Descriptive

Paper 2 (Code 1002)

English 

300

English 

3 hours

Papers to be counted for Merit

Paper 3 (Code 1003)

Essay 

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Mandatory 

Paper 4 (Code 1004)

General Studies - 1

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Paper 5 (Code 1005)

General Studies - 2

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Paper 6 (Code 1006)

General Studies - 3

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Paper 7 (Code 1007)

General Studies - 4

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Paper 8

Optional Subject Paper No: 1

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Paper 9

Optional Subject Paper No: 2

250

Marathi/ English 

3 hours

Year

Paper I

Paper II

2014

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2015

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2016

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2017

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2018

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2019

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2020

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II

2021

MPSC Philosophy Paper - I

MPSC Philosophy Paper - II