ASSIGNMENTS BDP (Electives) PHILOSOPHY Course Titles: BPY-001: Indian Philosophy: Part I BPY-002: Logic: Classical and Symbolic Logic BPY-003: Ancient and Medieval Western Philosophy BPY-004: Religions of the World BPY-005: Indian Philosophy: Part II BPY-006: Metaphysics BPY-007: Ethics BPY-008: Modern Western Philosophy BPY-009: Contemporary Western Philosophy BPY-010: Epistemology BPY-011: Philosophy of Human Person BPY-012: Philosophy of Science and Cosmology BPYE-001: Philosophy of Religion BPYE-002: Tribal and Dalit Philosophy For July 2018 and January 2019 Sessions School of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies (SOITS) Indira Gandhi National Open University Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110 068 1
2
Dear Student, Welcome to IGNOU and the programme of study in philosophy. Those enrolled for July 2018 session must submit these assignments on or before March 2019 and those of you getting enrolled for January 2019 must submit the assignments on or before August 30, 2019. Copies of assignments are available on IGNOU website as well. Assignments are open book examination and we at IGNOU assign 30 per cent weightage to the assignment while calculating the overall grade for each course. Assignments are to be hand-written or neatly typed and duly signed on it before its submission in the study centre. In order to prepare a good set of assignment-responses, you must first of all read the chapter(s) from which a particular question has been framed. Discuss with your peer-group and academic counselors or professors who teach you. Prepare a draft, do the necessary correction on it and then, prepare the final version for submission to the Study Centre. Make sure that each question answer starts on a new page. For long and medium answers, ensure that there is an introduction, sub-titles for main body and a conclusion. One line should be left between each paragraph. Make sure your answers are specific and in your own words and do not copy from books. Your answers will be exclusively based on the IGNOU materials. Keep the word limit mentioned against each question. Preparation of assignments is preparation for your term-end examination. Therefore take the assignments seriously. You must keep a duplicate/carbon/xerox copy of your assignment for future reference. Always take an acknowledgement receipt from the study-centre while submitting your assignments. Ensure that you read the programme guide carefully which will answer most of your doubts. Wish you all the best for your studies. Date: July 2018 Prof. Nandini Sinha Kapur (Programme Coordinator) 3
Assignment 1 BPY 001: Indian Philosophy (part-1) 1. Illustrate the concepts, Being and Becoming, Vidya and Avidya, and The Active Lord as conceived in the Isa Upanishad. 20 Explain Jaina metaphysics in detail. 20 2. How does unity become the central theme in the upanishadic discussions? Discuss. 20 Do you think that Indian philosophy is essentially spiritual? Explain. Why is it often termed as a way of life? 20 a) Write a short essay on the moral philosophy of Vidhura. 10 b) Explain the concept of self or soul in the Charvaka philosophy. 10 c) Describe Jivan mukti and Videha mukti, and elucidate their differences. 10 d) Discuss the theory of dependent origination. 10 a) Describe concept, Prana. 5 b) Briefly explain the fourth state of consciousness as narrated in the Mandukya Upanishad. 5 c) Describe the nature of self as expressed in the Katha Upanishad? 5 d) What are the main themes of Isavasya Upanishad? 5 e) What is the concept of nirvana in Buddhism? 5 f) Discuss Akshara Brahman. 5 a) Avidya 4 b) Karma 4 c) Sradha 4 d) Para Vidya 4 e) Tatvamsi 4 f) Ayurveda 4 g) Hiranyagarbha 4 h) Saguna Brahman 4 4
Assignment 2 BPY 002: Logic: Classical and Symbolic Logic 1. Define reasoning. Explain various kinds of reasoning. Spell out the criticism posed against deduction and induction. 20 Seen from different standpoints, how propositions are classified into different types? Discuss each type. 20 2. What do you understand by fallacies? Explain in detail different types of informal fallacies. 20 How do you differentiate between concepts and terms? Give the classification of terms. 20 a. Explain Dilemma and different kinds of dilemma. 10 b. Enumerate the rules of Categorical Syllogism. 10 c. What do you mean by Hypothesis? 10 d. Explain the limitations of Aristotelian logic and the importance of symbolic logic. 10 a) Is Logic a science or an art? 5 b) Give the Meaning of quantification. 5 c) What do you mean by distribution of terms? 5 d) Discuss Argument ad Populum. 5 e) Work out the values of the following statements, if p is true and q is false 5 1. pv(p.q) 2. (pvq) (qvp) f) Differentiate between simple and compound statements. 5 a) De Morgan s Law 4 b) Modus Tollens 4 c) Truth Value 4 d) Tautology 4 e) Reduction 4 f) Falsification 4 g) Conversion and obversion 4 h) Predicables 4 5
Assignment 3 BPY 003: Ancient and Western Medieval Philosophy 1. Critically analyze the scope and importance of philosophy. 20 How did Augustine explain the relation between reason and faith? Discuss. 20 2. Explain and interpret the notion of being in Parmenides. 20 Explain the intellectual and social context of sophist thought. Discuss the significance of sophist method of enquiry and thought in general. 20 a. What is special about the aim and modus operandi of the Socratic method? Explain. 10 b. What is metaphysics and why is it called the foundational science of all other sciences? 10 c. Discuss the atom theory of Democritus & Leucippus. 10 d. Explain the theory of the union of the opposites in the philosophy of Heraclitus 10 a) Briefly discuss - To be ethical is to live a rational life. 5 b) How does Empiricism differ from Rationalism? 5 c) How do you explain Ockham s Razor? 5 d) Briefly explain the ethics of Epicureanism. 5 e) Discuss Objectivism and Subjectivism. 5 f) Explain the Pythagorean concept of soul. 5 a) Materialism 4 b) Philosophy of Life 4 c) Apeiron 4 d) Agnosticism 4 e) Al-ghazali 4 f) Dogmatism 4 g) Aesthetics 4 h) Cynicism 4 6
Assignment 4 BPY 004 - Religions of the World 1. Explain in detail the main metaphysical theories of religion namely, deism, pantheism and theism. 20 What is the Hindu idea of Moksha and what are the different paths leading to it? 20 2. Explain in detail the eightfold path of Buddhism as a means of removing suffering. 20 Explain the Kingdom of God as the central teaching of Jesus. 20 a. Discuss the four stages in the life of an individual according to the Hindu thought? 10 b. Define religious experience. Explain its nature and importance. 10 c. Explain the relationship between morality and religion. 10 d. Write a short essay on the beliefs and practices of Judaism. 10 a) How do you understand the plurality of Religions? 5 b) What is the Auguste Comte s understanding of religion? 5 c) What are the Maha panca vrata of Jainism? 5 d) What is the Confucian understanding of the nature of man? 5 e) Explain the doctrine of Anekanta Vada 5 f) Describe the Kalima (six articles of faith) of Islam. 5 a) Concept of salvation in Sikhism 4 b) New Testament 4 c) Kami 4 d) Humanism 4 e) Theology 4 f) Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahuda Vedanti 4 g) Religious language 4 h) Dharma 4 7
Assignment 5 BPY 005: Indian Philosophy - Part II 1. Give a detailed exposition of the Vaiseshika metaphysics. 20 Write a detailed essay on the eight fold path of yoga. 20 2. Explain the factors that contributed to the development of reform movements. Write short essays on the nature and impact of Brahma Samaj and Arya Samaj. 20 Write in detail the sources of valid knowledge (pramans) according to the Mimamsa school of Indian thought. 20 a) What is the concept of liberation in Visistadvaita? Explain the means of liberation according to this school of Vedanta. 10 b) Which are the Kinds of perception recognized by Nyaya? Explain. 10 c) Explain various arguments that Samkhya puts forward to support the theory of satkarya vada. 10 d) Explain Ambedkar s critique of religion and the caste system. 10 a. What is the concept of Jagat in advaita Vedanta? 5 b. Differentiate Svathanumana and Pararthanumana. 5 c. Briefly explain the religious philosophy of Tagore. 5 d. What do you know about the Qadriya der of Sufism? 5 e. Distinguish between Kevalapramana and Anupramana. 5 f. Describe the theory of erroneous perception in advaita. 5 a) Chaturvarnya 4 b) Sadhna in Tagore 4 c) Ahamkara 4 d) Avatar 4 e) Ishvara 4 f) Nityavibhuti 4 g) Vivekanand s concept of Karma 4 h) Asrama 4 8
Assignment 6 BPY 006: Metaphysics 1. Define metaphysics and explain its scope. 20 What is your understanding of human person? Explain the different dimensions of the human person. 20 2. How can we prove the existence of freedom? Explain the problem of free will. 20 What do you mean by the principle of causality? Explain various intrinsic and extrinsic causes. 20 a. What do you understand by synthesis? Explain how this method is used in metaphysics. 10 b. Explain the nature of substance. What is the real difference between substance and accidents? 10 c. Write a short essay on Alfred North Whitehead s Metaphysics. 10 d. How do you understand the problem of individuation? Explain the role and importance of quantity in individuation. 10 a) Discuss the Aristotelian theory of hylemorphism. 5 b) Describe principles of identity and distinction. 5 c) Briefly explain Maya 5 d) Discuss the major concerns of pre-socratic metaphysics. 5 e) Briefly explain question as the starting point of metaphysics. 5 f) Write a short note on Tagore s metaphysics. 5 a) Local change 4 b) Potency 4 c) Justified true belief 4 d) Moral evil 4 e) Privation 4 f) Compatibilism 4 g) Dasein 4 h) Passive and active potencies 4 9
Assignment 7 BPY 007: Ethics 1. Explain the concept of natural law. Is it universal? How is it related to the concept of intrinsic evil? Critically evaluate. 20 Kantian ethics is non-consequentialist. Comment. 20 2. Write a detailed essay on the Aristotelian ethics. 20 What were the focal areas of the ethical teachings of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Brahmo Samaj? 20 a. Which are the fundamental vows proposed for a householder in Jainism? 10 b. What is violence? Briefly explain possible causes that perpetuate violence. 10 c. Explain the importance of humanism in the philosophy of Vivekananda. 10 d. Which are the factors determining the morality of human acts? 10 a) Which are the seven social sins explained by Gandhi? 5 b) Describe karma yoga as presented in the Bhagavad Gita. 5 c) Explain Knowledge is Virtue. 5 d) Briefly discus Buddhism s approach to suicide. 5 e) Differentiate between ought and can. 5 f) What do you understand by moral dilemmas? 5 a) Indeterminism 4 b) Ahimsa 4 c) Animal rights 4 d) Euthanasia 4 e) Hedonism 4 f) intuition 4 g) Vices 4 h) Fundamentalism 4 10
Assignment 8 BPY 008: Modern Western Philosophy 1. The revival that happened in many aspects of human life during renaissance had great significance for western thought. Explain. 20 Write an essay on Berkeley s rejection of abstract ideas. How does he focus his metaphysics on esse est percipi? Explain. 20 2. Analyze the Cartesian understanding of the world. How does he explain the relation between mind and body? 20 Explain the Kantian norms on ethics with special reference to the categorical imperatives. 20 a. Narrate absolute freedom as the central theme of existentialism. 10 b. Present a detailed account of the organic theory of Hegel. 10 c. Explain the theory of pre-established harmony. 10 d. What was the Marxian method of dialectical materialism? 10 a. What are the types of modes according to Spinoza 5 b. Does Hume agree on free will? 5 c. Discuss briefly Locke s concept of primary and secondary qualities. 5 d. Describe the law of sufficient reason. 5 e. Briefly explain Comte s law of three stages 5 f. Write a short note on logical positivism. 5 a) Phenomenon 4 b) Dialectic method 4 c) Religion of Humanity 4 d) Parallelism 4 e) Skepticism 4 f) Self 4 g) Subjectivity 4 h) Tabula rasa 4 11
Assignment 9 BPY 009: Contemporary Western Philosophy 1. Define existentialism. Who were the major atheistic existentialists and how do they approach the question of human existence? 20 Discuss in detail the concept of Will to Power in the philosophy of Nietzsche. 20 2. Explain the common themes discussed in poststructuralism. Elaborate the Contributions of Michel Foucault to poststructuralism. 20 Write an essay on the ordinary language philosophy. What are the contributions of Gilbert Ryle and Wittgenstein to ordinary language philosophy? 20 a) Elaborate the contributing factors of Absurdity as discussed by Camus. 10 b) Explain the tool-use model of language according to Wittgenstein. 10 c) What do you know about pragmatism? Explain the meaning and nature of truth according to pragmatism. 10 d) Define philosophical hermeneutics and explain how it differs from traditional hermeneutics. 10 a. What is historical materialism? 5 b. What is Ricoer s concept of the text? 5 c. Explain the theory of Instrumentalism. 5 d. Man is condemned to freedom - elaborate. 5 e. Describe the picture theory of meaning. 5 f. Discuss the linguistic nature of human understanding in Gadamer. 5 a) Postmodernism 4 b) Eidetic reduction 4 c) Being-for-itself 4 d) Allegory 4 e) Alienation 4 f) Leap of faith 4 g) Atomic facts 4 h) Deconstruction 4 12
Assignment 10 BPY 010: EPISTEMOLOGY 1. Explain the nature and criteria of truth. Discuss the classical theories of truth in detail. 20 Define knowledge. Explain propositional knowledge as Justified True Belief. 20 2. Write an essay on the general nature and arguments of feminist epistemology. 20 How is mental perception different from other sensory perceptions? Explain the theory of perception according to Nyaya. 20 a. Briefly elucidate Kierkegaard s attack on the objectivity of knowledge. 10 b. Define Epistemology. Explain the scope and importance of its study. 10 c. How does Kant arrive at Synthetic - a priori judgments? 10 d. Critically evaluate the universality of truth. 10 a) What do you understand by dependence coherentism? 5 b) Briefly explain Cartesian doubt. 5 c) What are some of the implications of naturalized epistemology? 5 d) Does Sankhya accept sabda as a valid source of knowledge? Discuss. 5 e) What do you understand by contextual continuity? 5 f) Describe standpoint theory. 5 e. Realism 4 f. Immediate Inference 4 g. Pramana 4 h. Noumena 4 i. Ecological approach to perception 4 j. Verification 4 k. Sesavat inference 4 l. Hetu 4 13
Assignment 11 BPY 011: Philosophy of Human Person 1. What is the theory of Karma? Explain human person as a being in need of liberation. 20 Define philosophy of human person. How is it related to other disciplines of study? Explain. 20 2. Do you agree with the theory of determinism? Substantiate your answer with arguments. 20 Explain the evolutionary theory about the origin of the human person. Provide scientific proofs for the same. 20 a. Discuss how caste and class have worked against women in the Indian context. 10 b. Explain the Upanishadic concept of atman as Brahman. 10 c. Explain philosophical preoccupation with language and the linguistic turn in philosophy. 10 d. How do existentialists present the concept of a human person in contemporary philosophy? 10 a) What are the elements of culture? 5 b) Explain the meaning of transmigration. 5 c) What do you understand by rational appetite? 5 d) Describe Merleau-Ponty s understanding of the human body. 5 e) What is the importance of the study of philosophy of human person? 5 f) Describe the Aristotle s position on soul and body? 5 a. Human rights 4 b. Samsara 4 c. Annamayakosha 4 d. Anthropocentricism 4 e. Inter-subjectivity 4 f. Self consciousness 4 g. Enlightenment 4 h. Anthropology 4 14
Assignment 12 BPY 012: Philosophy of Science and Cosmology 1. What is philosophy of science? How is philosophy different from and related to science? 20 Discuss some of the important consequences of the theory of relativity. 20 2. Make a critical analysis of the philosophical approach of logical positivism. 20 What are the different methods used in science? Explain Newton s concept of scientific method? 20 a. What are some of the basic questions in cosmology? What is the scope of cosmology? 10 b. How are the pre-socratics related to modern science? Discuss 10 c. Comment on the contribution of Roger Bacon to experimental science. 10 d. Why is a discussion of the theory of relativity important in philosophy of science? 10 a) What do you know about the Pythagorean brotherhood? 5 b) Briefly explain the concept of innate force. 5 c) Explain methodological relativism. 5 d) Describe the purpose of cosmology. 5 e) What is the mechanical understanding of the universe? 5 f) What do you understand by auxiliary hypothesis? 5 a) Momentum 4 b) Death of absolutism 4 c) Metascience 4 d) Falsifiability 4. e) Velocity 4 f) Theory of chaos 4 g) Multiverse and universe 4 h) Frame of Reference 4 15
Assignment 13 BPYE-01: Philosophy of Religion 1. What do you understand by the concept of sacred or religious language as used in various religions? Explain. 20 Define atheism and agnosticism. Explain various arguments proposed against the two. 20 2. What is the etymology of the word religion? Explain the nature of the primitive and higher forms of religion. 20 What do you understand by religious feeling and the feeling of the sublime? How does Rudolf Otto explain the category of holy? 20 a. Discuss the arguments in defence of divine eternity. 10 b. Do you think religious fundamentalism and extremism are linked? Discuss. 10 c. How can one frame arguments for God s existence from religious experience? Discuss. 10 d. Discuss in detail the psychological origin of religion. 10 a) What are the weaknesses of the ontological argument for God s existence? 5 b) Describe the developmental stages in the evolution of religion. 5 c) What are the difficulties in defining religion? 5 d) Briefly explain the omnipotence of God. 5 e) What are the conditions that hinder religious pluralism? 5 f) Describe the objective of postmodern religion. 5 a. Luminous 4 b. Verifiability of theological statements 4 c. Mana 4 d. Totemism 4 e. Taboo 4 f. Myths 4 g. Religious toleration 4 h. fanaticism 4 16
Assignment 14 BPYE 002: Tribal and Dalit Philosophy 1. What is the Dalit outlook on life and world? How did the philosophical thoughts of Ambedkar influence the Dalit outlook on life and world? 20 Write an essay on the tribal morality. Explain various moral concepts related to various walks of tribal life. 20 2. Explain in detail the significance of folklore in the tribal life. 20 Explain the meaning of the term dalit. Write a detailed note about the origin of dalits. 20 a. Explain how tribal communities view transitions in their culture? 10 b. What do you understand by the marginalization of dalits? What is the role of the civil society in overcoming the same? Discuss. 10 c. What do you know about the untouchables outlook of the world and life? 10 d. Why is violence against the dalits considered as structural violence? 10 a) What was the context of the rain of fire? 5 b) Explain the meaning of the word dalit in the contemporary times. 5 c) Differentiate between class and caste. 5 d) How cultures basically become meaning systems. 5 e) Differentiate between the terms Untouchables and Dalits. 5 f) What do you understand by the colonization of the Life-world of Dalits? 5 a) Moral evil 4 b) Totemism 4 c) Politics of number 4 d) subaltern historiography 4 e) Directed incentives 4 f) Discrimination and alienation 4 g) Respectful Distance 4 h) Kinship System 4 17