Sunday, December 25, 2011

MA PHILOSOPHY,July 2011 and January 2012 Sessions


MA PHILOSOPHY (MAPY)

Assignments



Course Titles:      MPY-001: INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

MPYE-001: LOGIC

MPYE-002: ETHICS

MPYE-003: EPISTEMOLOGY        
MPYE-004: PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON        
MPYE-005: WORLD RELIGIONS        
MPYE-006: DALIT PHILOSOPHY     
MPYE-007: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN PHILOSOPHY



July 2011 and January 2012 Sessions





CBCI Chair
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi – 110 068

Dear Student,

Welcome to the courses and programme of study in M.A. (Philosophy) from IGNOU. During first year you are required to complete one assignment for each of the courses that you have opted for.

Those enrolled for July 2011 session must submit these assignments on or before March 30, 2012 and those of you getting enrolled for January 2012 must submit the assignments on or before August 30, 2012. 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 and then do the necessary correction on it before the final version is prepared for its submission.

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 only. 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 purpose. Always take an acknowledgement receipt from the study-centre while submitting your assignments. The study centre/academic counselor should return the assignment back to you within a period of 15 to 30 days along with their comments and marks. This will enable you to make improvement in your future sets of assignment responses. Ensure that you read the programme guide carefully which will answer most of your doubts. Wish you all the best for your studies.
Prof. Gracious Thomas
Date: July 2011                                                                                         (Programme Coordinator)
Assignment  - 1

MPY-001: INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

Maximum Marks: 100

Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
        (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.

           

1.  What do you understand by philosophy? Explain the special characteristics of Indian philosophy.

Or

Explain the four noble truths of Buddhism. In Buddhism, what are the methods prescribed for the cessation of suffering?
         
2.  Explain in detail the Atomic theory of Vaisesika.

Or

Write a detailed essay on the Jaina understanding of reality.


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a)      How does Nyaya prove the existence of God?
b)      Describe the purusharthas as the goal of life.
c)      What is the concept of Jiva according to the Visistha Advaita school of Vedanta? 
d)     Explain the Vivekananda concept of universal religion.

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a)      Explain briefly ‘Rta’, the cosmic order.
b)      What do you understand by the theory of pratitya samutpada?
c)      Explain the anekantavada theory of Jain Metaphysics.
d)     Write a short note on the Mimamsa concept of sabda.
e)      Explain the Triratna of Jainism.
f)       What is S. Radhakrishnan’s concept of human being?

5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a)      Yoga siddhis
b)      Prapatti
c)      Antaryamin
d)     Pudgala
e)      Aranyaka
f)       Darsana
g)      Anatma vada
h)      Dhamma



































Assignment – 2
MPYE-001: LOGIC

Maximum Marks: 100


Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.

1. Narrate the growth of Symbolic Logic and its utility.                                           

OR

    Describe Proposition and its kinds.                                                                                   

2. Explain the concepts of Definition and Division.                                                 

OR

   What are the two kinds of inference? Explain them with illustrations.                  


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

            (a)        Explain the Figures of Syllogism with examples.                              
            (b)        What do you mean by Denotation and Connotation of Terms?        
            (c)        Describe ‘Dilemma’.                                                                          
            (d)       Discuss the relevance of Digital Logic in contemporary world.        

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

            (a)        Give a formal proof of validity for the following:                            
                                                (A v B) => C
(C v B) => (A => D)
A Λ D            
D v F

            (b)        What is Universal Quantifiers?                                                         
            (c)        Explain the Rule of Replacement.                                                     
            (d)       What is the scope of Logic?                                                              
            (e)        Differentiate ‘Proposition’ from ‘Sentence’.                                     
(g)               Explain Modus Ponens.                                                                     

5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

(a)    Venn Diagram                                                                                          
(b)   Material Fallacies                                                                                     
(c)    Bi-conditional                                                                                          
(d)   Disjunctive Syllogism                                                                              
(e)    Implication                                                                                               
(f)    Genus and Specific Difference                                                                
(g)  Hypothesis                                                                                               
(h)  Tautology                                                                                                


































Assignment  - 3

MPYE-002: ETHICS

Maximum Marks: 100


Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.


1.  Explain in detail various ethical concepts in the Hindu tradition.                                     
Or

What do you understand by Virtue Ethics? Elaborate and Contrast it with Deontology.

2.  Narrate the development of the concept of human rights. Why is right to life considered the prime one?                                                                                                                                    

Or

    Explain the philosophical foundations behind the development of international ethics?         


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a) What do you understand by Situation Ethics? What are the challenges posed by the same?  
b) Explain in detail Morris Ginsberg’s ideas “On the Diversity of Morals”.             
c) Distinguish carefully between moral relativity and ethical relativism                               
d) What are the Buddhist concepts of ethics?                       
                                                           

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a) Write a very short note on John Rawls’ Theory of Justice.                                                           
b) What do you mean by Environmental Ethics?                                                                              
c) Explain the concepts ‘human freedom’ and ‘moral responsibility’.                                  
d) Describe in detail cultural and ethical subjectivism.                                                           
e) Elaborate Discourse Ethics in detail.                                                                                 
f) How do you differentiate determinism and indeterminism?         

                                   
5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a) Moral Intuition                                                                                                                   
b) Absolute Ethics                                                                                                                 
c) Perceptual Relativism                                                                                                        
d) Pancasila                                                                                                                           
e) Intuitionism                                                                                                                        
f) Consequentialism                                                                                                               
g) Categorical Imperative                                                                                                      
h) Distributive Justice                                                                                                            



































Assignment - 4
MPYE-003: EPISTEMOLOGY
Maximum Marks: 100

Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.

1.      Explain in detail the various theories of truth accepted in the Western Thought.

 Or

What do you understand by certitude? What are the different kinds of certitude possible?

2.      Which are the major sources of valid knowledge accepted by the different schools of Indian thought?

Or

What is ‘Epistemic Justification’? What are the various theories of justification?


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a) Describe the difference between the theories of Internalism and Externalism
b) What are the various theories of error (khyativada) proposed in Indian Philosophy?
c) Explain hermaneutics? What are the three components of hermeneutical enterprise?
d) What do you understand by Savikalpaka Pratyaksa and Nirvikalpaka Pratyaksha?

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a) What are the three kinds of supra normal (alaukika) perception?
b) Elaborate the Aristotelian division of Episteme.
c) Differentiate between ‘concept’ and ‘idea’.
d) What do you understand by ‘qualia’?
e) Describe the picture theory of language.
f) Explain foundationalism as a theory of justification.
5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a) Episteme
b) Illocution
c) Fallacy
d) Sphota Theory
e) Paradigm
f) Language Game
g) Dhvani
h) Coherentism




























Assignment - 5
MPYE-004: PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON

Maximum Marks: 100

Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.

1. Explain living as ‘authentic existence’ and differentiate it from ‘inauthentic life’.

Or

Elaborate man’s being as dependent, interdependent and independent existence.


2. Is man free? Explain the concept of freedom from a psycho-social point of view as one that unites rather than isolates.

Or

What do you mean by self actualization? Base your answer on the hierarchy of need theory of Abraham Maslow.


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a) How Kantian dictum of men as ‘end in themselves’ comes handy in inter personal relationships?
b) Describe the purusharthas as the goal of life.
c) Explain the Heideggerian concept of ‘being in the world’.
d) Elaborate the nature of the self as portrayed in the Upanishads.

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a) Differentiate between philosophical anthropology and cultural anthropology.
b) ‘Every understanding is self understanding’. – Explain.
c) How do you understand the human search for a meaning?
d) Explain self as Centre of gravity.
e) Differentiate between Resurrection and Resuscitation
f) What do you understand by butterfly effect?


5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a) Anthropology
b) Animal symbolicum
c) Dasein
d) Freedom
e) Appetite
f) Angelism
g) Necrosis
h) Purusarthas



































Assignment - 6
MPYE-005: WORLD RELIGIONS

Maximum Marks: 100


Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.


1. Elaborate the four noble truths of Buddhism. What is the reason of suffering and what are the means to remove it?

Or

Explain the Jaina concept of substance and its division.

2. How far is the ashram system helpful in attaining the purusharthas or the goals of one’s life?

Or

Explain the five pillars of faith in Islam in detail.

3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a) Elaborate the theory of dependent origination.
b) Do Jews believe in a life after death? Explain the different concepts related to it.
c) What is the God concept in Christianity?
d) Explain Confusianism as a religion of virtues.

4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a) What are the basic principles of faith in Judaism?
b) Differentiate between nirguna Brahman and saguna Brahman.
c) What are the pancavratas of Jainism?
d) Explain syadvada, the Jaina theory of judgment. 
e) Mention the ethical teachings of Sikhism.
f) Explain the five relationships in Confucianism.




5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a) Astheya
b) Khalsa
c) Purusa Sukta
d) Rta
e) Tower of silence
f) Covenant
g) Yajna
h) Kami



































Assignment -7
MPYE-006: DALIT PHILOSOPHY

Maximum Marks: 100


Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.


1. How is dalit life related to culture? Make a detailed analysis of the culture of the dalits.

Or

Explain the social problems of the dalits with special reference to exclusion, exploitation and elimination.

2. What is the dalit image of the divine? What are the affective and emotive aspects of their ritualistic expressions?

Or

Does some kind of present day-ness felt while studying the eschatological view of the dalits? How far are they naturalistic and this worldly?


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a) Spell out the phases of the process of philosophizing from Dalit perspectives.
b) Is a theorization of subaltern independence possible?
c) Write down the features of dalit religious philosophy.
d) Explain the philosophical contribution of Jyotirao Phule to the dalit cause.


4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a) What are the features of dalit folklore and cultural expressions?
b) what is the philosophy of liberation?
c) How do the dalits view the problem of evil?
d) Write a short note on Ambedkar’s philosophical analysis of religion?
e) What could be the main impact of globalization on the dalits?
f) How does the term ‘dalit’ represent the condition of the dalit people?
5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a) Shamanism
b) Exclusion
c) Folk lore
d) Varna
e) Globalisation
f) Sramana
g) Dalit
h) Aram



































Assignment – 8

MPYE-007: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN PHILOSOPHY
Maximum Marks: 100


Note:   (i) Answer all the five questions.
            (ii) All questions carry equal marks.
            (iii) Answer to question no. 1 and 2 should be in about 400 words each. All the answers carry 20 marks each.


1. Define research. Explain in detail various tools used in scientific research.

Or

Explain the dialectic method. Trace its origin and usage in the major philosophies of the West.

2. Why is a ‘review of literature’ included in a research report? What is its purpose?

Or

Explain Wittgenstein analytical philosophy with special reference to language game and picture theory.


3. Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each. All the answers carry 10 marks each.

a) What should be the general norms to be kept in mind while writing a research paper?
b) Define the scientific method. Explain its evolution.
c) Explain semantic autonomy and pre-understanding of the text.
d) Describe in detail different methods of note taking.


4. Answer any four of the following in about 150 words each. All the answers carry 5 marks each.

a) Write in brief about the method of phenomenological reduction of Husserl.
b) what is the major difference between quantitative and qualitative methods?
c) Write down the general form of a research paper.
d) Explain the concepts Thesis, Anti-Thesis and Synthesis.  
e) Explain briefly plagiarism and describe how one can avoid it.
f) What is a bibliography? What is its purpose?


5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each. All the answers carry 4 marks each.

a) Tabula Rasa
b) Dialetic
c) Triangulation          
d) Hypothesis
e) Appendix
f) Ellipsis
g) Cogito
h) Bracketing (epoche)