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M.Phil. Degree in the Subject of Philosophy

Paper 1. : Research Methods and Techniques

Paper II. : Discipline Paper 1-

Current Trends in WesternPhilosophy

Paper III. : Discipline Paper II Study of One Indian PhilosophicalText

Paper IV. : Dissertation

Paper I Research Methods and Techniques

1.Techniques of Research

(a) Clarification of the meaning of the terms:(i) Report, Project, Thesis, Dissertation, Monograph, Essay, Research Article/ Paper, Assignment.(ii) Method, Procedure, Methodology.

(b) How to go about?Choosing a Subject. Preparing a working bibliography, Collection of Material,Methods of note taking, Organization and classification of material.

(c) Writing of the thesis:(i) Chapterization Preface, Foreword, Introduction, Main body, Conclusion.(ii) Table of contents, Indices, Appendices, Glossaries, Bibliographies.(iii) Conventions regarding Punctuation, Annotation, Transliteration, footnotes, references.

2. Research Methods in general:

Methods of Observations and experiment, Questionnaire, interviews, Data collection,Interpretation.

3. Unique features of Philosophical Research:

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No discovery of new facts; Notions of Evidence, data, hypothesis, Verification, proof how farapplicable to Philosophy? Conceptual Analysis, Logical Arguments, Textual Interpretation,Development of a perspective, Critical Judgment, nature of a philosophical Theory and Explanation.

4. Nature of Philosophical Methods and Reasoning:

(a) Methods in Western Philosophy :Speculative, Dialectical, Analytical / Critical,Phenomenological.

(b) Methods in the Classical Indian Philosophy.

Books for Study

1. V.H. Bedekar - How to write Assignments, Research Papers,Dissertations and Theses

2. Parsons C.F. - Thesis and project Work 1973, London, George Allen &Unwin

3. C.R.Kothari - Research methodology methods & Techniques 1985,New Delhi, Wiley Eastern Limited.

4. Cummins and Slade Writings the Research Paper Houghton5. Justus Buchler - The Concept of Method Columbia University Press,

London, 1961.

6.

Hussain Sarkar - A theory of Method University of California Press, 1988.

7. Passmere - Philosophical Reasoning London, Gerald Duckworth,1961.

8. R. Bala Subramanian (Ed) Research Methodology in Philosophy,Madras, RIASP, 1984.

Paper II Discipline Paper 1 :

Current Trends in Western Philosophy

1 Basic Tenets of Positivism The Verification Principle, Analytic Synthetic,Dichotomy; Phenomenalism Physicalism: methodological Monism; Unity of Science.

2 Two dogmas of Empricism :- Quine, Grice& Strawson, Putnam.3 Karl Popper Reaction to Logical Positivism and his theory of objective

Knowledge.

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4 Neo- Wittgensteinian Reaction.5 System Philosophy.6 Hermeneutical tradition Hermeneutics as Method, Philosophy & Critique.7 Structuralism and Post Structuralism.

Articles and Relevant Portions of theFollowing Books for study :

1. A.J. Ayer : Language Truth and Logic : Victor Gollanez, London, 1947.2. (a) Quine Two Dogmas of Empiricism

(b)Grice & Strawson : In Defence of the Dogma(c) Putnam : Two Dogmas revisited Chap.XV Contemporary Aspects of Philosophy. (Ed.) G.

Ryle, London (RKP) Oriel Press 1976.

3. Karl Popper -- Objective Knowledge Oxford, Clarendon Press 1972.4. G.H. Von. Write : Explanation and Understanding London, RKP, 1971.5. Ervin Laszlo : Introduction to Systems Philosophy Harper Torch books , 19736. Joseph Bleicher : Contemporary Hermeneutics : RKP, 1980.7. John Sturrock : Structuralism & Since, OUP, 1979.

Paper III Study of one Indian Philosophical Text

In this Paper a student is required to make a critical study of one Indian Philosophical Text with the

help of a teacher from among the texts to be announced by the Department at the beginning of the course.A student should give in writing the philosophical text which he /she intends to study for this paper, to theDepartment. He /She is expected do read the text Himself / Herself critically so as to be able to present thearguments in his or has own words; to appraise them and justify his appraisal and also to critically evaluatewhat others have said about it.

Paper IV Dissertation

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