(IGNOU) MPY-002 Important Questions with Answers English Medium

• Course Code: MPY-002
• Course Title: Western Philosophy
• Credits: 8
• Level: Postgraduate
• Program: Master of Arts in Philosophy (MAPY)
• Compulsory/Elective: Compulsory for MAPY 2nd year

Course Structure

Block 1: Introduction to Western Philosophy

• Nature and Scope of Philosophy
• Methods of Philosophy
• Problems of Philosophy

Block 2: Ancient Greek Philosophy

• Pre-Socratics
• Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
• Hellenistic Philosophy

Block 3: Medieval Philosophy

• Patristic Philosophy
• Scholasticism
• Islamic Philosophy

Block 4: Modern Philosophy

• Renaissance and Reformation
• Rationalism and Empiricism
• Enlightenment and Kant

Block 5: Contemporary Philosophy-I

• Idealism and Romanticism
• Marxism and Existentialism
• Phenomenology and Analytic Philosophy

Block 6: Contemporary Philosophy-II

• Structuralism and Post-Structuralism
• Feminism and Environmental Philosophy
• Global and Indian Philosophy

1. What are concerns of metaphysics and epistemology concerned?

Metaphysics and epistemology are two branches of philosophy that address fundamental questions about the nature of reality and knowledge. While they are distinct areas of inquiry, they are often interconnected, and both raise important concerns.

Metaphysics

• (IGNOU) MPY-002 Important Questions with Answers English Medium- Existence and Reality: Metaphysics deals with questions about the nature of existence and reality. What exists? What is the ultimate nature of reality? Is there a fundamental substance or set of substances that make up the world (IGNOU) MPY-002 Important Questions with Answers English Medium
• Identity and Change: Metaphysics explores the concepts of identity and change. It considers questions like: What makes something the same over time (identity)? How do things change, and what is the nature of that change?
• Causation: Metaphysics examines the concept of causation, investigating the relationship between cause and effect. What is the nature of causation? Can we identify a cause for every event?
• Mind and Body: Metaphysics addresses the mind-body problem, exploring the nature of consciousness and the relationship between the mind and the body. Is the mind a distinct substance, or is it closely tied to the physical body?
• Time and Space: Metaphysics delves into the nature of time and space. Are time and space absolute, or are they dependent on other factors? How do they relate to the objects and events in the world?

Epistemology

• Nature of Knowledge: Epistemology is concerned with the nature of knowledge. What is knowledge, and how is it different from mere belief or opinion? What are the criteria for something to be considered knowledge?
• Sources of Knowledge: Epistemology explores the sources of knowledge. Is knowledge derived from sensory experience, reason, intuition, or some combination of these? What role do perception, memory, and testimony play in acquiring knowledge?
• Belief and Justification: Epistemology examines the relationship between belief and justification. When is a belief justified, and what criteria determine the reliability of beliefs? How can we distinguish between justified and unjustified beliefs?
• Skepticism and Certainty: Epistemology deals with skepticism, addressing questions about the limits of human knowledge. Can we be certain about anything? How do we respond to skeptical challenges that cast doubt on the reliability of our beliefs?
• Truth and Justification: Epistemology considers the nature of truth and how beliefs are justified as true. What is the relationship between truth and justification? How do we determine when a belief corresponds to reality?

Both metaphysics and epistemology contribute to our understanding of the nature of reality and knowledge, and they often intersect in discussions about the foundations of our understanding of the world. Philosophers throughout history have debated these issues, and the exploration of metaphysical and epistemological concerns continues to shape contemporary philosophy.

2. Describe few methods used in Western philosophy.

3. Explain Causality.

4. How do Nihilism and Scepticism approach reality?

5. Define the concept of Reality in Ephesian and Eleatic school

6. Distinguish the main differences between the Atomist and Pluralist

7.  Define the philosophical method of Peripatetic school

8. Define Epicurean Ethics

9. What is Scholasticism?

10. Define the Scholastic Method

11. What is German idealism?

12. Define the Two Schools of Modern Thought

13. Define Renaissance Humanism

14. What is Post Modernism?

15. Explain the features of the Continental school

16. Define Phenomenology

17. What are the categories in Aristotle’s Metaphysics?

18. Explain Artistotle’s understanding of causality.

19. Give the account of Aristotle on question of God.

20. What are the ethical teachings of Aristotle?

21. What do the Platonic dialogues consist of?

22. Briefly describe Plato’s understanding on the Nature of Justice.

23. How is Plato’s Philosophy related to our search for Goodness and Truth?

24. Who are philosophers, according to Plato?

25.  What is “Platonism for the masses?”

26. Give the account of Ancient Greek thinkers’ understanding of ‘arche’.

27. Briefly explain the understanding of Parmendes on Being.

28. Analyse the concerns of Atomists.

29. What are the philosophical insights of Pythagoras?

30. What were the motivations of a medieval Jewish philosopher to take recourse to philosophy?