UPSC Mains PHILOSOPHY-PAPER-II 2025

28 Questions • 400 Marks • With Detailed Model Answers

1
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(a) "Corrupt practices reveal an inherent tension between particularistic and universalistic normative standards." Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons and justification for your answer.

EthicsSociology
2
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(b) How does gender as a social construct affect individuals' opportunities, rights, and access to resources ? Critically discuss.

SociologyGender Studies
3
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(c) Is the idea of secularism necessarily related to the idea of religious pluralism? Discuss.

Political PhilosophySociology of Religion
4
10 Marks150 Wordseasy

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(d) Comment on Plato's critique of Democracy.

Political PhilosophyAncient Philosophy
5
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(e) Discuss the salient features of equality according to J.S. Mill.

Political PhilosophyLiberalism
6
20 Markshard

Present a detailed account of the debate between Gandhi and Ambedkar on the issue of caste discrimination.

Indian PoliticsSociologyHistory
7
15 Marksmedium

Evaluate Marxism as a Political Ideology.

Political PhilosophyIdeologies
8
15 Marksmedium

"There is no permanent friend or permanent enemy.' Discuss this statement in the light of Kautilya's view on Sovereignty.

Political PhilosophyIndian HistoryInternational Relations
9
20 Marksmedium

Can one's right to life be absolute ? Answer with reference to the idea of Capital Punishment.

Human RightsLawEthics
10
15 Marksmedium

How does the reconciliation of opposites take place in the Humanism of Tagore ? Evaluate.

PhilosophyIndian PhilosophyLiterature
11
15 Marksmedium

Is it possible to reconcile the concept of development with tribal values to bring social and economic progress ? Discuss.

SociologyAnthropologyDevelopment Studies
12
20 Marksmedium

How are both equality and liberty inadequate as social and political ideals without justice ? Discuss.

Political PhilosophyEthics
13
15 Marksmedium

Can Theocracy be accepted as a valid form of Government ? Give reasons and justification in support of your answer.

Political PhilosophyPolitical Science
14
15 Marksmedium

"Duties are of the nature of obligation while Rights are of the nature of entitlement. Therefore there is no necessary connection between the two." Do you agree with this statement ? Give reasons and justification for your answer.

Political PhilosophyEthicsLaw
15
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(a) Discuss Cārvāka's critique of the belief in the existence of suprasensible entities.

Indian PhilosophyEpistemologyMetaphysics
16
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(b) Is religious language symbolic ? Give reasons and justification in support of your answer.

Philosophy of ReligionLinguisticsTheology
17
10 Marks150 Wordshard

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(c) Present an account of Nietzsche's criticism of religion and morality.

PhilosophyEthicsPhilosophy of Religion
18
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(d) Discuss the nature of embodied liberation (jīvanmukti) with reference to Advaita Vedānta.

Indian PhilosophyHinduismMetaphysics
19
10 Marks150 Wordsmedium

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

(e) How does Aquinas' account of Faith as "an intellectual assent” reconcile the juxtaposition between Reason and Faith? Discuss.

PhilosophyTheologyMedieval Philosophy
20
20 Marksmedium

Present an account of Design argument to prove the existence of God along with its criticism by David Hume.

Philosophy of ReligionMetaphysicsEpistemology
21
15 Marksmedium

Explain the main tenets of the Process Theodicy as an explanation of the problem of evil.

Philosophy of ReligionTheologyMetaphysics
22
15 Marksmedium

Distinguish between Natural Theology and Revealed Theology in the context of the Propositional view of Revelation.

Philosophy of ReligionTheologyEpistemology
23
20 Marksmedium

How does the Vedantic view of Religious Pluralism address the conflicting truth claims of different faiths ? Answer with reference to Swami Vivekananda's view of Universal Religion.

Indian PhilosophyPhilosophy of ReligionHinduism
24
15 Marksmedium

What proofs do Nyāya philosophers offer for the existence of God ? Discuss.

Indian PhilosophyEpistemologyMetaphysics
25
15 Marksmedium

Is the concept of immortality of soul a necessary condition for Rebirth ? Discuss with reference to the Bhagavad Gītā.

Indian PhilosophyHinduismMetaphysics
26
20 Marksmedium

Evaluate the nature and object of Religious Experience as explained by Radhakrishnan in ‘The Hindu View of Life’.

PhilosophyIndian PhilosophyPhilosophy of Religion
27
15 Markshard

Is it necessary for the normative principles to bear reference to God in order to produce a feeling of obligation in a moral agent ? Critically discuss.

EthicsPhilosophy of ReligionMoral Philosophy
28
15 Marksmedium

Discuss the Advaitic notion of indescribability (anirvachanīyatā) in the context of nature of religious language.

Indian PhilosophyMetaphysicsPhilosophy of Religion