1

National University
Subject: Philosophy
Syllabus for One-Year Master’s Course
Effective from the Session: 2013-2014

Paper Code Paper Title Credits

Group A: (Any four paper the followings)
311701 Philosophy of Language 4
311703 Phenomenology and Existentialism 4
311705 Philosophy of Bertrand Russell and G.E. Moore 4
311707 Pragmatism and Humanism 4
311709 Epistemology and Metaphysics 4
311711 Philosophical Logic 4
Group B: (Any one paper the followings)
311713 Philosophy of Al-Ghazali and Ibn Rushd 4
311715 Sufism 4
311717 Contemporary Muslim Thought 4
Group C: (Any one paper the followings))
311719 Buddhist Philosophy 4
311721 Vedanta Philosophy 4
311723 Contemporary Indian Thought 4
Group D: (Any one paper the followings))
311725 Philosophy of the Bangalees 4
(Modern and Contemporary)
311727 Comparative Religion 4
311729 Contemporary Political Philosophy 4
311730 Term Paper 2
311732 Viva-Voce 2
Total = 32
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Detailed Syllabus
Group A
Paper Code: 311701 ------- Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.
Paper Title: Philosophy of Language

The purpose of this course is to investigate into the nature of language and its role in
philosophy, science and ordinary discourses. In this connection, students will be required to
have a thorough knowledge of the problems discussed in the following texts:

Group A: Text

Alston, W.P., Philosophy of Language, Prentice Hall, 1964.

Group B: Text
Wittgenstein, L., Philosophical Investigations, Tr. Anscombe, G.E.M., Oxford: Blackwell,
1953 (selected parts),

Books Recommended

1. Chappell, V.C. (ed.), Ordinary Language, New Jersey, Englewood Cliffs, 1964.
2. Carnap, R. : Philosophy and Logical Syntax, London, 1935.
3. _______ : The Logical Syntax of Language, New York,1937.
4. _______ : Introduction to Semantics, Cambridge, Mass., 1942.
5. Fodor, J.A. and Katz, J.J. (ed.) : The Structure of Language, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey,
1964.
6. Linsky. J.L. : Semantics and the Philosophy of Language, III, Urbana, 1952.
7. Russell, B. : Logic and Language, (ed.), R.C. Marsh, London, 1956.
8. Pitcher, G. : The Philosophy of Wittgenstein, Prentice Hall, 1964.
9. Wittgenstein, L. : The Blue and Brown Books, Oxford, 1958.
10. _____ : Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, London, 1922.
11. Ziff, P. : Semantic Analysis, Ithaca, New York,1960.
12. Ave`yj gZxb : we‡klYx `k©b (Abyev`), XvKv, 1994
13. ‡gv. Ave`yj gywnZ : fvlv `k©b, XvKv: Aemi cÖKvkbv ms¯’v, 2012
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Paper Code: 311703 ------- Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.

Paper Title: Phenomenology and Existentialism

This course will have two parts, one concentrating on phenomenology and the other on
existentialism. The first part itself will have two approaches dealing with phenomenology proper and
existential phenomenology. This approach is intended to give the students a comprehensive idea
of the nature, origin and development of phenomenology. The study will particularly focus on
how some existentialists (i.e. Heidegger, Sartre, Marleau Ponty) have developed their thoughts
out of Husserl's phenomenological method. In the second part, the study will be devoted to
existentialism with reference to some major thinkers, namely Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Jaspers
and Sartre.

Texts Prescribed
Husserl, E., Ideas, Tr. by W.R. Bayee, Gibson, New York: Collier Books, 1931.
Sartre J.P., Being and Nothingness, New York: Washington Square Press, 1971.

Books Recommended
1. Dreyfus, H. and Hall, H. (eds.), Heidegger: A Critical Reader, Oxford: Blackwell, 1992.
2. Heidegger, M., Existence and Being, London: Vision Press, 1949.
3. Husserl, E., The Idea of Phenomenology, The Hague, 1964.
4. Jaspers, K., Philosophy, 2 vols., Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1969.
5. Kierkegaard, S., The Concept of Dread, Princeton: Princeton University Press 1944.
6. ____, Either/Or, London: Oxford University Press, 1946.
7. King, M., Heidegger's Philosophy, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1964
8. Sartre J.P., Existentialism and Humanism, London: Methuen, 1970.
9. ___ , Nausea, London: Penguin, 1965.
10. Spiegelberg, H., The Phenomenological Movement, The Hague, 1960.
11. Warnock, M., The Philosophy of Sartre, London: Hutchinson University Library, 1971.
12. Avwgbyj Bmjvg : mgKvjxb cvðvZ¨ `k©b, 4_© ms¯‹iY, XvKv: gvIjv eªv`vm©, 2001|
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13. bxi“Kzgvi PvKgv : Aw¯—Z¡ev` I e¨w³¯^vaxbZv, XvKv: evsjv GKv‡Wgx, 2q cybgy©`ªY,

2010|
14. ¯^cœv miKvi : Aw¯—ev`x `k©b I cÖwZfvm weÁvb : KjKvZv : cÖ‡MÖwmf cvewjkvm©,
2009|

Paper Code: 311705 ------- Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.

Paper Title: Philosophy of Bertrand Russell and G. E. Moore

Students will be required to have a thorough knowledge of Bertrand Russell and G.E. Moore’s
philosophy based on the following texts:

Texts Prescribed
Russell, B., An Outline of Philosophy, London: Alien and Unwin, 1961.
evsjv Abyev` : Ave`yj gZxb, `k©‡bi iƒc‡iLv, XvKv :evsjv GKv‡Wgx 1981|
Moore G.E., Some Main Problems of Philosophy, London: Alien and Unwin, 1953.
evsjv Abyev` : †gv: Ave`yi ikx`, `k©‡bi KwZcq cÖavb mgm¨v, XvKv : evsjv GKv‡Wgx, 1996|
Books Recommended
1. Ayer, A.J., Russell and Moore, The Analytical Heritage, New York: Macmillan, 1971.
2. Aiken, L.W., Bertrand Russell's Philosophy of Morals, New York: The Humanities Press,
1963.
3. Haque, N., Russell's Theory of Meaning : Semantic and Pragmatic Approaches, Germany:
Lambert Academic Publishing, 2011.
4. Miah, Sajahan, Russell's Theory of Perception, London: Continuum International
Publishing, 2006.
5. Moore, G.E., Lectures on Philosophy, London: Alien & Unwin, 1966.
6. ___, Philosophical Papers, London: Alien & Unwin, 1959.
7. Russell, B., An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth, London: Alien & Unwin, 1966.
8. ____, My Philosophical Development, London: Alien & Unwin, 1959.
9. ____, Logic and Knowledge, R.C. Marsh (ed.), London: Alien, 1956.
10. Schilpp, P.A. (ed.), The Philosophy of Bertrand Russell, Chicago: Northwestern University,
 5

Library of Living Philosophers, 1944.

11. ____, The Philosophy of G.E. Moore, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1942.
12. Urmson, J.O., Philosophical Analysis : Its Development Between Two World Wars, Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1966.
13. White, A.R, G.E. Moore : A Critical Exposition, Oxford: Blackwell, 1958.
14. Wood, A., Bertrand Russell: The Passionate Sceptic, London: Unwin, 1963.
15. Ave`yj gZxb : we‡k¦lYx `k©b : Ab~w`Z iPbv m•Kjb , XvKv : evsjv GKv‡Wgx, 1993|
16. Avwgbyj Bmjvg : mgKvjxb cvðvZ¨ `k©b, 4_© ms¯‹iY, XvKv: gvIjv eªv`vm©, 2001|
17. †gv: Avãyj nvwg` : we‡klYx `k©b : wR.B.gy¨i, XvKv : Abb¨v, 2000|
Paper Code: 311707 ------- Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.
Paper Title: Pragmatism and Humanism

The purpose of the course is to make students acquainted with some salient features of
Pragmatism and Humanism. Discussion will be based on the following texts:

Texts
James, W., Pragmatism, New York: Longmans, 1907.
Schiller, F.C.S., Studies in Humanism, London: Macmillan, 1907.

Books Recommended
1. Buchler, J., The Philosophy of Peirce, London: Routledge, 1956.
2. Dewey, J., Reconstruction in Philosophy, New York: The New American Library, 1955.
3. ___, Philosophy and Civilization, New York: Minton, 1931.
4. Gallic, W.B., Peirce and Pragmatism, New York: Penguin, 1952.
5. James, W., Meaning of Truth, London: Longmans, 1909.
6. Ruben, Abel, The Pragmatic Humanism of F.C.S Schiller, New York, 1955.
7. Scheffler, I., Four Pragmatists: A Critical Introduction to Peirce, James, Mead, and Dewey,
London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1974.
8. Schiller, F.C.S., Humanism : Philosophical Essays, London: Macmillan, 1903.
9. Wiener, P.P. & Young, F.H. (eds.). Studies in the Philosophy of Charles Sanders Peirce,
Cambridge: Mass, 1952.
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10. Avwgbyj Bmjvg : mgKvjxb cvðvZ¨ `k©b, 4_© ms¯‹iY, XvKv: gvIjv eªv`vm©, 2001|
11. bRiæj Bmjvg : Av‡gwiKvb cÖ‡qvMev`, cvm©, †Rgm I wWDB, XvKv : mvwnwZ¨Kv,
2006|
12. cvi‡fR Bgvg : cÖ‡qvMev‡`i i~c‡iLv, XvKv : Abb¨v, 2007|

Group B
Paper Code: 311713 ------- Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.
Paper Title: Philosophy of Al-Ghazali and Ibn Rushd

The purpose of this course is to make student acquainted with the salient aspects of Al-Ghazali
and Ibn Rushd’s philosophy. Discussion will be based on the following texts:
Texts
Al-Ghazali, Tahafut-al-Falasifa, English tr. S.A. Kamali, Lahore: Pakistan Philosophical
Congress, 1974.
Ibn Rushd, Tahafut-al-Tahafut, English tr. Simon Van-den-Bergh, London, 1954.
Books Recommended
1. Fakhry, M., A History of Islamic Philosophy, New York: Colombia University Press, 1970.
2. Mustafa, K., Al-Ghazali's Theory of Knowledge, Dhaka: Ramon Publishers, 2003.
3. Sharif, M.M., (ed.), A History of Muslim Philosophy, 2 Vols., Wiesbaden, Germany: Otto
Harrasswitz, 1963.
4. Watt, W.M., Muslim Intellectual : A Study of Al-Ghazali, Edingburgh: University Press,
1963.
5. Avwgbyj Bmjvg : gymwjg ag©ZË¡ I `k©b, 2q ms¯‹iY, XvKv: evsjv GKv‡Wgx, 1985
6. ‡gv. Ave`yj nvwg` : gymwjg `k©b : †PZbv I cÖevn, XvKv: w`e¨ cÖKvk, wØZxq ms¯‹iY, 2002|
Paper Code: 311723 ------ Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.
Paper Title: Contemporary Indian Thought

This course is intended to give students a general knowledge of the contemporary philosophical
development in India. It will includes the following topic of contemporary Indian thought.

Nature of reality. Concept of the self. Theory of knowledge. Concept of liberation. Philosophy of
religion. Social philosophy. Political philosophy. Philosophy of education. Moral philosophy.
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Philosophy of life.

Contemporary Indian thinkers: Balgangadhar Tilak, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatnia Gandhi,

Aurovindo Ghose, Krishnachandra Bhattacharya, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Rabindranath
Tagore, Sitanath Datta Tattvabhusan, Shivanth Shastri, Bipinchandra Pal.

Books Recommended
1. Arapura J. G., Radhakrishnan and Integral Experience, Bombay: Asia Publish House,
1966.
2. Aurobindo Sri, The Life Divine, New York: Pandichari, 1949.
3. Das, Chandra Mohan, The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, New Delhi: Deep & Deep
Publications, 1996.
4. Datta, Dhirendra Mohan, The Chief Currents of Contemporary Philosophy, Calcutta:
Calcutta University Press, 1970.
5. Mahadevan, T. M. P. and Saroj, G.V., Contemporary Indian Philosophy, New Delhi:
Sterling Publication, 1985.
6. Muirhead, J. H. and Radhakrishnan, S. (ed.), Contemporary Indian Philosophy, London:
Alien and Unwin, 1958.
7. Radhakrishnan, S., Eastern Religions and Western Thought, Delhi: Oxford University Press,
1997.
8. Schilpp, P. A., The Philosophy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, New York: 1952.
9. Tagore, R., Personality, London: Macmillan, 1918.
10. ___, Lectures and Address, London: Macmillan, 1962.
11. ___, Sadhana, Calcutta: Macmillan, 1919.
12. Vivekananda, S., Complete Works, 8th ed. Calcutta: Haraf Prakashoni, 1955.
13. Wolpert, Stanley A., Tilak and Gokhale: Revolution and Reform in the Making of Modern
India, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1962.
14. Gg. gwZDi ingvb : evOvwji `k©b : eªvþ fveaviv (wZb LÐ), XvKv : GwkqvwUK
†mvmvBwU Ae evsjv‡`k, 2012|
15. ¯^vgx m`vZ¥vb›` I ¯^vgx cÖÁvbvb›` m¤úvw`Z) : ¯^vgx we‡eKvb›` ¯§viK MÖš’,
KwjKvZv: kªxivgK…ò †e`všÍgV, 1964|
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Paper Code: 311729 ------- Credits: 4 Class Hours: 120 hrs.

Paper Title: Contemporary Political Philosophy

This course consists of two groups A and B.

Group A
Contemporary Political Philosophy: its main features, analytical political philosophy, normative
political philosophy.
Rights: nature of rights, rights and state, human rights, right to liberty and equality.
Justice: nature of justice (political, social and economic justice), distributive justice, Marxian
concept of justice, Rawls’ theory of justice.
Democracy: democracy as an ideal, arguments for and against democracy, liberal democracy,
social democracy, socialist democracy.
Nationalism and internationalism: origin, nature and development, relation of nationalism to
internationalism, national questions and their solutions.

Group B
Liberalism: classical liberalism, Mill's liberalism, new liberalism.
Marxism: Marxist view of politics, Marxist theory of state, political philosophy of the
Communist Manifesto.
Capitalism: main features, political economy of capitalism, defects of capitalism, crisis of
capitalism, imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism.
Socialism: Utopian socialism, scientific socialism, democratic socialism, liberal socialism.
Feminism and environmentalism as political movements.

Books Recommended
1. Afanasyev, V. G., Marxist Philosophy, Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1968.
2. Attfield, R. and Wilkins, B. (ed.), International Justice and the Third World, London:
Routledge, 1992.
3. Bronner, Stephen Eric (ed.), Twentieth Century Political Theory, New York: Routledge,
1997.
4. Cohen, M., Nagel, T., and Scanlon, T. (ed.), Marx, Justice and History, Princeton: Princeton
 9

University Press, 1980.

5. Engels, Frederic, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, Trans. by Aveling, Edward, London:
George Alien & Unwin, 1920.
6. Garner, James Wilford, Political Science and Government, Calcutta: The World Press, 1951.
7. Gettell, Raymond Garfield, Political Science, Calcutta: The World Press, 1961.
8. Goodin, R. E. and Pettit, P. (ed.), A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy,
Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1993.
9. Groth, A. J., Major Ideologies : An Interpretative Survey of Democracy, Socialism, and
Nationalism, New York: John Wiley, 1971.
10. Harmon, M. Judd, Political Philosophy: From Plato to the Present, New York: McGraw
Hill, 1964.
11. Johari, J. C., Contemporary Political Theory, New Delhi: Sterling Publishers, 1987
12. Laslett, P. (ed.), Philosophy, Politics and Society, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1959.
13. Laslett, P. and Kunciman, W. G. (ed.), Philosophy. Politics and Society. Oxford: Oxford
University Press. 1962.
14. Marx, K., Tin- Manifesto of the Communist Party, in Marx-Engels, Selected works in Three
Volumes, Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1968.
15. Rashid. Haroon: Normative Marxism : Making Sense of Jon Elster’s Marx, Dhaka: Jatiya
Sahittya Prokash, 2007.
16. Rawls, J., A Theory of Justice, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971.
17. Roemer, J., (ed.), Analytical Marxism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986.
18. Skoble, Aeon J. and Machan, Tibor R. (ed.), Political Philosophy: Essential Selections,
Delhi: Pearson Education and Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 2007.
19. AvLZvi †mvenvb Lvb : gvK©mev` I b¨vqciZvi aviYv, XvKv: evsjv GKv‡Wgx, 2008|
20. Gg. gwZDi ingvb : gvK©mxq `k©b : gvbyl I mgvR (wZb LÐ), XvKv: RvZxq mvwnZ¨
cÖKvk, 2014
21. Mvwje Avnmvb Lvb : Av`k© iv‡óªi cwi‡cÖw¶‡Z I m¤¢vebvi evsjv‡`k, XvKv : RvZxq
mvwnZ¨ cÖKvk, 2012|
22. MÖvrwmqvbw¯‹, c.m., MÖvdw¯‹, f.M., †`‡qf, b.b., gvgyZ, j.m., gviwZwkb, I.f.,
†b‡mwmqvbrm, f.m. : ivR‰bwZK gZev‡`i BwZnvm, 1g I 2q LÐ, bbx †fŠwgK
Ab~w`Z, XvKv: Aemi, 2009
23. cÖvY‡Mvwe›` `vk : ivóªwPšÍvi BwZe„Ë, KjKvZv: wbD †m›Uªvj eyK, 2000|
24. nviæb ikx` : gvK©mxq `k©b, XvKv : RvZxq mvwnZ¨ cÖKvk, 2007|

Paper Code: 311730 ------- Credits: 2

Paper Title: Term Paper
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Paper Code: 311732 ------- Credits: 2

Paper Title: Viva-Voce