How To Prepare Philosophy Optional For WBCS Main Exam  – Philosophy Book List

Philosophy is one of the optional subjects offered by the WBCS in mains exam. It is increasingly becoming popular among WBCS aspirants for a variety of reasons. Philosophy features as many toppers’ optional subject regularly. It can be opted by candidates from virtually any academic background.Continue Reading How To Prepare Philosophy Optional For WBCS Main Exam  – Philosophy Book List.

Why One Should Choose Philosophy Optional

• Short syllabus than that of other subjects
• The entire syllabus can be completed in just two and half months.
• Availability of good coaching centres and study materials
• It involves topics which can be answered in the exam even with general knowledge/awareness.

Suggested strategy for philosophy optional

• Get conceptual clarity on the ideals and prepare yourselves for a lot of writing practice.
• Improve your reading habits if you are not in the habit already.
• As in all the optionals, there are two papers here also.

Paper I:

There are two sections here: Indian and Western philosophy.

Indian philosophy has different schools of thought/philosophy such as Samkhya, Yoga, Nyasaa, Vedanta, etc. You will also have to study about Indian thinkers like Buddha, Shankaracharya, Ramanuja, Mahavira Jaina, etc.

Western philosophy has three classifications:

1. Ancient thinkers: Aristotle, Plato
2. Modern thinkers: Kant, Hegel, Descartes, Spinoza, etc. Concepts like rationalism, empiricism, etc.
3. Contemporary thinkers: Moore, Strawson, Wittgenstein, etc. Concepts like logical atomism, logical positivism, existentialism, etc.

Questions in this paper are direct and often predictable.

Paper II:

Paper II is more general. Here, you should try to find out the philosophy behind issues. For instance, you should know the difference between political science, sociology and socio-politico philosophy.

Two sections of paper II: ‘socio-politico philosophy’ and ‘philosophy of religion’

How to Prepare WBCS Mains Philosophy Paper

Step 1 : Know the Syllabus – Philosophy Paper

Step 2 : Select the Best Reference Books for Philosophy Paper

Philosophy is getting very popular as an optional subject these days. Only four to five standard books are more than enough to prepare Philosophy optional in depth. If you have even a moderate interest in philosophy, try to go through some books of university level. If you can develop logic, see your understanding going in any direction and it does not bore you, it’s for you. Once you begin understanding philosophy, you have the chances that you can exploit it at any level.

Step 3 : Prepare Important Topics

(1) Surveying the syllabus of Philosophy carefully and identifying the completely unfamiliar areas.

(2)  Doing a careful survey of the past 5 years’ Main Examination Question Papers and identifying the areas of significance.

(3)  Identifying the most fruitful areas.

Answer writing

1. For Long answers-Introduction can be either indirect through some lines or quotes or direct with general explanation followed by exact definition.
2. Thereafter topic need to be explained in short followed by establishing links with other chapters and focusing on the question again. Here give a pause,read the question again & think again. Diagrams can be used effectively.
3. Ending of the answers should always be visionary/positive and solution based with example if needed or with some lines.
4.  Examples should be quoted wherever possible but refrain from using one enterprise again & again.
5. For short answers, write the basic definition and then directly hit the core.
6. Ending should be solution based. For merit/demerit/feature use diagram or points.

Step 4 : Prepare Previous Question papers

Philosophy optional books for WBCS exam-

Indian Philosophy

• An Introduction to Indian Philosophy- S Chatterjee
• A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy- C Sharma

Western Philosophy

• A History of Philosophy-Frank Thilly
• A Critical History of Western Philosophy- Y Masih
• Contemporary Western Philosophy- Dr. B.K. Lal

Social-Political Philosophy

• An Introduction to Political Theory by O P Gauba

Philosophy of Religion

• Introduction to Religious Philosophy By Y Masih
• Philosophy of Religion by John H. Hick

W.B.C.S. Main Examination 2019 Optional Philosophy Question Paper I And II Download.

W.B.C.S. Main Examination Philosophy Optional Syllabus

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