Graduate Program

Course Credit: 4

This is an advanced level course which deals with the nature of language and its role in philosophy, science and ordinary discourses. In this course students will study the theories of meaning (semantics and pragmatics), the relationship between the structure of language and the structure of the world. The focus will be on the salient features of artificial language philosophy (with emphasis on Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein’s Tractatus, and Carnap) as well as of ordinary language philosophy (with emphasis on Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations and Austin’s speech-act theory). The course has two parts with two required texts. First part deals mainly with the theories of the nature, criterion and dimensions of meaning. And the required text is William P. Alston’s Philosophy of Language. Second part will deal with Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language exclusively focusing on his Philosophical Investigations.

Course Credit: 4

This is an advanced level text-based course focusing on the philosophies of Bertrand Russell and G.E. Moore. Two texts, with selected chapters, will be studied. The first one is the Outline of Philosophy (1927) by Bertrand Russell; the second one is Some Main Problems of Philosophy (1953) by G.E. Moore. Russell’s later views on epistemology, philosophy of mind and ontology will mainly be dealt with. Moore’s common-sense philosophy, his theories on the nature of sense-data and propositions, his criticisms of Berkeley’s epistemological position and Hume’s scepticism, different ways of knowing along with his realist interpretation of the nature of material things will mainly be focused on in this course.

Course Credit: 4

Metaphysics is the study of the most basic and general features of reality. This course is designed as an advanced introduction to some major topics in metaphysics. Some of the topics that will be discussed in this course include: Nature of metaphysics, metaphysical systems and metaphysical arguments, Relation of metaphysics to science, history and ethics, Is metaphysics worth pursuing? What sorts of things really exist? What is time? Do we have free will? Do universals exist? What is causation? What is personal identity?

Course Credit: 4

This course is a thorough introduction to the philosophical thought of Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida, arguably the most distinctive philosophical voices in the second half of the twentieth century, who are labelled as important post-modern philosophers. Students will become familiar with the radical views of Foucault and Derrida and the challenge they present to ideals, explanatory views and ways of thinking about the self, society, history and the arts, which we have inherited from the Enlightenment. Within philosophy, the challenge is absorbed as a debate with current unquestioned (modern) views on metaphysics, epistemology, language, interpretation and aesthetics.

Course Credit: 4

This course consists of selected essays on philosophical logic which are given below: G.W.F. Hegel – “Logic as Metaphysics” J. Dewey – “The Application of Intelligence” B. Russell – “The Principle of Induction” _____, “Aristotle’s Logic” _____, “Logic as the Essence of Philosophy” A. Schaff – “Marxist Dialectics and the principle of Contradiction” A. Pap – “The Laws of Logic are Conventions” D. Hume – “The Problem of Induction” J.S. Mill – “The Science of Evidence” G. Frege – “The Thought: A Logical Inquiry” M. Dummett – “Truth” J.R. Searle – “Proper Names”

Course Credit: 4

Contemporary Political Philosophy

Course Credit: 4

Problems of the definition of law

Course Credit: 4

Philosophical issues in economics are divided into three broad categories, viz., (a) Foundational issues especially concerning the rationality of economic agents, (b) Methodological issues, and (c) Ethical issues. Emphasis will be given on questions concerning wellbeing and justice.

Course Credit: 4

Feminist Philosophy

Course Credit: 4

Students will be required to study the prescribed texts of al-Ghazali and Ibn Rushd which have been considered to be classical works in Muslim Philosophy for the last several centuries.

Course Credit: 4

The students are expected to be familiar with the main trends of Muslim thought in the Muslim countries as well as in other parts of the world since the later part of nineteenth century. Special emphasis will be given on the study of the following thinkers: Jamaluddin Afghani, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Allama Iqbal, Allama Azad Subhani, Rashid Rigas, Amin Ahmad Islahi, Ali Shariati, Sayyid Qutub, Allamah Muhibullah Bihari, Sulayman Nadwi, Sayyid Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Ustaz Asha'ri of Kualalumpur, Seyyed Husain Nasr.

Course Credit: 4

Students will be required to acquire in-depth knowledge of the following topics: Nature, scope and aims of Sufism; origin of Sufism; relation of Sufism to the Islamic Shariah; historical development of Sufism from the beginning to the present day with special reference to different sufi orders. Doctrines and the practices of the great Sufis: medieval, modern and contemporary. Sufism and morality; Sufism and global peace.

Course Credit: 4

Marxist Philosophy

Course Credit: 4

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

Course Credit: 4

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 for giving the students a comprehensive idea of the nature, origin and development of phenomenology. The study will particularly focus on how some existentialists (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.

Course Credit: 4

Philosophy of the Bangalee (Contemporary)

Course Credit: 4

The goal of this course is to engage participants with the nature of philosophy of technology and technological impacts on human life, society and environment.

Course Credit: 4

Meta-ethics

Course Credit: 4

Business Ethics

Course Credit: 4

This course seeks to provide the students with a comprehensive knowledge of the most pressing practical ethical questions which comprise abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, genetic testing, climate change, cloning, civil disobedience, terrorism and the like. It is a text-based course focusing on the practical and living moral issues. The required text is Peter Singer’s Practical Ethics.

Course Credit: 4

Medical Ethics

Course Credit: 4

Administrative Ethics

Course Credit: 4

The course aims at giving the students deep knowledge of Buddhist philosophy

Course Credit: 4

Vedanta Philosophy

Course Credit: 4

This course is intended to give students a general knowledge of the contemporary philosophical development in India. The topics will include: the nature of reality, the concept of the self, theory of knowledge, the concept of liberation, philosophy of religion, social philosophy, political philosophy, philosophy of education, moral philosophy and philosophy of life.