Class 11 Philosophy

Distinguishing philosophy from science and religion while examining its core branches and unique inquiry methods.

An overview of metaphysics (reality) and epistemology (knowledge) as foundational areas, exploring their core questions.

An overview of ethics (morality) and logic (reasoning) as foundational areas, exploring their core questions and practical applications.

Introduction to critical thinking, focusing on the skill of identifying hidden assumptions within arguments and beliefs.

Exploring common cognitive biases (e.g., confirmation bias, availability heuristic) and strategies to mitigate their influence on philosophical inquiry.

Understanding the basic structure of arguments: premises, conclusions, and the role of indicator words.

Distinguishing between valid and sound arguments, and practicing their evaluation.

Discussing the practical relevance of philosophical inquiry in developing personal reasoning skills and a systematic worldview.

Discussing the practical relevance of philosophical inquiry in shaping societal values, ethics, and progress.

Examining perception as a primary means of acquiring knowledge, its limitations, and the distinction between sensation and interpretation.

Exploring inference and logical reasoning as methods of knowledge acquisition, including deductive and inductive processes.

Investigating testimony and appeals to authority as sources of knowledge, and the criteria for their reliability.

Investigating the rationalist claim that some knowledge is innate or derived purely from reason (a priori), independent of experience.

Exploring the empiricist view that all knowledge originates from sensory experience (a posteriori) and the role of observation.

Analysis of the correspondence theory of truth, where truth aligns with facts and reality.

Analysis of the coherence theory of truth, where truth is determined by consistency within a system of beliefs.

Analysis of the pragmatic theory of truth, where truth is determined by a belief's usefulness or practical consequences.

Investigating the limits of human understanding and the challenge of radical skepticism, including Descartes' evil demon argument.

Introduction to fundamental questions about existence, being, and the nature of the universe, focusing on the distinction between how things seem and how they are.

Overview of major ethical frameworks: virtue ethics, deontology, and consequentialism, and their fundamental approaches to morality.

Focusing on Aristotelian ethics and the development of moral excellence through character, aiming for human flourishing (eudaimonia).

Exploring Immanuel Kant's emphasis on moral duty and universalizable rules, particularly the Categorical Imperative.

Comparing Utilitarianism and consequentialist frameworks, focusing on maximizing happiness and the 'greatest good for the greatest number'.

Debating whether moral truths are relative to culture or individual perspective, and the implications of such views.

Exploring arguments for the existence of universal moral principles and their potential philosophical foundations.

Applying ethical theories to contemporary issues like ecology, sustainability, and the moral status of animals.

Applying ethical theories to contemporary issues like social justice, economic inequality, and distributive justice.

Overview of the common themes and distinctions between orthodox (Astika) and heterodox (Nastika) schools, and the concept of Dharma.

Exploring the Vedantic inquiry into the relationship between the individual self (Atman) and ultimate reality (Brahman), and the concept of Maya.

Introduction to the dualistic metaphysics of Samkhya, distinguishing between consciousness (Purusha) and matter (Prakriti).

Exploring the practical path of Yoga as a means to achieve liberation, focusing on Patanjali's eight limbs.

Introduction to Indian logic, focusing on the theory of knowledge (Pramanas) and valid inference (Anumana) in Nyaya school.

Introduction to the atomistic theory and the categorization of the physical world (Padarthas) in Vaisheshika philosophy.

Examining the core tenets of Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths, the concept of Anatta (non-self), and the path to liberation.

Exploring the Buddhist principle of Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpāda) and the role of Karma in the cycle of existence.

Exploring the Jaina concepts of Anekantavada (many-sidedness of reality) and Syadvada (relativity of truth).

Examining the central role of Ahimsa (non-violence) and other ethical principles in Jaina philosophy and practice.

Introduction to the heterodox Charvaka school, its materialism, empiricism, and rejection of inference and supernatural entities.

Exploring the hedonistic ethical framework proposed by Charvaka philosophers and its implications for living a good life.

Understanding the components of an argument: premises, conclusions, and indicator words that signal their presence.

Differentiating between deductive arguments that provide certainty and exploring their structure and validity.

Exploring inductive arguments that provide probability, including generalizations, analogies, and causal reasoning.

Identifying common errors in everyday reasoning where premises are logically irrelevant to the conclusion (e.g., Ad Hominem, Appeal to Pity).

Identifying fallacies where premises are relevant but too weak to support the conclusion (e.g., Hasty Generalization, Appeal to Authority).

Identifying fallacies arising from unclear language (e.g., Equivocation) or unwarranted assumptions (e.g., Begging the Question).

Introduction to truth tables and the formal representation of propositions using logical connectives (AND, OR, NOT).

Exploring conditional statements (IF...THEN), biconditionals, and using truth tables to test the validity of arguments.

Examining classical arguments for the existence of a divine being, such as the Cosmological (first cause) and Teleological (design) arguments.

Examining the Ontological Argument (from definition) and the Moral Argument (from objective morality) for God's existence.

Examining arguments against the existence of a divine being, focusing on the logical and evidential problem of evil.

Examining arguments against God's existence based on scientific advancements, logical inconsistencies, and the problem of divine hiddenness.

Exploring the relationship between religious faith and philosophical reason, debating whether they are inherently in conflict or can be complementary.

Analyzing the concepts of secularism, religious pluralism, and their implications for society and governance.

Exploring theories of the social contract (e.g., Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau) and the origin of political authority and legitimate government.

Exploring theories of justice (e.g., Rawls's 'justice as fairness') and the philosophical basis of distributive and retributive justice.

Exploring the philosophical origins of human rights, distinguishing between natural and legal rights, and positive and negative rights.

Investigating the tension between individual freedom and state authority, focusing on John Stuart Mill's 'Harm Principle'.

Philosophical examination of democratic ideals, forms (direct vs. representative), and contemporary challenges.

Exploring René Descartes' substance dualism and the idea of mind and body as distinct, interacting substances.

Investigating materialist theories of mind, such as identity theory (mind is brain) and functionalism (mind is function).

Examining the nature of consciousness, including the 'hard problem' of explaining subjective experience (qualia) from physical processes.

Examining the philosophical debate over free will versus determinism, and the implications for moral responsibility.

Investigating objective versus subjective theories of beauty and aesthetic experience, and the role of cultural context.

Exploring various definitions of art, the purpose of art in human society, and the relationship between art and reality.

Distinguishing between things valued for their own sake (intrinsic) and things valued for their utility (instrumental).

Exploring different categories of value: moral (goodness), aesthetic (beauty), and epistemic (truth), and their interrelations.