Philosophy Optional · Paper I · Western Philosophy

Immanuel Kant Notes · PYQs

Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Immanuel Kant, Unit 04 of Paper I, Section A: the official syllabus, 7 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 43 questions from 1990 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.

7

Free notes

43

Questions listed

21

Asked since 2013

1990–2026

Years covered

On this page

Syllabus Free notes Previous year questions All Philosophy units

Official UPSC syllabus

Immanuel Kant: syllabus

The syllabus text for this unit in Paper I, Section A (Western Philosophy) of Philosophy Optional. Every note and question on this page maps to it.

Possibility of Synthetic a priori Judgments; Space and Time; Categories; Ideas of Reason; Antinomies; Critique of Proofs for the Existence of God.

Free practice

Previous year questions: Immanuel Kant

All 43 questions UPSC has set from this unit between 1990 and 2026, grouped by sub-topic with the most-asked first, newest first within each. Questions from 2013 onwards are shown; earlier ones open on a tap.

How often UPSC asks each sub-topic

Sub-topicQuestionsSince 2013Last asked
Synthetic a priori832023
Kant and Hume632026
Space and Time632022
Proofs of God522024
Critical Philosophy512023
Categories432018
Antinomies332022
Transcendental Self222020
Phenomena and Noumena202004
Kant and Hegel112026
Ideas of Reason101999

Synthetic a priori

8 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2023

Asked since 2013 · 3

  • 2023What are the main arguments offered by Kant to prove that apriori synthetic are judgments possible? Discuss with examples. (10 marks)
  • 2017How is ‘all bodies are extended’ an analytic judgement but ‘all bodies are heavy a synthetic judgement? Is ‘every event has a cause an analytic or a synthetic judgement? Explain. (20 marks)
  • 2014How are the synthetic a priori judgements justifiable according to Kant? Explain. (10 marks)
Show 5 earlier questions (before 2013)

1994–2007 · 5 questions

  • 2007Nature of synthetic a-priory judgment according to Kant (20 marks)
  • 2003How is synthetic a-priori judgment possible? (20 marks)
  • 1999According to Kant, how are synthetic a priori judgements in the sciences possible.’ Explain (60 marks)
  • 1997Are synthetic a priori judgements possible? Evaluate Kant’s answer and show its importance in his philosophy (60 marks)
  • 1994Can synthetic truths be known a priori? If so, must such Knowledge be Knowledge of universal and necessary truths? In this context critically consider Kant’s view (60 marks)

Kant and Hume

6 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2026

Asked since 2013 · 3

  • 2026How does Hume account for ideas of reason? How does Kant respond to Hume’s views in this regard? Critically discuss. (15 marks)
  • 2024How does Kant respond to Hume’s scepticism with regard to a priori judgments? Discuss. (10 marks)
  • 2013State Kant’s view of causality. How far is Kant able to answer Hume’s objection that causal relation lacks logical necessity? (12.5 marks)
Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)

2005–2011 · 3 questions

  • 2011Hume aroused me from my dogmatic slumber”. In what context Kant has made this statement? Explain (20 marks)
  • 2008Hume and Kant on Metaphysics (20 marks)
  • 2005How does Kant respond to Hume’s scepticism? (60 marks)

Space and Time

6 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2022

Asked since 2013 · 3

  • 2022What is apperception, according to Immanuel Kant? Discuss with reference to his transcendental exposition of space and time. (10 marks)
  • 2019How does Kant argue for the transcendence of Space and Time? Discuss. (20 marks)
  • 2017Elaborate Kant’s theory of space and time. How does this theory enable him to explain how mathematical propositions can be both synthetic and a priori? (20 marks)
Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)

1990–2010 · 3 questions

  • 2010What is the basic difference between Leibniz and Kant on the concept of space and time? (30 marks)
  • 1996What do you understand by Kant’s claim that space and time are forms of pure intuition? Explain the arguments he gives in support of his position in this regard (60 marks)
  • 1990Give a critical account of Kant’s theory about space and time (60 marks)

Proofs of God

5 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2024

Asked since 2013 · 2

  • 2024Critically examine Kant’s objections against the ontological argument for the existence of God. (15 marks)
  • 2021Explain how Cartesian formulation of ontological argument is criticized by Kant. (15 marks)
Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)

2000–2010 · 3 questions

  • 2010Why does Kant say that existence is not a predicate? (15 marks)
  • 2006Explain Kant’s criticism of the proofs for the existence of God (20 marks)
  • 2000State and examine Kant’s criticism of the proofs for the existence of God. (60 marks)

Critical Philosophy

5 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2023

Asked since 2013 · 1

  • 2023“Percepts without concepts are blind and concepts without percepts are empty.” In the light of this statement discusses how Kant reconciles rationalism with empiricism. (10 marks)
Show 4 earlier questions (before 2013)

1993–2012 · 4 questions

  • 2012Why Kant’s philosophy known as Copernicus revolution in metaphysics? What was revolutionary about Kantian philosophy? Give reasons for it (15 marks)
  • 2002Kant’s “Critical Philosophy” is a reconciliation between Rationalism and Empiricism. Elucidate the remark fully and bring out the consequence of such reconciliation for the possibility of traditional metaphysics (60 marks)
  • 1997How Kant reconciles rationalism with empiricism by superseding them? (60 marks)
  • 1993Knowledge begins with, but does not originate from experience.” Discuss this statement of Kant with special reference to his theory of Knowledge (60 marks)

Categories

4 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2018

Asked since 2013 · 3

  • 2018Explain the significance of the Kantian dictum, ‘Understanding makes Nature’. How far do you agree that Hegel’s Absolutism is the culmination of the Kantian Dualism? Discuss. Give reasons in favour of your answer. (15 marks)
  • 2016What, according to Kant, are ‘pure concepts’? Examine their role in the process of knowing. (15 marks)
  • 2015Explain Kant’s division of categories. (20 marks)
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)

1995 · 1 question

  • 1995Doctrine of transcendental deduction (20 marks)

Antinomies

3 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2022

Asked since 2013 · 3

  • 2022How does Kant construct and antinomies to illustrate the illusory tendencies of pure reason? Explain and examine the antinomies presented by Kant. (20 marks)
  • 2020When does Pure Reason enter into the realm of Antinomies according to Kant? Is Kant’s notion of Antinomies of Pure reason a natural culmination of his distinction between Phenomena and Noumena: provide reasons in favour of your answer. (15 marks)
  • 2013What is an antinomy? Describe the major antinomies discussed by Kant. (10 marks)

Transcendental Self

2 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2020

Asked since 2013 · 2

  • 2020“I never can catch myself at any time without perception, and never can observe anything but the perception.” How does this statement by Hume problematize the philosophical notion of personal identity? How does Kant deal with this problem in his Critique of Pure Reason? (20 marks)
  • 2016Examine Kant’s criticism on Descartes’ view of Self. (10 marks)

Phenomena and Noumena

2 questions · 0 since 2013 · last asked 2004

1992–2004 · 2 questions

  • 2004The significance of Kant’s distinction between phenomena and noumena (20 marks)
  • 1992Discuss Kant’s theory of reality. How does he attempt to reconcile the claims of science, philosophy and religion? Ascertain if he succeeds in his task (60 marks)

Kant and Hegel

1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2026

Asked since 2013 · 1

  • 2026Analyze and discuss the different ways in which Kant and Hegel conceived the relationship between reality and our thinking about reality. (15 marks)

Ideas of Reason

1 question · 0 since 2013 · last asked 1999

1999 · 1 question

  • 1999Kant’s idea of Reason (20 marks)

Year-wise question papers

All question papers Topic-wise PYQ bank (both papers) 2026 paper 2025 paper 2024 paper 2023 paper

Next · Paper I · Unit 05

Hegel

Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism.

Notes · PYQs

Philosophy Optional

All 40 units and resources

Paper I and Paper II units, notes index, topic-wise PYQ bank, strategy, booklist and success rate.

Notes index · PYQ bank · Strategy · Booklist