Philosophy Optional · Paper I · Western Philosophy

Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein Notes · PYQs

Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein, Unit 06 of Paper I, Section A: the official syllabus, 8 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 44 questions from 1993 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.

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44

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26

Asked since 2013

1993–2026

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Official UPSC syllabus

Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein: 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.

Defence of Commonsense; Refutation of Idealism; Logical Atomism; Logical Constructions; Incomplete Symbols; Picture Theory of Meaning; Saying and Showing.

Paper I · Section A · Unit 06

Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein notes

Topic-wise notes for this unit in syllabus order, written for UPSC Mains in plain language, with diagrams and the previous year questions on each topic.

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Previous year questions: Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein

All 44 questions UPSC has set from this unit between 1993 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-topic	Questions	Since 2013	Last asked
Moore · Common Sense	10	6	2026
Moore · Refutation of Idealism	7	3	2025
Russell · Descriptions	7	4	2025
Russell · Logical Atomism	6	3	2022
Wittgenstein · Saying/Showing	4	3	2026
Russell · Incomplete Symbols	3	2	2024
Wittgenstein · Picture Theory	2	2	2022
Russell · Logical Construction	2	1	2016
Moore and Russell on Idealism	1	1	2018
Russell vs Wittgenstein	1	1	2014
Moore · Analysis	1	0	1993

Moore · Common Sense

10 questions · 6 since 2013 · last asked 2026

Asked since 2013 · 6

2026“I can prove now, for instance, that two human hands exist.” How does Moore use this illustration to prove the existence of an external world? Critically discuss. (10 marks)
2024What arguments are offered by Moore to prove that there are certain truisms, knowledge of which is a matter of common sense? Critically discuss. (10 marks)
2021What are the main arguments put forward by Moore in his paper “A Defence of Common Sense” to prove that there are possible propositions about the world that are known to be true with certainty? Do you think Moore’s arguments provide a sufficient response to objections presented by the sceptic against the possibility of knowledge? Give reasons in support of your answer. (20 marks)
2019Why is Moore’s philosophy called common-sense realism? (15 marks)
2014Are G. E. Moore’s arguments in defence of common sense satisfactory ? Give reasons. (15 marks)
2013Comment: ‘Moore’s defence of common sense essentially is defence of ordinary language. (12.5 marks)

Show 4 earlier questions (before 2013)

1994–2010 · 4 questions

2010What does Moore want to establish when he asserts that propositions like “Earth exists or we have consciousness” are truism? Discuss (20 marks)
2002Moore’s Defense of Common-Sense (20 marks)
1999Clarify Moore’s conception of common sense and examine his arguments in its defense (60 marks)
1994Philosophy of Common-Sense (20 marks)

Moore · Refutation of Idealism

7 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2025

Asked since 2013 · 3

2025“Blue is one object of sensation and green is another, and consciousness, which both sensations have in common, is different from either.” Present an account of Moore’s refutation of idealism with reference to this statement. (15 marks)
2020Critically discuss the following statement by Moore: “If anyone tells us that to say ‘Blue exists’ is the same thing as to say that ‘Both blue and consciousness exists makes a mistake and a self-contradictory mistake. ” (15 marks)
2015G.E. Moore’s refutation of idealism. (10 marks)

Show 4 earlier questions (before 2013)

1998–2011 · 4 questions

2011Are the arguments given by G.E. Moore against Idealism adequate? Give reasons for your answer (30 marks)
2004Critically discuss Moore’s Refutation of Idealism (60 marks)
2000Give a critical account of Moore’s refutation of idealism. (20 marks)
1998How does Moore refute idealism? Critically evaluate (60 marks)

Russell · Descriptions

7 questions · 4 since 2013 · last asked 2025

Asked since 2013 · 4

2025“The golden mountain is very high.” Discuss this statement in the context of Russell’s theory of descriptions. (10 marks)
2023Why according to Russell is the proposition & “The present king of France is bald” problematic? Critically discuss. (15 marks)
2018How is Russell’s theory of definite description related to his Logical Atomisin? Discuss and give reasons for your answer. (15 marks)
2017How is the statement, ‘I met a man’, semantically problematic for Russell? How does he account for the meaningfulness of this statement? (10 marks)

Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)

1997–2012 · 3 questions

2012Explain the theory of definite descriptions according to Russell (15 marks)
2007State and discuss Russell’s analysis of Definite Descriptions (60 marks)
1997Elucidate Bertrand Russell’s theory of descriptions, and examine it with special reference to its criticism by P.F. Strawson (60 marks)

Russell · Logical Atomism

6 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2022

Asked since 2013 · 3

2022What is Bertrand Russell’s method of logical anaysis? How does it ultimately end in establishing atomic theory of meaning? Discuss. (10 marks)
2020“The reason that I call my doctrine logical atomism is because the atoms that I wish to arrive at as the sort of last residue in analysis are logical atoms and not physical atoms” Write a note on the nature of atomic facts according to Russell in the light of the above statement. (15 marks)
2013Distinguish between atomic and general propositions. Show how they are justified true. (12.5 marks)

Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)

1998–2003 · 3 questions

2003What is Russel’s Logical atomism? Bring out in this connection the conception or metaphysics involved in it. (60 marks)
1999Russell’s concept of negative facts (60 marks)
1998Logical atomism (20 marks)

Wittgenstein · Saying/Showing

4 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2026

Asked since 2013 · 3

2026“Wittgenstein’s difficulty about not being able to say anything within a given language about the structure of that language can be met by the idea of a hierarchy of languages.” Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons and justifications for your answer. (20 marks)
2021What does Wittgenstein mean by the statement – “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent?” Critically discuss. (15 marks)
2018How does Wittgenstein apply the distinction between ‘saying’ and ‘showing’ to point to a single way of apprehending the most decisive problems of philosophy? Is he justified? Give reasons for your answer. (15 marks)

Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)

2004 · 1 question

2004Distinction between ‘saying’ and ‘showing’ (20 marks)

Russell · Incomplete Symbols

3 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2024

Asked since 2013 · 2

2024Explain Russell’s notion of incomplete symbols. Also explain how this notion leads to the doctrine of logical atomism. (20 marks)
2015What do we understand by incomplete symbols? What role do they play in Russell’s theory of meaning ? Discuss. (15 marks)

Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)

2011 · 1 question

2011What is Russell’s idea of ‘Incomplete symbols’ in his theory of description? Discuss (15 marks)

Wittgenstein · Picture Theory

2 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2022

Asked since 2013 · 2

2022Is there any difference between pictorial form and logical form in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s picture theory of langauge? How does the logical form define the realtion between language and reality? Explain. (15 marks)
2017What is Wittgenstein’s picture theory of meaning? What are his reasons for giving up this theory and suggesting the use theory of meaning? (15 marks)

Russell · Logical Construction

2 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2016

Asked since 2013 · 1

2016Explain Russell’s view that “the physical object is a logical construction from sense- data”. Why does he call his metaphysical view ‘neutral monism’? (15 marks)

Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)

2008 · 1 question

2008Explain the theory of logical construction. Does it provide a satisfactory account of knowledge? (60 marks)

Moore and Russell on Idealism

1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2018

Asked since 2013 · 1

2018How does Berkeley establish that Mind and its ideas alone are real? How do Moore and Russell react to Berkeley’s view in this regard? Do you find any difference between Moore’s reaction and Russell’s one? Discuss. (20 marks)

Russell vs Wittgenstein

1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2014

Asked since 2013 · 1

2014Why does Wittgenstein disagree with Bertrand Russell’s interpretation of atomism in the philosophy of Tractatus? Discuss. (15 marks)

Moore · Analysis

1 question · 0 since 2013 · last asked 1993

1993 · 1 question

1993G.E. Moore’s way of analysis (20 marks)

Year-wise question papers

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