Philosophy, Psychology and Human Behaviour Short Notes for CAT: Concepts, Formulas, Worked Examples & Practice

Philosophy, Psychology and Human Behaviour short notes for CAT: 6 study cards covering concepts, formulas, shortcuts and exam traps, plus solved practice questions.

Key Markers in Epistemology Passages

Key Passage Markers

Epistemological Terms: Justification, certainty, skepticism, foundationalism, the "scandal."

Institutional Definition: Entities that "organize action" and "link acting individuals."

Attribution Cues: "It has been said," "My view is," "Philosopher X writes." Use these to separate voices.

Core Tension: The gap between the desire for certain knowledge and the apparent inability to secure it.

Final Exam Strategy

Four-Point Exam Strategy

1. Identify the Domain

Is this about the nature of knowledge (epistemology) or the structure of disciplines (social institutions)?

2. Separate Voices

Distinguish the author's position from the skeptical or institutionalist views they are describing.

3. Redefine "Institution"

Always interpret "institution" as a pattern of organized social action, never as a physical building.

4. Eliminate Absolutes

Reject choices claiming the author believes knowledge is "impossible" unless explicitly stated as their own thesis.

Rapid Revision: Mind, Unconscious, and Rationality

Unconscious: Emerged as a formal concept between 1700–1900; transformed from fleeting ideas to a fixed psychological framework via the evolution of language.

Rationality: A fragile, achievable ideal requiring deliberate effort; it is a tool, not a default human state.

Author Tone: Often "measured optimism" or "pragmatic" regarding the potential for human rationality.

Key Trap: Do not confuse the psychological or philosophical unconscious with the medical state of unconsciousness (for example, fainting).

Passage Structure: Frequently uses historical contrast (past versus present understanding) to frame the central argument.

Rapid Revision: Truth, Power, and Technology

Truth and Power: The idea that truth automatically confers power is a myth. Power often relies on controlling shared fictions, not just objective reality.

Critical Theory of Technology: Technology is not neutral; it has a normative dimension and can centralize institutional power, creating authoritarian social orders beneath the surface of formal human rights advances.

Key Trap: Do not assume technology is a neutral tool, and do not assume passages will conclude that truth inevitably triumphs over organized fiction.

Passage Clue: Look for contrasts between "formal claims" (surface progress) and "background centralization" (hidden reality).

Philosophy, Psychology and Human Behaviour: Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Explanations (2 Problems)

Question 1 · Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension MCQ

In the context of the philosophy of knowledge, the phrase "the scandal of philosophy" specifically refers to which of the following?

A.
The historical failure of philosophers to agree on ethical standards.
B.
The apparent inability of philosophy to demonstrate how we can be certain of knowledge.
C.
The exclusion of non-Western epistemologies from academic discourse.
D.
The tendency of philosophers to use obscure language that confuses laypeople.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a direct definition recall question. The term "scandal of philosophy" is a specific technical phrase in epistemology, not a general critique of the field's ethics or style.

Step 1: Recall the definition from the smart notes card on the Scandal of Philosophy. The scandal is defined as philosophy's struggle to prove how, when, and why we can be sure that we know something.

Step 2: Evaluate Option A. Ethical disagreement is a different philosophical problem, not the epistemological scandal.

Step 3: Evaluate Option B. This matches the standard definition: the inability to ground claims to knowledge against skepticism.

Step 4: Evaluate Options C and D. These are sociological or stylistic critiques, not the core epistemological problem referred to by this specific phrase.

Answer: Option B

Question 2 · Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension MCQ

According to the notes, what are the two distinct levels on which power operates in human society?

A.
Physical strength and intellectual superiority.
B.
Controlling objective reality and controlling shared fictions.
C.
Political authority and economic wealth.
D.
Scientific discovery and artistic expression.

Correct Answer:

Step-by-Step Solution

Key idea: This is a direct recall question from the "Myth of Truth and Power" card.

Step 1: Locate the definition of power in the notes.

Step 2: The notes explicitly state: "Power in human society often operates on two levels: the ability to control objective reality... and the ability to control the shared fictions or narratives..."

Step 3: Match this exactly to Option B.

Answer: Option B

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Philosophy, Psychology and Human Behaviour Short Notes for CAT: Concepts, Formulas, Worked Examples & Practice

Philosophy, Psychology and Human Behaviour short notes for CAT: 6 study cards covering concepts, formulas, shortcuts and exam traps, plus solved practice ques

A question from this chapter

Question 1

In the context of the philosophy of knowledge, the phrase "the scandal of philosophy" specifically refers to which of the following?

Question 2

According to the notes, what are the two distinct levels on which power operates in human society?

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