Review for the exam on Th 9 March

You will be asked to write a philosophic essay on one the following topics.

1. Is the teaching of the Upanishads about "atman" (self) compatible with the Yogasutra teaching about "purusa" (self) and consciousness?  Does yogic experience have sufficient uniformity (intersubjectivity) to carry epistemic weight?  For what topics (perhaps only subjective reports of health and the like? perhaps the existence of God? or nirvana? or the Upanishadic self, etc.? karma? rebirth? siddhis?) and why?

2. What is the metaphysical picture portrayed in the Gita?  Do the practices of yoga advocated (to be considered separately or in combination: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and bhakti-yoga--you may include buddhi-yoga possibly too) accord with this view?

3. Is there an ethical side to yoga?  Is there ethical constraint in the teaching of ahimsa or other points of yogic “social codes?"  Is there ethical motivation in the teaching of karma, and is that teaching relevant to yoga practice?  What about the idea of karmic justice, karmic payback?  Is this a superstition?