Originally Posted by Daisy

I had also same questions and so invested much time and searched alot on this subject so want to share my experience, may be it would help someone...

Philosophy is a high scoring subject with comparatively short syllabus but one must opt it after thorough analysis of its syllabus. Opting a subject merely with a label of "High Scoring" is not a wise decision. One has to keep in mind one's aptitude and interest.

As far as books or helping material is concerned, Whole syllabus of paper one can be prepared from a single book of Copi or Hurley.
Paper 1 is comparatively easy. You need to study four to five topics in total to fetch 75+ marks. Formal and Informal arguments, Validity and Truth, Deduction and Induction, Languages, Fallacies, Symbolic Logic and Ibn Taimya's criticism are the most important topics and these questions keep on repeating in exams.

Paper two is somehow technical (intresting too) and demand some efforts, patience and calliber as well. You need to prepare a list of topics to prepare and get it photocopied from Encyclopedia of Philosophy or take help of some senior or philosophy teacher (or from Philosophy department of your uni etc). Most imp topics of Paper two are Idealism, Pragmatism, Logical Positivism, Existentialism and Dialectical Materialism, Mutazilism and Asharism. You need to prepare life and study of some philosophers also like Al Ghazali, Al Farabi, Ibn Rushd, Ibn Sina, Ibn Khuldun, Iqbal etc.
Aspirants who opt Islamic History as their optional will have an edge because they prepare some parts of these philosphers in paper 2 of IHC also.

In my humble opinion, aspirants who want to opt Philosophy should not purchase books or collect material without acknowledging What Really The Philosophy Is?? First of all download the book of Copi or Hurley and study its contents briefly. If you find it intresting and you think you can handle it then go ahead and download and study the teachings and philosophies of Al Farabi/ Ibn Sina and some western philosophers etc. Then you will be in a better position to decide whether you should opt it or not. Once satisfied, buy the book of paper 1 and collect relevant material of paper 2 and start your preparation with confidence.