Philosophical Papers Journal of Department of Philosophy

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This journal is a yearly philosophical journal published by the Dept. of Philosophy, University of North Bengal. Philosophical Papers: Journal of the Department of Philosophy, welcomes contributions from all fields of philosophy. The editorial policy of the journal is to promote the study of philosophy, Eastern and Western in all its branches: Epistemology, Metaphysics, Logic, Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy, and the Philosophy of Science, Mind, Religion and Language. However, it would like its contributors to focus on what they consider to be significantly new and important. The contributions should, as far as possible, avoid jargon and the authour’s contention should be stated in as simple a language as possible.

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    Unique status of meta-ethical emotivism in Stevenson
    (University of North Bengal, 2022-03) Bhattacharyya, Anureema
    The basic understanding of morality undoubtedly revolves round the situational aspects of the moral agents who form the subject of discussion. There cannot be any question about ethicality where the human agents are not involved. Now, concepts of ‗good‘ or ‗bad‘ are necessary to understand for the sake of answering normative queries; but, they are never appropriately comprehended from a non-subjective standpoint, as it is nothing without the subject which can be absolutely relevant in understanding the judgements passed by them. The physical world is a party to the discussion only because the moral agents sustain their existence through interacting with them, and thereby having a common interaction also with the environment of which they both form an indispensable part. Now, the question is- why are ethical questions asked or ethical judgements passed? It is precisely to express our attitude towards something thereby contributing in affecting the thoughts of others, or else in resolving disputes /disagreements rising out of differences in belief or attitudes. This purpose is effectively served only when the situational factors are understood in relation to the subject/subjects involved – i.e. in understanding the totality of the emergence of such contexts. Hence, comes the justification of introducing meta-ethics in the form of a comprehensive understanding of ethical language along with an understanding of the psychology behind use of the language, the background behind the use of such language, and hence the social role played by use of such language. This way of exercising ethics stands in sharp contrast to the normative approach of knowing what is ‗good‘, ‗bad‘ on the basis of some objectively set standards. Morality is subject-oriented, and because the existential situations of humans/subjects evolve in its domain, any bit of discussion on ethics is rendered pointless when dealt with in absolute objectivity. The focus of my paper is thus to study after C.L.Stevenson the purpose of doing metaethics as a wholesome study addressing the justification and practicality of the very existence of the discipline called Ethics.
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    Semantic Import of Moral Terms: Cognitivism vs. Noncognitivism
    (University of North Bengal, 2021-03) Bhattacharyya, Anureema
    An important discussion in the area of metaethics is about the meaning of ethical terms which in turn relates to the epistemic status of moral judgements. The purpose of this paper is to understand the specific approach towards ‘meaning’ when there is a discussion about meaning of a term; thereby investigating the claim towards epistemic import of a judgement, if at all justified. The paper seeks to interconnect the two independent philosophical approaches to ethical language and hence prove that there is no convergence or divergence strictly as to relate the meaning of an ethical term with the judgement being cognitive or non-cognitive....