Department of Philosophy

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The Department of Philosophy, University of North Bengal has been awarded Special Assistance by UGC to carry on research on ‘The Problem of Meaning in Classical Indian Philosophy and Contemporary Western Philosophy’ including translation of Sanskrit texts into regional language.
Department of Philosophy, North Bengal University, Siliguri, is one of the very accomplished centers of learning and research in Philosophy. Siliguri is surrounded by four countries and the nearest Bagdogra airport is five KM, and the New Jalpaiguri railway station is 18 KM away from University campus. We pride ourselves in being a department where equal emphasis is placed on quality research as well as on development and training of students through teaching/learning and extensive teacher-student interaction.

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    Perspectives on Humanism: Swami Vivekananda and Deendayal Upadhyaya (Comparative study)
    (University of North Bengal, 2025) Parida, Alakananda; Sahu, Sangita
    ‘Humanism’ underlines the centrality of human agency. It offers a philosophical and ethical perspective against which individual and society are viewed. It came as a revolt against religious authoritarianism, prevailing dogmas and asserted the freedom of man and encouraged critical thinking, leaving no room for the ‘transcendental’ or ‘mystical’. True to his Vedantic conviction he considered ‘man’ as the highest manifestation of divinity on Earth. As everyman is potentially divine one deserves fair opportunities to grow into perfection. He was critical of the traditional dogmas, social discriminations and poverty of the mass. He was in favor of the synthesis of the East and West and encouraged ‘Education’ as the potent means as it promotes awareness among the people. He articulated the idea of ‘universal religion’ because for him cardinal values constitute the secular core of the ‘sacred’ and envisioned a society without distinction and dogma, where the Vedantic ideals are translated into day today living. Deendayal Upadhyaya, a philosopher sociologist, economist and politician in one, articulated a socio-economic model in which human beings remain at the centre of development. He was in favor of a sustainable consumption of natural resources such that the resources can be replenished and diversity can be preserved. He was critical of both Capitalism and Communism because both make room for individualism and consider the body and mind to be the only realities. He envisages a classless, casteless social system based on the cardinal values such as Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksa. He was a strong advocate of the view that an ideal society and political system can be in place when it is based on dharma. Dharma for him is a sustaining principle of the society and universe. The highest good of man consists in living for the wellbeing of others (lokasamgraha). Different religions have shared objectives, irrespective of the way they pursue different paths leading to the highest goal.
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    Is Dharmaśāstra Prevailing over Arthaśāstra?*
    (University of North Bengal, 2025) Padhi, Laxmikanta
    The Arthaśāstra tradition is developed through three primary groups: royal priests, kings’ ministers, and educators. Its scope is extensive, as it describes the principles of governance (Daṇdaniti) found in the Mahābhārata. In contrast, the Dharmaśāstra asserts that Dharma is rooted in the Veda-s and is empirically manifested through the Varṇāśrama system. This contribution aims to demonstrate that the Arthaśāstra contains elements that overlap with the Dharmaśāstra. For example, the Dharmasthīya and Kaṇtakaśodhana sections deal with the administration of justice in a manner reminiscent of discussions found in the Dharmaśāstra. However, while the Dharmaśāstra focuses on the acquisition of Dharma which represents Adṛṣṭa-phala, the Arthaśāstra aims for the acquisition of Artha representing Dṛṣṭa-phala. Furthermore, with reference to the Yājñavalkya-smṛti, this contribution asserts that in cases of conflict between the Arthaśāstra and the Dharmaśāstra, the latter takes precedence. This is because the Dharmaśāstra reflects more advanced ideas and appears to draw its insights from earlier writings. Additionally, there are notable similarities between Dharmaśāstra and Arthaśāstra, although differences exist on several issues, such as niyoga, titles of disputes, inheritance through the mother or paternal grandmother, remarriage of widows, divorce, and gambling. आगमानांहि सर्वोषाम् आचारः श्रेष्ट उच्यते| आचारप्रभवो धर्मो धर्मोदयूवीवर्धते ।। Mahābhārata, Anuśāsanaparva, 107:147 (When compared with all knowledge, good conduct is considered to be superior; because Dharma is based on āćāra-s (conduct). When human abides by āćāradharma, her/his life is prolonged.)
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    Society’s caste system: a philosophical analysis from Swami vivekananda’s vedāntic ideal of equality
    (University of North Bengal, 2024-03) Chowdhury, Arun Kumar
    Caste or varṇa system is still a live issue in the present era. Many socialists and philosophers try to explain the caste system in their own ways. Swami-Vivekananda is one of them. He accepts the caste system based on qualities. To him, we are created with three qualities or guṇas. That is why we are different from each other by nature. So, we should act according to our nature. These three guṇas make someone a brᾱhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, or a śūdra. We should not treat the caste system as hereditary. For a long time, it has been interpreted in the wrong way. That is why there is more dissimilarity in our society. According to him, we differ from each other only in manifestations not in essence. We are the same in essence as Sat-Cit-Ᾱnanda Brahman. Through this paper, I will show how Swami-Vivekananda explains society’s caste system from the Vedᾱntic ideal of equality.
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    Justice and punishment: a critical study on the ethics of kautilyan daṇḍanīti
    (University of North Bengal, 2024-03) Ghosh, Swagata
    In Kautilya’s Arthaśāstra, the third and the fourth adhikaraṇa deal specifically with the law and order of his administrative theory. The third adhikaraṇa is known as dharmasthīya, concerning the judiciary and the officials, while the fourth adhikaraṇa is referred to as kantakasodhana, that is, repression of criminals. Kautilya subscribed to a theory of the maintenance of law and order by the government through punishment, referred to as daṇḍanīti. His penal system is based on a complex interplay between monetary and physical punishments. The combination of monetary penalties and corporeal punishments speak of a certain balance that is much necessary to execute convicts of various forms and strata. The implementation of exemplary punishments, including capital punishment speak of the fact that justice has to be restored by any means, even it be by instilling fear in the minds of the people. This might raise the issue of using the offender as the means to keep the society disciplined. Further, and the most important feature of Kautilya’s system of justice is that the King and the concerned officials are trained in ānvīkṣikī (the science of logic and enquiries into truth), based on dharma, that is, righteousness. Thus, Kautilya, one of the greatest visionary of statecraft and politics of all times, successfully establishes a code of law for the commoners, as well as the powerholders, that ensure the repression of crime as far as practicable, and accordingly, the maintenance of a just state.