Department of Philosophy

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://ir.nbu.ac.in/handle/123456789/3303

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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    The Bhakti Cult’s Vision of Religious Reformation: A Secular Strategy for The Modern World
    (University of North Bengal, 2025) Bhattacharya, Apabrita
    This paper aims to explain the origin and significance of the Bhakti cult in medieval India. Though it has significant social and religious overtones, the Bhakti movement is fundamentally spiritual. The Bhakti movement may also be viewed as an effort to lessen animosity among various religious groups. Even though the movement originated in South India, its secular worldview quickly expanded throughout the nation. During the era of the Bhakti movement, there was a noticeable and profound shift in society. It encourages the idea of religious cooperation and fights against bigotry and social injustice. This paper has attempted to define the role played by Bhakti saints in fostering social cohesion. Secularism seeks to foster a few tolerant, cooperative ideals in our contemporary culture to create an unbiased, conflict-free environment. In this paper, I intend to demonstrate the principles of religious unity, emphasised by a few well-known Bhakti saints, that offer a secular perspective and strive for social welfare.
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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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    Islamic feminists’ view on muslim women’s equality and empowerment
    (University of North Bengal, 2024-03) Khatun, Najmun
    This paper aims to focus on gender equality, especially on women’s equal rights, opportunities and empowerment from Islamic feminists’ point of view. The Qur’an is generally alleged as a main source of women’s subordination or oppression. Islamic feminists argue that there is no single verse in the entire Qur’an that subordinates women. For them, the Qur’an is the main source of women’s empowerment and gender equality. However, the patriarchal society has interpreted and represented the Qur’anic teaching in a wrong way throughout the centuries. Thus, Islamic feminists rise with contextual interpretation of the Qur’anic verses to substantiate their own view. They show that male and female both are equal in all respects. They both are moral individual agents, and for this, they earn equal recompense for their duties. Islamic feminists argue that women’s empowerment is not possible if both male and female are not equally treated in rights and opportunities. Thus, they give importance to build gender equality in Islam.
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    Equality in difference: an analysis with reference to ‘motherhood’
    (University of North Bengal, 2024-03) Datta (Majumdar), Kasturi
    Gender discrimination is one of the important topics of Practical Ethics. Any kind of discrimination hinders the growth of society. All human beings deserve equal rights and opportunities irrespective of race, caste, religion, sex. Biological differences of individuals could never be taken as criteria of gender discrimination. Motherhood is considered as glorified aspect of women’s life, but this is a patriarchal ploy to keep women in a cage. Now this is the time when we should re-think our traditional theories in order to assure equality to women.
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    BANKIMCHANDRA ON SOCIETY, EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S EDUCATION
    (University of North Bengal, 2023-03) MONDAL, SUJAY