Dipika Bhatia

This article aims to reconsider the question of emotions in Kantian ethics, which predominantly argues for the rational framework of good will, duty and the categorical imperative. It argues for the reasonable role of emotions in Kant’s ethical framework on account of the primacy of respect for moral law and moral motivation, which can be regarded as emerging arguments to validate the role of emotions in moral life from a Kantian perspective. This article contains three sections. The first section reflects on the basic principles of morality in Kantian ethics, which highlights the purity of morals and the primacy of reason in morals, thereby posing an argument against emotions in this normative structure. The second section argues for the place of emotions in moral life as accommodated in Kantian analysis. The third section undertakes an analysis of the rationality of emotions and the respect for moral law, as well as moral motive, to argue for the need to cultivate emotions and the importance of upholding moral rightness in Kant’s ethical framework. Thus, this article undertakes an examination of Kantian ethics to seek the possibility of the relevance of emotions in moral life.

Das Ziel dieses Aufsatzes ist es, die Bedeutung von Emotionen in Sri Aurobindos Philosophie und der Praxis des integralen Yoga zu demonstrieren. Es soll die Relevanz der Emotionen Liebe und Hingabe (Bhakti) als intrinsische Komponenten in der göttlichen Essenz und ihrer Einbeziehung in die Praxis des Yoga zur Realisierung des göttlichen Bewusstseins, wie es in Sri Aurobindos philosophischem Diskurs repräsentiert ist, hervorheben. Dieser Aufsatz wird in drei Hauptabschnitte unterteilt sein. Der erste Abschnitt des Aufsatzes wird die zentralen Ideen zum Verständnis von Emotionen oder dem Emotionen-Geist-Körper-Komplex in der Studie der indischen philosophischen Systeme betrachten. In diesem Zusammenhang wird der Aufsatz kurz die unterbewertete Rolle der Emotionen im soteriologischen Ansatz der Studie der indischen Philosophie diskutieren. Der zweite Abschnitt wird die Überlegungen hervorheben, die für das Verständnis der Emotionen der göttlichen Liebe und absoluten Hingabe (Bhakti) in der Philosophie von Sri Aurobindo relevant sind; dabei wird die Sadhana durch die Emotionen der Liebe und Hingabe erforscht. Er wird versuchen, die positive Position der Emotionen im Zustand der spiritualisierten Menschheit, die auf das Göttliche ausgerichtet ist, zu rekapitulieren. Der dritte Abschnitt des Aufsatzes wird versuchen, die Transformation (oder Transzendenz) der Emotionen im Kontext der göttlichen Essenz und absoluten Hingabe zu überdenken, die die sehr wesentliche Natur des Yoga ausmacht – einen integrierten Ansatz in Sri Aurobindos Analyse vom psychischen Wesen zum göttlichen Bewusstsein.

This paper shall make an attempt to critically reflect on the conceptualization of emotions in the Indian Philosophical systems. To bring out the insight, the paper is divided into three main sections. The first section of the paper entitled ‘The Body-Emotions-Mind Complex and the Question of Self: Understanding the Dualistic Tradition’ will make an analysis of emotions and the mind-body complex vis-à-vis the question of self or consciousness in Indian Philosophy with special reference to the study of Advaita Vedānta and the philosophical position of Upaniṣadic teachings. It will also incorporate the Nyāya account of emotions in the Indian philosophical system. The second section of the paper is entitled as ‘Triguṇa and the Emotional Experience: A Perspective in Sāṃkhya Philosophy’. It will reflect on the systematic presentation of Sāṃkhya philosophical system on account of its relation between the two ontological realities — puruṣa and prakṛti. It is this prakṛti which is constituted of the three guṇas — sattva, rajas and tamas; and therefore is the embodied self having its association with emotions. The third section of the paper entitled ‘Understanding Religious Emotions: Towards a Positive Representation of Emotions in Indian Philosophy’ will make an attempt to critically reflect on the necessary shift required in conceptualizing emotions in the Indian Philosophical systems. That is to say, from a negative connotation of emotions to a more significant positive account of emotions in human-spiritual life. This necessary shift will be directed towards the understanding of Religious Emotions — faith and devotion which can serve as a guiding principle to justify the soteriological approach of Indian Philosophy, i.e. towards pure consciousness. Thereby the paper shall explore the consideration of the relevance of emotions in the Indian Philosophical System.

This paper discusses a central idea of our everyday life—human actions and the role of luck in the moral life. The aim of this paper is to formulate and discuss the problem of moral luck, thereby dealing with the question: ‘what is the status or role of luck in the moral life of an individual?’ Bernard Williams and Thomas Nagel highlight the juxtaposition of the two contradictory terms: ‘Luck’ and ‘Morality’ and used the term ‘moral luck’ which inculcates the view that the factor of luck or fortune can affect the moral worth of an individual. In this context, the paper is specifically concerned with the philosophical problem of moral luck which raises a conceptual tension between morality and responsibility by emphasizing that moral assessment, evaluation and justification of human actions are all subjected to luck. Further, in the light of this philosophical problem, the paper also attempts to postulate a possible moral framework with an aim to analyse and conceptually map the status of the juxtaposition of luck and morality.