Nilanjan graduated in Philosophy from Jadavpur University. Currently he is pursuing his postgraduate studies in the same subject. His research interests lie in Mathematical Logic, Philosophy of Mind, Moral and Legal Philosophy. Apart from western philosophy, Nilanjan takes an avid interest in Indian philosophy. He has studied Sanskrit texts of Nyāya and Vedānta with traditional scholars.  

He received the SYLFF-JU fellowship in 2010. His research on ‘Justice as a Moral Concept’ examines the use of moral concepts in legal theory and practice. Nilanjan aims to evaluate formal and quasi-formal approaches that have already been adopted in legal theory, especially in the work of legal positivists who refuse to admit any moral element into the definition of the law. The objective of this research is to develop an alternative model of legal systems which will allow the domain of legal values to interact with the domain of moral values, without surrendering its own autonomy.  

Nilanjan has already written some articles on his areas of interest. His works have been published in reputed journals. They are as follows –  

1. “Laksana as Inference” forthcoming in a special issue of Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2010.
2.  “The Concept of Thinking: A Reappraisal of Ryle’s Work”, Proceedings of the International Seminar on Mind, Brain and Consciousness, VPM College, Thane, 2010.
3. “Kusuma-Anjali-Viveka: A Dialogue”, Jadavpur Journal of Philosophy, Volume 18 Number 2, 2008.
4. “Moksasya Pumarthatānirupanam”, Sanskrit Sāhitya Parishat Patrikā, Vol. LXXXX  No. pt. 1-4, April 2007 to March 2008. (A Sanskrit paper on the idea of moksa in Vedanta).
5. “Nyāyakusumāñjalau Anupapattih”, Sanskrit Sāhitya Parishat Patrikā, Vol. LXXXIX Nos. 1-4, April 2006 to March 2007. (A Sanskrit paper on Udayana’s Nyāyakusumāñjali.)

He has received training in Hindusthani classical music from the age of five and has also learnt a 19^th century Bengali musical genre, called tappa, from Pandit Chandidas Mal.

 E-mail: nilanj.das@gmail.com