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UPCOMING ISSUE 


Perspectives Postgraduate Journal of Philosophy V. 11

 Special Issue on The Subjective and the Objective:

Philosophical Traditions in Dialogue 

The 11th issue on the theme ‘The Subjective and the Objective: Philosophical Traditions in Dialogue’. 

The goal of the 2024 Issue is to explore the variety of ways in which the subjective-objective distinction can be illustrated, analysed or criticized through different philosophical methodologies and within different philosophical disciplines or areas of study.
There is in philosophy a legitimate question as to whether and how to draw the distinction between objective and subjective considerations. What is the nature of objectivity and how does it relate to subjectivity? This question can be developed in a variety of interesting ways depending on the philosophical approach taken. In philosophy of language and mind, as well as in phenomenology, the question  of the subjective-objective distinction expresses an overarching concern which any account of meaning, thought and perception strives to address. What is the nature of reference and truth? What kind of entity, if any, is meaning and how does it factor into theories of (natural/artificial) language(s)? Are intentionality and consciousness objective in any significant sense? Are they thoroughly first-personal, or are they compatible with the third-person perspective? 

Epistemologyseems to tackle precisely such questions concerning objectivity and subjectivity. Knowledge, supposedly, is the objective and true description of the world, as opposed to mere opinion or belief. Is this right and how does knowledge strive to overcome or cope with subjectivity? Questions concerning the subjective-objective relation are also relevant to studies on logic. Is logicsubjective? How many kinds of logic can there be? Furthermore, metaphysics and ontology deal with the issue of objectivity independently of epistemological or linguistic concerns. However, there are theories which instead place great value on the intrinsic connection of ontology with the subjective dimension. Numerous ancient, medieval and modern theories of subjectivity (and/or objectivity) have been elaborated at several turns of history as reactions to important events, or as the fruits of philosophical contemplation. Finally, the subjective-objective relation is especially relevant to studies in metaethics and practical philosophy at large, with fields such as recognition theory, personhood and accounts of the public sphere and personal life being particularly relevant today. What is the nature of practical objectivity and thought? How do they relate to the subject, to theoretical objectivity and their mutual co-dependency? 

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