Essay name: The Nyaya theory of Knowledge
Author:
Satischandra Chatterjee
Affiliation: University of Calcutta / Department of Philosophy
This essay studies the Nyaya theory of Knowledge and examines the contributions of the this system to Indian and Western philosophy, specifically focusing on its epistemology. Nyaya represents a realist approach, providing a critical evaluation of knowledge.
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NYAYA THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
e.g. when one says 'the scaffolds cry out,' and another objects
'scaffolds cannot cry."
1 J膩ti is the fallacy of irrelevance. In it a futile argument
is based on some irrelevant consideration which does not really
prove the conclusion. There are twenty-four kinds of j膩ti or
futile arguments. The first is called s盲dharmyasama, where
an argument is based on some kind of similarity between two
things, e.g. ' sound is eternal because it is incorporcal like the
sky.' The second is vaidharmyasama, where an argument is
based on some kind of dissimilarity between two things. The
utkar峁sama, apakar峁sama, var峁噛asama, avar峁噛asama,
vikalpasama and sadhyasama are futile arguments in which
the character of the minor term or the example is altered or
they are unduly assumed without sufficient reason. The
pr膩ptisama and apr奴ptisama are futile objections based on the
wrong implictions of the co-existence between the middle and
major terms or
or
their absence. The prasangasama and
pratid峁涐梗峁乶tasama are futile objections based on the ground
that the given example has not been proved by a series of
arguments, or that there is a counter-example. The anutpatti-
sama is an objection based on the ground that the middle term
of the given argument cannot exist in the minor term before
it comes into existence. The sa峁兣沘yasama is an objection
based on the doubt arising from a middle term with opposite
examples. The prakara峁嘺sama is an objection based on the
ground of a middle term
middle term
which is related to both the
sides of a controversy. The ahetusama is an objection which
is based on the ground that the middle term is unintelli-
gible in the three orders of time. The arth膩pattisama is an
argument based on mere presumption. The avise峁sama is
an argument to prove the identity of all things on the ground
of their having existence in common. The upapaltisama is
an objection based on the ground that there is a counter-
argument to the given argument. The upalabdhisama is the
1 Vide NS. & NB., 1. 2. 10-14.
