Logic, language, and reality : Indian philosophy and contemporary issues

465 Pages·1990·9.515 MB·English

by  Matilal, Bimal Krishna

LOGIC, LANGUAGE AND REALITY
Indian Philosophy and Contemporary Issues

LOGIC, LANGUAGE AND
REALITY
Indian Philosophy and Contemporary Issues
BIMAL KRISHNA MATILAL
MOTILAt BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS
PRIVATE LIMITEDtDELHI
First Edition: Delhi, 1985
Second Edition: Delhi, 1990
© MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PVT. LTD.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ISBN: 81-208-0008-7 (Cloth)
ISBN: 81-208-0717-0 (Paper)
Also available at :
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FOR
TAMAL AND ANVITA

CONTENTS
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION ix
INTRODUCTION X1^
CHAPTER ONE: LOGIC AND DIALECTIC IN ANCIENT AND
MEDIEVAL INDIA 1
1.1 Ancient Indian Logic and the Question of
Greek Influence 1
1.2 Rules of Dialectic and Debate 9
1.3 Argument and Pseudo-Argument
(Nyäya and Nyäyäbhäsä) 23
1.4 The Early Nyäya Theory of Inference
(Nyäyasütra 1.1.5) 29
1.5 Pseudo-Reason {Hetväbhäsä) 42
1.6 What Do We Infer? 58
1.7 The Triple-Character'of Reason 68
CHAPTER Two: PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHICAL LOGIC IN
NAVYANYÄYA 76
2.1 Empty Terms 76
2.2 Reference and Existence 85
2.3 The Navyanyäya Logic of Property and
Location 112
2.4 The Problem of 'Universal Properties'
(kevalänvayiri) 128
2.5 Inference and Concomitance (vyäpti) 140
2.6 Double Negation in Navyanyäya 145
2.7 The'Difference'of Difference 155
2.8 Definition and Classification 164
2.9 Definition, Differentiation and Essence 176
CHAPTER THREE: PROBLEMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND
PERCEPTION 203
3.1 Awareness and Knowledge 203
3.2 Perceiving and Misperceiving 215
3.3 Knowing the External World 228
3.4 Memory 262
vijj Contents
CHAPTER FOUR: ONÏOLOGICAL PROBLEMS 268
4.1 Three Rival Ontologies: Nyâya, Buddhism and
Jainism 268
4.2 Causality 284
4.3 Substance (Jainism and Vaisesika) 294
4.4 Seven Ways of Non-Absolutism (Saptabhaiigi) 301
4.5 'Emptiness' and 'Many-sidedness' 314
4.6 Avidyä in Buddhism, Yoga and Nyäya 319
4.7 The Enigmas of Buddhism: Alayavijnana Duhkha
y
and Nirvana 333
4.8 Transmigration and the Moral Enigma of
Karma 35]
CHAPTER FIVE: INTERACTION OI GRAMMAR AND
PHILOSOPHY 372
5.1 The Doctrine of Karana 372
5.2 Substance and Quality in Sanskrit Grammatical
Theory 378
5.3 Grammatical Categories: A Navyanyâya
Appraisal 389
5.4 The Notion of the Sentence (vclkya) 398
5.5 Grammaticality and Meaningfulness 416
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 431
INDEX 439