Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy: Major Texts and Arguments on Arthpatti

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Arthpatti is a pervasive form of reasoning investigated by Indian philosophers in order to think about unseen causes and interpret ordinary and religious language. Its nature is a point of controversy among Mimamsa, Nyaya, and Buddhist philosophers, yet, to date, it has received less attention than perception, inference, and testimony. This collection presents a one-of-a-kind reference resource for understanding this form of reasoning studied in Indian philosophy. Assembling translations of central primary texts together with newly-commissioned essays on research topics, it features a significant introductory essay. Readable translations of Sanskrit works are accompanied by critical notes that introduce arthpatti, offer historical context, and clarify the philosophical debates surrounding it. Showing how arthpatti is used as a way to reason about the basic unseen causes driving language use, cause-and-effect relationships, as well as to interpret ambiguous or figurative texts, this book demonstrates the importance of this epistemic instrument in both contemporary Anglo-analytic and classical Indian epistemology, language, and logic.

Reviews

This book provides an incredible set of resources for anyone who wants to think with Indian philosophers about the kinds of reasoning practices that yield knowledge. But it also provides an accessible introduction, for those who are just beginning to explore these rich Indian debates. I recommend this book strongly! * Bryce Huebner, Provost's Distinguished Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Georgetown University, USA *
This fine volume on the neglected topic of the epistemological status of arthapatti, a contested form of ampliative reasoning in Indian philosophy, brings together both Sanskrit primary sources in new translations and original philosophical essays. It is a first-rate contribution to the philosophical history of Indian philosophy. * Roy W. Perrett, Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Ashoka University, India *
This volume is a most welcome addition to the contemporary scholarship of Classical Indian epistemology. The source materials and the philosophical papers collected here bring into focus distinctive debates about arthapatti (postulation or presumption) and why they should matter to anyone interested in theory of knowledge and philosophy of language. * Monima Chadha, Senior Lecturer of Philosophy, Monash University, Australia *

Author Bio

Malcolm Keating is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Yale-NUS College, Singapore.