Classical Indian Philosophy of Induction: The Nyaya Viewpoint

Induction is a basic method of scientific and philosophical inquiry. The work seeks to show against the skeptical tide that the method is secure and reliable. The problem of induction has been a hotly debated issue in modern and contemporary philosophy since David Hume. However, long before the modern era Indian philosophers have addressed this problem for about two thousand years. This work examines some major Indian viewpoints including those of Jayarasi (7th century), Dharmakirti (7th century), Prabhakara (8th century), Udayana (11th century) and Prabhacandra (14th century). It also discusses some influential contemporary positions including those of Russell, Strawson, Popper, Reichenbach, Carnap, Goodman and Quine. The main focus is on the Nyaya view developed by Gangesa (13th century). A substantial part of the work is devoted to annotated translation of selected chapters from Gangesa's work dealing with the problem of induction with copious references to the later Nyaya philosophers including Raghunatha (15th century), Mathuranatha (16th century), Jagadisa (17th century) and Gadadhara (17th century). An annotated translation of selections from Sriharsa (12th century) of the Vedanta school, Prabhacandra of the Jaina school and Dharmakirti of the Buddhist school is also included. A solution is presented to the classical problem of induction and the Grue paradox based on the Nyaya perspective. The solution includes an argument from counterfactual reasoning, arguments in defense of causality, analyses of circularity and logical economy, arguments for objective universals and an argument from belief-behavior contradiction.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Acknowledgements and Abbreviations Chapter 3 1. The Problem of Induction: East and West Chapter 4 2. The Later Nyaya Solution Chapter 5 3. The Method of Generalization (Vyaptigrahopayah) Chapter 6 4. Counterfactual Reasoning (Tarkah) Chapter 7 5. Universal Based Extraordinary Perception (Samanyalaksanapratyaksa) Chapter 8 6. Earlier Views of Adjuncts (Upadhivadah) Chapter 9 7. The Accepted View of Adjuncts (Upadhivadasiddhantah Chapter 10 8. Classification of Adjuncts (Upadhivibhagah) Chapter 11 9. Sriharsa's Khandanakhandakhndyam on Pervasion Chapter 12 10. Selected Passages from Prabhacandra'sPrameyakamalamartanda on Critique of Pervasion and Inference Chapter 13 11. Selections from Dharmakirti's Nyayabindu on Non-Perception as a Probans Chapter 14 Selected Bibliography

About the Author :
Kisor Kumar Chakrabarti is professor and chair of religion and philosophy and distinguished scholar in residence at Davis and Elkins College. He is author of The Logic of Gotama, Definition and Induction, Classical Indian Philosophy of Mind, and Introduction to Hinduism and Buddhism.

Review :
One of the primary virtues of this book is its thoughtful organization. . . [T]his volume is accessible to those unfamiliar with classical Indian epistemology (praman?a-sastra) and will be a tremendous resource to specialists and nonspecialists alike. Chakrabarti demonstrates convincingly that Indian philosophical analyses of induction out-distance and often chronologically anticipate Western treatments. Furthermore, he shows that the problem of the justification of induction is more satisfactorily solved in Indian than in contemporary analytic philosophy. This is an erudite philosophical exploration of Nyaya logic and epistemology, with special attention to Nyaya theories of induction. This volume will be essential reading for anyone interested in classical Indian philosophy, but also for those who care about the continued vitality of the Nyaya school and the relevance of the Indian tradition to contemporary philosophical problems.