Given below are two statements: Statement I: Classical Indian logicians…
2022
Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Classical Indian logicians (Naiyāyikas) recommend the use of the negative modal or counterfactual conditional (tarka) to fortify or confirm the major premise.
Statement II: Naiyāyikas accept tarka as a valid independent source of knowledge.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer: C. Statement I is true but Statement II is false — CONCEPTNyāya recognizes four independent means of valid knowledge (pramāṇas): perception, inference, comparison, and testimony. Tarka is hypothetical or…
- A.
Both Statement I and Statement II are true
- B.
Both Statement I and Statement II are false
- C.
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
- D.
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
CONCEPT
Nyāya recognizes four independent means of valid knowledge (pramāṇas): perception, inference, comparison, and testimony.
Tarka is hypothetical or counterfactual reasoning used as an auxiliary to remove doubt and support an inference; it does not independently produce valid knowledge.
APPLICATION
Statement I describes the auxiliary use of tarka to strengthen the major premise or universal relation in an inference, so Statement I is true. Statement II treats tarka as an independent pramāṇa, which Nyāya does not, so Statement II is false.
CONTRAST
“Both statements are true” assigns tarka both an auxiliary role and independent pramāṇa status.
“Both statements are false” denies both the auxiliary role and independent pramāṇa status.
“Statement I is true but Statement II is false” distinguishes tarka’s accepted auxiliary role from the independent status Nyāya denies it.
“Statement I is false but Statement II is true” reverses the two roles.
CROSS-CHECK
Checking Nyāya’s accepted pramāṇa list confirms that tarka is not a fifth independent source. Therefore, the result is: Statement I is true but Statement II is false.