Categorisation in Indian Philosophy: Thinking Inside the Box (Dialogues in South Asian Traditions: Religion, Philosophy, Literature and History)

It is by fitting the world into neatly defined boxes that Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain philosophers were able to gain unparalleled insights into the nature of reality, God, language and thought itself. Such categories aimed to encompass the universe, the mind and the divine within an all-encompassing system, from linguistics to epistemology, logic and metaphysics, theology and the nature of reality. Shedding light on the way in which Indian philosophical traditions crafted an elaborate picture of the world, this book brings Indian thinkers into dialogue with modern philosophy and global concerns. For those interested in philosophical traditions in general, this book will establish a foundation for further comparative perspectives on philosophy. For those concerned with the understanding of Indic culture, it will provide a platform for the continued renaissance of research into India's rich philosophical traditions. Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. Introduction: The Importance Of 'thinking Inside The Box' / Jessica Frazier -- 2. Vyakarana: Bhava As The Ultimate Category / Eivind Kahrs -- 3. Nyaya: Pramana (knowledge-generators) As Natural Kinds / Stephen Phillips -- 4. Samkhya: The Analysis Of Experience In Classical Samkhya / Mikel Burley -- 5. Vedanta: Metaphors For The Category Of Existence / Jessica Frazier -- 6. Early Vaisesika: The Concept Of Categories In Vaisesika Philosophy / Shashiprabha Kumar -- 7. Later Vaisesika: The 'seven Category Ontology' Reaffirmed / Jonardon Ganeri -- 8. Madhyamaka: Conventional Categories In Madhyamaka Philosophy / Jan Westerhoff -- 9. Jainism: From Ontology To Taxonomy In The Jaina Colonisation Of The Universe / W.j. Johnson -- 10. Historical Perspectives: The Origin Of Categories In Indian Philosophy / Johannes Bronkhorst -- 11. The Order Of Things: The Goals And Categories Of Categorisation In India / Jessica Frazier. Edited By Jessica Frazier. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents: Foreword: remarks on the philosophical use of categories, Gavin Flood Introduction: the importance of 'thinking inside the box', Jessica Frazier VyAE karaa(1)a: BhAE va as the ultimate category, Eivind Kahrs NyAE ya: pramAE a(1)a (knowledge-generators) as natural kinds, Stephen Phillips SAE a(1)fkhya: the analysis of experience in classical sAE a(1)fkhya, Mikel Burley VedAE nta: metaphors for the category of existence, Jessica Frazier Early vaiA> ea(1)GBPika: the concept of categories in vaiA> ea(1)GBPika philosophy, Shashiprabha Kumar Later vaiA> ea(1)GBPika: the 'seven category ontology' reaffirmed, Jonardon Ganeri Madhyamaka: conventional categories in madhyamaka philosophy, Jan Westerhoff Jainism: from ontology to taxonomy in the jaina colonisation of the universe, W. J. Johnson Historical perspectives: the origin of categories in Indian philosophy, Johannes Bronkhorst The order of things: the goals and categories of categorisation in India, Jessica Frazier Bibliography Appendices Index.

It is by fitting the world into neatly defined boxes that Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain philosophers were able to gain unparalleled insights into the nature of reality, God, language and thought itself. Such categories aimed to encompass the universe, the mind and the divine within an all-encompassing system, from linguistics to epistemology, logic and metaphysics, theology and the nature of reality.

Shedding light on the way in which Indian philosophical traditions crafted an elaborate picture of the world, this book brings Indian thinkers into dialogue with modern philosophy and global concerns. For those interested in philosophical traditions in general, this book will establish a foundation for further comparative perspectives on philosophy. For those concerned with the understanding of Indic culture, it will provide a platform for the continued renaissance of research into India's rich philosophical traditions.

This text explores the distinctively Indian strategy of categorisation as a way of understanding reality. It is by fitting the world into neatly defined boxes, that Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain philosophers were able to gain unparalleled insights into the nature of reality, God, language and thought itself