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Ep. 126
How do you know what you know? Not what you believe, but what you actually know with confidence. In this lecture, we explore the life and work of Akṣapāda Gautama, the founder of the Nyāya school—one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy and ancient India’s most sophisticated system of logic.
📚 In this video, we cover: • Historical context: When and where Gautama lived • The Nyāya Sūtras: Structure and significance • The Four Pramāṇas: Valid means of knowledge (Perception, Inference, Comparison, Testimony) • The Five-Member Inference (Pañcāvayava): India’s answer to the syllogism • The 16 Categories (Padārthas): A framework for reality and debate • Logical Fallacies: How to spot bad reasoning • The Path to Mokṣa: Why logic leads to liberation
Nyāya wasn’t just academic—it was a tool for truth-seeking and spiritual freedom. Whether you’re interested in comparative philosophy, critical thinking, or Indian history, this deep dive reveals why Gautama’s legacy remains vital today.
⏱ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: The Quest for Reliable Knowledge 06:00 Who Was Gautama & The Nyāya System 12:00 The Four Pramāṇas of Knowledge 18:00 Inference: Nyāya’s Logical Crown Jewel 24:00 Completing Epistemology: Comparison & Testimony 30:00 The 16 Categories of Investigation 36:00 The Art of Philosophical Debate 42:00 Logical Fallacies & Metaphysics 48:00 Causation, Liberation & Core Positions 54:00 Nyāya vs. Buddhist Logic 58:00 Legacy & Global Significance
🔗 Further Reading: Check out the Nyāya Sūtras or modern analyses on Navya-Nyāya for deeper study.
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#Philosophy #IndianPhilosophy #Nyaya #Gautama #Epistemology #Logic #Moksha #HistoryOfThought