Goran Kardaš, Department of Philosophy, Department of Indology and Far Eastern Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb

Classical Indian Logic up to Dignāga

Although there are at least two ancient Indian texts dealing with the logical reasoning in more or less developed fashion that most probably predate Nyāyasūtras, namely „ayurvedic“ Caraka Saṃhitā and Saṣṭitantra („Six Doctrines“) of the Sāṃkhya school (preserved only fragmentary), it is the Nyāya school that established definite conceptional framework of logic in India. In my presentation I will analyze crucial „probative“ steps in forming valid logical proof according to this school and will also point out the place of logic within the broader frame of Nyāya Philosophy. After Classical Nyāya school („Old Nyāya“) the primacy over logical investigations in India took over Buddhist Logicians starting with Vasubandhu and Dignāga. So I will also point out certain refinements and improvements that these Logicians introduced in logical analysis.