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Epistemology

Vijayananda J
Krishna Kadiri
28th April 2013

Whats that .. Epistemology?

Study of knowledge

Elements of Knowledge

Sources of Knowledge

Valid knowledge, Invalid knowledge, Doubt

Schedule
How do we know - A discussion

Examples from daily life

Examples from maths, science

Traditional Framework Pramana-vichara

A brief peep into Pramanas, their scope,
classification etc.
Discussion which pramana to use for what
Whats next?

We will focus only on facts

Facts

Sun rises in the east

Manmohan Singh is the PM of India

Beliefs

If Sachin hits a century, the Indian team will lose the

match

Opinions

South-Indians are hardworking

This dosa is too big

How do we know that

There is a pot in the house

I am hearing a song
The food is tasty
The perfume smells good
It is cold in the night
There is no pot here
There was a pot yesterday
I exist

How do we know that

If we put sugar in the paanaka, it will taste

sweet
If we put rice on fire along with water, it will
become soft
She likes me
Another person is living or dead

How do we know that

Pavan is not at home because I talked to him

on at his office landline number just now.
He cannot see.
It MAY rain today.
There was one mango. If Rama, Lakshmana,
Bharata did not eat it, who ate it?

How do we know that

British Invasion happened

Your great-grand-father fought for
Independence
Kalidasa composed Meghaduuta
Sri Madhvaachaarya existed
There is a heaven somewhere

How do we know

In Maths

2+100=102

2 is irrational
Any number divided by 1 result in the same number
There is no round-square

In Science

Newtons first law?

There is no comet between sun and earth now
It is incorrect to assume that heavier objects fall quicker

How do we know - Answers

1. Perception vP

From sensory organs etc.

From EA0i (indriya)

All examples of pot, cold at the night etc. pertain to perception.

But EA0i indriya is not same as sensory organ. Indriya is ateendriya.
Indriya is the shakti within the sensory organ.
Pariikshita pratyaksha = tested perception
Indriyas have limitations. Eyes cannot smell.
Denial of an object can happen only from that Indriya, which its
presence can be affirmed. (Smell can be affirmed only by nose, therefore lack of smell
can be affirmed only by nose, not by eyes).

Memory is cognized by manas.

Sakshi (jiva) cognizes self, space, time. Not generated by Indriya.

How do we know - Answers

2. Inference, logic, reasoning

Using reasons, invariable concomitance etc.

If X is there, Y will also be there. We see only X, but infer Y because of invariable relation between
them.

Ci

anumAna (not doubt)

Not Smoke itself, but Knowledge of Smoke + (vyApti). Vyapti is understood after repeated
observations etc.

If the road is wet, it must have rained last night. Nobody poured water. So it must have
rained. We did not see, hear, smell the rain. It is only inferred based on the reason that
road is wet.
anumAna is used to know things that are not directly perceptible, but the 'hetu' is
perceptible. Fire is not available to pratyakSha, but Smoke is.

How do we know - Answers

Science and Maths use inference extensively:

In Maths

2+100=102 direct proof

2 is irrational proof by contradiction
Any number divided by 1 result in the same number Mathematical induction
There is no round-square Deduction

In Science

Newtons first law? Repeated observations

There is no comet between sun and earth now Direct perception
It is incorrect to assume that heavier objects fall quicker Tested perception

How do we know - Answers

3. Agama, Scripture - Texts or Sentences without any mistakes or wrong
information

Your great-grand-father fought for Independence because your grand-father

told so and he is trust-worthy.

British Invasion happened because there are many historical artifacts

documents, letters, photographs, biographies of so many people.

Kalidasa composed Meghaduuta it is in history book.

Sri Madhvaachaarya existed it is in history book

There is a heaven somewhere it is in the Veda

Do we disbelieve peoples words by default or do we believe them? One or two people
lying is acceptable, but what about so many people?

Lies, incorrect information happen come when there is a reason for them to lie. When no such reasons are there,
truth is told by default. Even 1 or 2 people lie when there is a reason.

How do we know - Summary

Pratyaksha for knowledge obtained through indriyas

Anumaana For knowledge obtained through a process of reasoning

Agama For knowledge obtained through texts (more about this, later)

Elements of Knowledge

Subject = Vishaya

Validity = prAmANya

Whoever has the knowledge = knower = pramAtru

Types of Knowledge
Valid knowledge = pramA (this is a pot)

Invalid knowledge = bhrama (this is a snake)

Doubt = samshaya (Is that a tree or a man)

Sources of knowledge generate valid knowledge, unless there is a PROBLEM.

I see things correctly unless I have jaundice.

I cannot infer fire, if I did not know that Wherever there is smoke, there is fire.

I can trust people's statements unless I think that they may be lying or exaggerating.

Agama continued...
Two types of texts

Authored Texts

Unauthored Texts = Veda.

Unauthored Texts are free from mistakes. All mistakes happen only
due to authors. Therefore texts without authors have no mistakes.

If Author is ignorant, it MAY lead to mistakes in text

If Author does not want to give correct information, it MAY lead to mistakes

If Author is incapable (does not know proper language, blind, deaf etc.) then it MAY lead to
mistakes.
In the converse, whenever there are mistakes in texts (or speech), definitely then the author is
responsible.
So how can there be mistakes in unauthored texts?

Can there be an unauthored text?

But how can there be text without author?

Exceptions in inductive reasoning are identifiied when we see them, just like we identify
0 as an exception to the above rule. It fails when 0 is divided by 0.

So how do we identify exceptions in rule regarding texts and authors?

Irrespective of whether such texts exist or not, what is the rule to
identify an exception? (Falsifiability: mentioning when ones theory
will go wrong).

The rule that all texts have authors is known only through Inductive reasoning. Just like
we know that any number divided by itself gives 1, without dividing every number we
know.

It is only if they are reputed to be unauthored. How much reputed? As much as needed
to remove the possibility of a lie or deception or ignorance.
This criterion is met only by vedas. So they are an exception.

Author-not-known is not same as No-author. Akasha does not have a

creator, we dont say Akashas creator is not known.

When to use Agama

When that knowledge cannot be obtained through perception or
inference
Examples - Dharma, adharma, what to do, what not to do, svarga,
naraka how do we get this knowledge?

Not through Perception because nobody can see, hear, touch them
Not through inference, logic (tarka): l

c AlqlSl Aaq ul mqhr kqSw

(Anumana and pratyaksha, without the aid of Agama, cannot become pramANa for
dharma and others).
Only through Agama

More examples: pApa, puNya

Not doing sandhyAvandana will result in pApa. How do we know?

One should fast on ekadashi. How do we know?
One should not eat during eclipses: How do we know?
Purpose behind applying gopichandana

So what are Agamas?

Apaurusheya Vedas is the primary Agama.

Anything that is in line with them is valid - sadAgama

Anything that is not in line with them is invalid - durAgama

Mahabharata (includes BhagavadGita and Vishnu-sahasranama)

Ramayana (not Valmikis, but the original Ramayana written by Hayagriva)

Brahmasutras

Pancharatras

Why not Shaiva tantra, Shaakta tantra?

Veda-viruddha
Sattvika puranas.

Why not others?

Veda-viruddha

Interpretation of Agamas

Others too accept Agamas, but partially.

Weak rules of interpretation. Like ahaM brahmaasmi.

Acharyas main rule: na cha anubhavavirodhe Agamasya prAmANyam.

(Agama is not valid if it contradicts established anubhava. So no Agama can be valid, if its
interpetation says that you are infinite God).

So how do we interpret?

Using Brahmasutras

Why should we trust Brahmasutras?

Because they are logical, are based on Vedas, and are written by most
trustworthy Being Sri Vedavyasa.
How do we know he is trustworthy?
From shaastra. Shaastra says Narayana is Vedavyasa and all words of God are
pramana. SarvaM bhagavadvachanaM pramANaM
Then why not Buddha? Because of lack of shrotranukulya

Did we miss any Pramanas?

Illustrations are not pramANas. They are only for explanation.

Jiva merging into God are like pouring water into water.

I guess that India will win the match Is this pramANa?

Utility: If I study Economics book, I will become successful. Therefore it is
pramANa is this correct? Prayojana does not mean pramANa. Similarly,
worshipping Santoshi maa or ayyappa may result in temporary good, but it
does not mean they are supported by pramANa.


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shrImadhvesha-Krishnarpanamastu