REL 244 Knowledge and Reality in Indian Thought (Same as Philosophy 238) (Not offered 1998-99)*

The question of whether philosophy exists in India is often raised. This course examines the issue from the viewpoint of the Indian tradition itself. In the process we analyze some of the particularities of Indian thought. We discover that many of the questions raised in the so-called Western traditions are also raised by Indian philosophers. Thus, far from being the irrational foil of Western rationality, Indian thought presents us with an important tradition of thought. Indian schools have formulated competing metaphysical views on the nature of the self. We investigate how these views lead to conflicting ethical and religious philosophies. We also consider how these metaphysical visions inform competing ontologies. In particular, we contrast the holism of some Hindu traditions such as the Vednta with more pluralistic Hindu or Buddhist approaches. We examine the arguments of Hindu realism for a common sensical view of reality. We contrast this realist view with the arguments of more radical Indian thinkers, in particular the deconstructive approach of the Buddhist Madhyamaka school, which offers a radical critique of metaphysical thinking. Indian philosophy, however, is far from being exclusively concerned with religious and metaphysical questions. It is also preoccupied with the nature of knowledge and the role of language. Long before the linguistic turn of contemporary Western philosophy, Indian thinkers had raised philosophical questions concerning the nature of language. What is the nature of language? What is meaning? How does language relate to the world? Does thinking presuppose language? We examine the competing answers that Indian thinkers have developed through sustained intra- and inter-sectarian discussions. Requirements: full attendance and participation, class presentations, and three short essays (4-6 pages). Open to all classes without prerequisite.

DREYFUS