Author: John Grimes
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications
Year: 1991
Language: English
Pages: 306
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8170302501
Description
An Advaita Vedanta Perspective on Language is an attempt to solve the problem(s) inherent in religious assertions. Philosophers in general and linguistic philosophers in particular are concerned with what can and cannot be expressed in language. The problem is: How to talk intelligibly about a divine subject-matter using ordinary, mundane human language? Religious discourse uses ordinary words of day-to-day discourse in an extraordinary way. What is the justification for this special use of ordinary language?
What do the words of religious discourse mean and what function(s) do they have? Are they cognitive, factual, and verifiable or are they non-cognitive, non-factual, and unverifiable. This thesis depicts two paradigmatic approaches to these questions. Either religious discourse refers to an other and the approach to this remote and foreign other must be through perception or mediated concepts; or religious discourse anything whatsoever and as such is self-evident, immediate, and certain.
The former approach postulates a gap between the Reality and the individual while the latter approach emphasizes identity. Advaita’s solution declares that religious discourse primarily concerned individuals, here and now, and not a God, above and beyond. Methodologically its analysis commences with existence and culminates in essence-declaring that in fact the two are not different. It refers to that which is immediately evident and immanently present-unlike the general approach to an other, which, in one degree or another, searches elsewhere.
Contents
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER
1. Advaita Vedanta Prospectus
2. Approaches and Perspectives
3. The Indian Milieu
PART 1
1. Carvakas
2. Buddhism
3. Nagarjuna
4. Nyaya Definition of Words as Knowledge
5. Nyaya theory of Truth
6. Rational Proofs for Religioius Discourse
7. Vaisesika
8. Sankhya
9. Yoga
10. Mimamsa - Words as Knowledge Defined
11. Ritualistic Pragmaticism
12. Authority of Veda
13. Grammarians
PART 2
SABDA PRAMANA VIS A VIS ADVAITA
1. Words as Knowledge Defined
2. Distinctive Character of Words as Knowledge
3. Twofold Capacity of Words as Knowledge
4. Words as Knowledge as the Only Means of Supersensuous Knowledge
5. Self-Validity of Knowledge
6. Perception of Words as Verbal Symbols
7. Relation Between a Word and Its Meaning
8. Words Refer to Universals
9. Secondary Meanings
10. Anvitabhidhanavada / Abhihitanvayavada
11. Conditions of Significant Combination
12. A kanksa
13. Yogyata
14. Asatti
15. Tatparya
CHAPTER
4. Western Approaches
5. Advaita’s Solution
RETROSPECT OF RESULTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX