Study Notes on Indian Logic For UGC NET Paper-1

UGC NET EXAM  consists of Paper-1 and Paper-2. Paper-1 is common for all category of students and Paper-2 is subject specific. Scoring highly in Paper-1 can help you in clearing NET/NET-JRF. Logical Reasoning is the most important section of paper-1 and in this Indian logic could become tricky if not properly prepared. In today's post we are providing study notes on Indian logic. Always attempt Mock tests after finishing a topic, so that weak areas could be identified. 

Indian Logic

Early Indian texts recorded the exercise of reasoning and practice of argument. The reason and argument is intimately connected with questions of ontology (dealing with nature of being),  epistemology ( concerned with knowledge) and dialectics (ability to view issue from multiple perspective).

Pramanas

• In Indian Philosophy it means by which one obtain accurate and valid knowledge.
• Knowledge is acquired through different means and it is used by us consciously and subconsciously.
• Advaita Vedanta Philosophy has categorized the Pramanas into the following six categories.

1. Pratyaksha (perception)
2. Anumana (inference)
3. Upamana (comparison)
4. Shabda (verbal testimony)
5. Arthapatti (implication)
6. Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension)

Prayaksha (Perception)

• It is acquiring knowledge from experience.
• It is either internal or external.
• Internal perception is through pain, pleasure, love, sadness, happiness, hate, anger,etc.
• External Perception through hearing, seeing, smelling, touch and tasting.
• Both mind and sense organs are used in it.
• It is very fast.
• But it may result in acquiring incomplete knowledge.
• The types of perception are Laukika (ordinary) and Alaukika( extraordinary).
• Two stages of perception are Savikalpa (indeterminate) and Nirvikalpa (determinate).

Anumana (Inference)

• It is based on deduction.
• Here information is perceived, not received.
• Anumana is use to gain knowledge through logical processing.
• In this information is derived.
• The process of anumana involves: Perception, knowledge of invariable relationship and conclusion.
• Example- you see smoke coming out from a forest (perception), and you know that smoke arises from fire (knowledge of invariable relationship); thus, you conclude that there is fire in the forest.

Upamana (Comparison)

• In this comparison is done for acquiring valid knowledge.
• It is the association of something previously unknown by virtue of its similarity to something that is known.
• Perception is also required for comparison as it will form the base for prior knowledge.
• It is similar to analogy.
• Example- When the person sees the wild ox, he/she observes that it similar to a cow and, thus, believes it to be a wild ox.

Shabda (Verbal testimony)

• It is gaining authentic knowledge from spoken and written words.
• A sentence is formed of expectancy (akanksa), consistency (yogyata), contiguity (asatti), and the knowledge of the purpose (tatparya).
• Example- Knowledge received from books, newspaper, magazines, listening to parents, teachers, etc, involves use of shabda.

Arthapatti (implication)

• It is supposition of a fact to support a well-established fact.
• It implies the use of assumptions for explaining something which is difficult to explain.
• For example- several theories in scientific world are developed on the basis of assumption.

Anupalabddhi (non-apprehension)

• It is understanding non-existence by non-perception.
• We generally tend to believe something is not there, when we are unable to see.
• Something that does not exist cannot be perceived through the senses; instead, another source of knowledge is needed.
• Therefore, Anupalabddhi should be used as a means of knowledge for specifying the non-existence of something under special circumstances.

Kinds of Anumana (Inference)

• It consists of Sadhya (major term), Paksa (minor term) and hetu or Linga (middle term).
• The major terms is the predicate of conclusion. The minor term is the subject of conclusion. The middle term is hetu or linga.
• The invariable relationship between the different statement is known as Vyapti.
• Induction and deduction are two methods for the Vyapti

Induction

1. Anvaya- Observing the relation of agreement in presence between two things. Such as the agreement that exits between two things are present, as between 'smoke and 'fire'- where there is a smoke, there is a fire.
2. Vyatireka- Observing the relation of uniform agreement in absence of those things. It is used to refer to such cases where the absence of one decides also decides the absence of other phenomenon on number of occasions. Whenever Fire is absent, smoke is also absent.
3. Vyabhicaragraha- This step refers to non-observation of contrary instances. if a single case of presence of fire is not experienced it helps in reaching the general statement: whenever there is smoke there is fire. 
4. Upadhnirasa- Elimination of adventitious conditions on which the relation may depend. Smoke is produced when the fuel is found to be wet. This is not a condition to relate to smoke with fire. this is condition to relate fire with smoke. 
5. Tarka- Indirect proof by the method of ‘reduction ad absurdum’: A mode of argumentation or a form of argument in which a proposition is disproved by following its implications logically. All 'smokey' objects are 'fiery'
6. Samanya-laksana- Perception, or the intuition involved in the apprehension of the universals. This the smoke class and the fire class are related on the basis of which universal statement can be made.

 Deduction

1. Pratijna (the proposition) - The hill is fiery.
2. Hetu (the ground) - Because it has smoke.
3. Udhaharna (the illustration) - Whatever has smoke has fire, e.g the kitchen.
4. Upanaya (the application) - The hill has smoke such is always accompanied by fire.
5. Nigamana (the conclusion)- Therefore the hill is fiery.

Other Important Notes on Logical Reasoning

Study Notes on Logical Reasoning.

Study notes on Hetvabhasha

We hope you all understood the terms related to India Logic for Paper-1 for UGC NET EXAM 2022.

Thank you

Team BYJU'S Exam Prep.