The History of Why
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Focused study · 2 lessons

Inference under challenge

What makes a sign a reason to believe something we cannot see? Follow selected Nyāya accounts and Dharmakīrti’s argument to examine the connection a sign needs, our grounds for relying on it and what a countercase can show.

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Nyāya: establishing the connection

  1. Nyāya: what warrants an inference?Inference under challenge · Lesson 1 of 2

Dharmakīrti: establishing the reason

  1. Dharmakīrti: a reason that establishes its conclusionInference under challenge · Lesson 2 of 2

Useful preparation

The study introduces its own terms, and its second lesson closes with a comparative checkpoint. For background, lesson 9 introduces Nyāya and its sources of knowledge. Argument: reasons and what they support refreshes the vocabulary, and the counterexample workshop offers practice. All three are optional. Each study lesson includes a link back to lesson 9.

  1. How can we tell whether we know?Guided course · Module 3 · Lesson 9
  2. Argument: reasons and what they supportReference article
  3. Testing a claim with a counterexampleA counterexample workshop · Lesson 1 of 1

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