TY - JOUR
T1 - Jaina logic and the philosophical basis of pluralism
AU - Ganeri, Jonardon
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - What is the rational response when confronted with a set of propositions each of which we have some reason to accept, and yet which taken together form an inconsistent class? This was, in a nutshell, the problem addressed by the Jaina logicians of classical India, and the solution they gave is, I think, of great interest, both for what it tells us about the relationship between rationality and consistency, and for what we can learn about the logical basis of philosophical pluralism. The Jainas claim that we can continue to reason in spite of the presence of inconsistencies, and indeed construct a many-valued logical system tailored to the purpose. My aim in this paper is to offer a new interpretation of that system and to try to draw out some of its philosophical implications.
AB - What is the rational response when confronted with a set of propositions each of which we have some reason to accept, and yet which taken together form an inconsistent class? This was, in a nutshell, the problem addressed by the Jaina logicians of classical India, and the solution they gave is, I think, of great interest, both for what it tells us about the relationship between rationality and consistency, and for what we can learn about the logical basis of philosophical pluralism. The Jainas claim that we can continue to reason in spite of the presence of inconsistencies, and indeed construct a many-valued logical system tailored to the purpose. My aim in this paper is to offer a new interpretation of that system and to try to draw out some of its philosophical implications.
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U2 - 10.1080/0144534021000051505
DO - 10.1080/0144534021000051505
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33751526302
SN - 0144-5340
VL - 23
SP - 267
EP - 281
JO - History and Philosophy of Logic
JF - History and Philosophy of Logic
IS - 4
ER -