Philosophy in India has a rich and diverse journey stretching back to the very beginnings of civilization in this part of the world. The aim of this course is to give the student an advanced introduction to Indian Philosophy: its most salient features and theories. We will not adopt the usual “six-systems”/“school” approach to Indian Philosophy. Instead, we will take up a thematic or conceptual treatment of Indian Philosophy. The former method not only gives a limited understanding of Indian Philosophy but also fails to highlight the dynamic nature of India’s intellectual environment, one in which various traditions grew together by arguments and counter-arguments. Thus we will be taking up broad areas of philosophy like Metaphysics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Language and see how Indian thinkers have contributed to these areas. Wherever possible we will also try to acquire a “feel” for the original text rather than depending exclusively on secondary sources. In this attempt, we are cautioned by the words of the famous 20th century Indian Philosopher M.Hiriyanna, who said that such new attempts should seek a ``modernism in expression, not modernism in spirit which would be not merely unhistorical but also unphilosophical.'' Thus, we will stick to the essence of Indian thought and also aim to find its proper place in the global map of philosophical inquiry.
- Teacher: Dr K E Gopala Desikan
- Teacher: R Venkata Raghavan