The Lost Age of Reason: Philosophy in Early Modern India 1450-1700The Lost Age of Reason deals with a fascinating and rich episode in the history of philosophy, one from which those who are interested in the nature of modernity and its global origins have a great deal to learn. Early modernity in India consists in the formation of a new philosophical self, one which makes it possible meaningfully to conceive of oneself as engaging the ancient and the alien in conversation. The ancient texts are now not thought of as authorities to which one must defer, but regarded as the source of insight in the company of which one pursues the quest for truth. This new attitude implies a change in the conception of one's duties towards the past. After reconstructing the historical intellectual context in detail, and developing a suitable methodological framework, Ganeri reviews work on the concept of knowledge, the nature of evidence, the self, the nature of the categories, mathematics, realism, and a new language for philosophy. A study of early modern philosophy in India has much to teach us today - about the nature of modernity as such, about the reform of educational institutions and its relationship to creative research, and about cosmopolitan identities in circumstances of globalisation. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Part I India Expanding | 11 |
Part II Text and Method | 61 |
Part III The Possibility of Inquiry | 117 |
Part IV The Real World | 163 |
Part V A New Language for Philosophy | 221 |
Conclusion | 244 |
Recommended Further Readings | 252 |
254 | |
279 | |
Other editions - View all
The Lost Age of Reason: Philosophy in Early Modern India 1450-1700 Jonardon Ganeri Limited preview - 2014 |
The Lost Age of Reason: Philosophy in Early Modern India 1450-1700 Jonardon Ganeri No preview available - 2014 |
The Lost Age of Reason: Philosophy in Early Modern India 1450-1700 Jonardon Ganeri No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
absence already analysis ancient argues argument asserts atoms beginning belief Bengal called cause century chapter claim clear cognition collection commentary commentator conception consider context continues Da¯ra definition describe detail discussion distinct doctrine doubt early modern evidence example existence explain expression fact false follows further gaining knowledge Gan˙gesa give given Hindu idea important India individual inquiry intellectual interest Jayara¯ma known language later logical Matilal meaning mental metaphysics method nature Navadvı¯pa notes notion Nya¯ya objects original particle particular period Persian philosophical possible present principle problem produced qualities question Raghuna¯tha reading realism reason reference relation Sanskrit seems semantic sense sentence single sort statements su¯tras substance term theory things thinkers thought tradition translation treatise true truth types understanding universal Va¯ra¯nÁası VaisesÁika whole writing