Question : Explain the arguments of Carvaka to reject transcendental entities.
(2015)
Answer : Abiding by their epistemological doctrine of sense perception, the Carvaka’s rejected transcendental entities like soul, God, etc. Charvaka has rejected God as he cannot be perceived by the senses. Then one may ask a question, if God has not created this universe then how this universe came into existence? Replying this Carvakas says that this universe is made up of four basic elements of water, fire, air and earth. Caravaka says that these elements owing ....
Question : “Limits of knowledge and world are determined by my sense perception.” Discuss this claim of Carvakas.
(2014)
Answer : Of the three crucial sources of knowledge accepted in common by all the orthodox schools (perception, inference, and verbal testimony), the Carvakas accepted only perception as the valid source of knowledge and disapproves both inference and verbal testimony. They are of faith that, whatever one experiences through perception is rightful and existent.
The Carvakas at first seem not to have been mindful of the difficulties in accepting perception as a valid source of knowledge, which were ....
Question : Why do Carvakas not believe in the validity of inference? What logic do they give for their belief?
(2012)
Answer : Carvakas considers perception as the only and independent source of knowledge. He refuted the authenticity of inference. Carvakas believes that inference does not give certain knowledge always. To give certain and definite knowledge is not the trait of inference.
This is a result of psycho-logical process. Although in practical life Carvakas accepts the importance of inference but does not accept it as a valid and independent source of knowledge. Carvakas criticises it on the basis of ....
Question : On what basis does Carvaka reject the cause-effect relationship? Give reasons for your answer.
(2012)
Answer : In Indian philosophical tradition, causal theory has been discussed deeply. Through causal theory, we try to understand the relationship between the world (effect) and the cause (reason). In buddhism causal theory is known as theory of Pratityasamutapada. In Samakhya philosophy and Vedanta philosophy the theory of causal relation-ship is known as Satkaryavada, whereas in Nyaya’s philosophy, the theory of causal relationship is known as the theory of Asatkaryavada.
In Indian philosophical tradition except Charvaka all philosophical ....
Question : Why do Carvakas reject the concept of Akasa? Discuss.
(2011)
Answer : The entire philosphy of Carvakas may be said to depend logically on their epistemology or their theory of knowledge. The main problems of epistemology are -how far can we know reality? How does knowldge orignate and develop? The Caravakas hold that perception is the only pranna or dependable source of knowledge.
Perception or pratyaksha is made of two words (prati + aksa) menaing ‘which is opposite to the eyes’. Boradly speaking, it includes all the knowledge ....
Question : Just as the skepticism of Hume helped Kant to come out of his dogmatic slumber, so also carvaka philosophy saved Indian philosophy from dogmatism. Discuss.
(2010)
Answer : Hume was an empiricist. He accepts empirical theory of the origin of knowledge. On the basis of empiricism he opined that if all we can know is our impression, we have no right to assert the reality either of material substances or of spiritual substances. Metaphysics, theology and natural science cannot yield universal and necessary sciences knowledge, the God and the universe and that the soul is just impossible as rational sciences. This made Kant ....
Question : Charvaka view on the nature of soul.
(2007)
Answer : The Charvaka admits the existence of four elements earth, water fire and air only. In the metaphysics of Charvaka souls and God are rejected. Everything which exists including the soul is due to a particular combination of these four elements. Consciousness is regarded as a mere product of mater. It is a product formed when the elements combine in a certain proportion. It is found always associated with the body and vanishes when the body ....
Question : Discuss the theory of knowledge, according to Charvaka Philosophy.
(2006)
Answer : The epistemological doctrine of the Charvaka School is that perception (Pratyasha) is the only means of valid knowledge. The validity even of inference is rejected. Inference is said to be a mere leap in the dark. We proceed here from the known to the unknown and there is no certainty in this though some inference may then out to be accidentally true. A general proposition may be true in perceived cases, but there is no ....
Question : Dehatmavada of Charvaka.
(2004)
Answer : The Charvaka admits the existence of four elements earth, water fire and air only. In the metaphysics of Charvaka souls and God are rejected. Everything which exists including the soul is due to a particular combination of these four elements. Consciousness is regarded as a mere product of mater. It is a product formed when the elements combine in a certain proportion. It is found always associated with the body and vanishes when the body ....
Question : Charvaka’s refutation of anumana is itself a process of anumana. Discuss.
(2003)
Answer : In Charvaka’s philosophy the validity of inference is rejected. The basis of this rejection is that the epistemological doctrine of the Charvaka School is that perception is the only means of valid knowledge. Therefore, according to Charvaka inference is just a leap in the dark. We proceed from the known to the unknown. But there is no uncertainly in this. Sometimes some inferences may turn out to be true. But that is accidental. That cannot ....
Question : Ethics of Charvaka school.
(2000)
Answer : In Ethics the Charvaka regards sensual pleasure as the summum bonum of life. Eat drink and be merry for once the body is reduced to ashes; there is no hope of coming back here gain. There is no other world. There is no soul survival after death. Religion is the means of livelihood of the priests. All values are mere phantoms created by a deceased mind. The Ethics of the Charvaka is a crude individual ....
