The Nyaya Darsana, one of the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy, focuses on logic and epistemology. Within Nyaya, there is a sub-section known as Anumana Nyaya, which deals specifically with inference.
- Pratijna:
- Pratijna refers to the proposition or the statement that is to be proved. It is the initial statement that forms the basis for inference. For example, “There is fire on the mountain.”
- Hetu:
- Hetu is the reason or the middle term in an inference. It is the logical connection between the subject and the predicate of the proposition. In the example of fire on the mountain, smoke is the hetu because where there is smoke, there is fire.
- Udaharana:
- Udaharana is the example or the illustration that supports the reason or hetu. It provides a concrete instance of how the hetu is related to the subject. In the case of fire and smoke, a specific instance of seeing smoke on a mountain would be the udaharana.
- Upanaya:
- Upanaya is the application or the conclusion drawn from the reasoning process. It is where the inference is made based on the hetu and the udaharana. In the example, the upanaya would be concluding that there is fire on the mountain because smoke is seen.
- Nigamana:
- Nigamana is the final conclusion or the result of the inference. It is the outcome of the logical process of establishing the truth of the proposition. In our example, the nigamana would be the final verdict that indeed there is fire on the mountain based on the presence of smoke.
By understanding and applying these elements of Anumana Nyaya, one can engage in rational and logical reasoning to arrive at valid conclusions and gain knowledge about the world around them.