Jaina Concept of Omniscience

SR No.: 001547
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramjee Singh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 258
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Knowledge
File Size: 17 MB

Page 236

CONCLUSION
action." Now vindication, though weaker than validation, is an equally respectable method. Its value is all the more enhanced when we know that validation is impossible in matters of fundamental principles.
223
It is difficult to prove omniscience, but nonetheless we can vindicate it and the best way to vindicate it is to get the support of the expert judges (authority). It is not necessary to define who is an expert judge because the pre-philosophic notion of an expert is quite helpful here (the pre-philosophical notion is the untutored notion of the human race). The intellectual programme of mankind is effected not by ignoring but by utilising, the past and one way to profit by the past and the existing achievements of the race is to take advantage of the experience and expert opinion of the leaders of the society. Therefore, if it is suggested that in making the decision whether a certain being is omniscient or not, one should depend upon the verdict of the expert judges, it is not at all to suggest any fantastic or unworkable procedure. The reference to expert judges becomes inevitable where a decision of fundamentals have to be made. This was the reason why J. S. Mill' suggested this method for distinguishing between good and bad pleasures. It is wrong to say that a great logician became dogmatic in accepting the authority of the judges of the community. Rather, if we look sympathetically at the whole thing, we shall find that he was adopting perhaps the only available method of distinguishing between the pleasures of different qualities because belief in the qualitative differences of pleasures is one of the fundamental principles of Mill's system. As a matter of fact, the expert advise does not kill the initiative of the intellect.
6 H. Reichenbach, Experience and Prediction (Chicago, 1938), Sees, 38-39 has formulated the theory of vindication for the principle of induction also.
7 J. S. Mills, lbid., p. 10. He says "from this verdict of the only competent judges, I apprehend there can be no appeal."