Jaina Perspective in Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Ramjee Singh
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

Page 64

Omniscience : Misconception and Clarification
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of ultimate ends are not amenable to direct proof”] or as Carnap says that it is necessary always to distinguish between 'question within a presupposed frame' and 'question concerning the frame'. In order to grasp this situation, a fundamental distinction often neglected and blurred, must be made between the two types of justifying principles or knowledge-claims, namely, validation and vindication. Validation generally means a vigorous logical proof or 'legitimising of knowledge-claims'. Vindication on the other hand, ineans the justification of an action, which is, though weaker than validation, is an equally respectable method, especially when we know that validation is impossible in matters of fundamental principles.
It seems that although the logicians have exhibited great diabolical skill in enunciating the concept of omniscience and arguing for its exemplification in reality the concept has not been made altogether clear or completely defensible. But apart from the rational approach, there is also another approach. It is sometimes called the approach of faith or the intuitional approach, which is applicable in matters of suprasensible and beyond space-time objects. The non-rational (ahetuvāda ) approach though different from the rational approach (hetuvāda ) is not an irrational approach. After all, there are limitations to our reason as there are limitations
in his essay «Validation and Vindication : An Analysis of the future and the limits of Ethical Arguments” discusses the problem of justification not only with reference to ethical principles but also in regard to the more fundamental principles of deduction, induction and the criterion
of factual meaningfulness. 1. J. S. Mill : Utilitarianism, Liberty and Representative
Government ( ed.) A. D. Lindsay (London : J. M. Dent &
Sons, 1960), p. 4. 2. R. Carnap : “Semantics and Ontology", Revene Inter
nationale, 11, 1. 1950.