Book Title: Jaina Philosophy of Language
Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Page 152
________________ (126) : Jaina Philosophy of Language The language of such statements is the language of questioning. It also does not affirm or negate any fact, hence, its verifications is also not possible. So this type of sateinents are neither true nor false. (5) Prajñāpaniya or Upadeśātmaka (Statements to be asserted or didactic Statements): Statements like 'You should not steal any thing, or ‘you should not tell a lie' etc. being prescriptive and not descriptive are also beyond the category of truth or false. The modern language analysts regard all the philosophical and moral language ultimately as prescriptive language and therefore, beyond verification. The moral statements, which apparently seem to be factual, are really not factual according to them. The statement like 'It is bad to steal any thing' for example is not verifiable. Such statements only mean that you should not steal' or 'we do not like stealing'. It is really a pleasant surprise that what the modern linguistic analysts are doing today, its beginning was already done thousand years back by the Jaina philosophers. By categorising, the prescriptive and commanding statements as neither 'true' nor false' they have pointed out towards modern language analysis. (6) Pratyākhyāniya (Refuting statements): Not to accept one's demand, is another form of non-verifiable language known as pratyākhyānīya. It is to make statement like, 'you won't be able to get job (in this institution)' or 'you will not be given alms'. Such language is also not verifiable. (7) Icchānukūlikā (Statements expressing liking and disliking): To recommend something or to express one's liking regarding any work, is icchhānukūlikā, e.g. 'you should do this work' or 'I like to do such work' or 'I do not like to tell a lie' etc. The emotive theory of modern ethics also regards moral statement as a variety of statements expressing liking, interests and considers them as not verifiable. (8) Anabhigrahitā (Neutral statements) : 'Do as you wish' or 'Do what you think well,' such type of statements do not depict the favourable or unfavourable attitude of the speaker. In such type of statements, the speaker neither agrees nor disagrees with the matter concerned. Therefore, such statements stand as non-verifiable within the categories of true and false. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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