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Jainism As Metaphilosophy
contention that a comprehensive understanding of the nature of Reality would preclude the stance of thwarting creative possibilties since the complex nature of Reality cmerges from taking into account the objective as well as the subjective aspects and conceding that an in-depth analysis of both aspects reveals even more clcarly the variegated nature of Reality, varying approaches to it and the resulting multifacted picture which needs recognition in the first place. Sccondly, and in fact arising out of such recognition, the methods of approach nccd to be accorded importance and significance in such a way that full play is given to the process of reasoning.
Epistemologically considered, the imporlance accorded to reasoning as a method in philosophy can itself be viewed as being responsible for the Jaina philosphers' systematically analysing the processes of knowing. For, a comprehensive understanding of Reality, by definition, entails the usage of reason for visualising how the varied aspects of Rcality could be apprehended. Such an analysis is itself a pointer to reasoning as an important tool in philosophy; add to it the elaborate consideration of inference as well as the sull-fledged syllogistic argument proposed, the vital role of logic in philosophising would come to the fore.
In a number of other ways too, the crucial significance accorded to logic can be illustrated. The most important of these is the query raised about the efficacy of reason to fully comprchcnd the nature of Reality, notwithstanding the recognition accorded to it. Here again the complex nature of Rcality recognised by reason sccms lo suggest that the faculty of reasoning too cannot be considcrcd ultimalcly efficacious in reaching out to its goal. Though the goal of reasoning may be postulated as nothing less than a complete comprehension of Reality, the self-critical capacity that the power of reasoning engenders, results in a clear recognition of ils inability to be equal to the lask. The usage of reason may then be said to have resulted in pointing to the limitations of il.
This is suggestive of iwo things : one, that Reality needs a transrational method of comprehension and two, a system of philosophy asserting itslef to be the only valid onc. which has seized truth fully becomes suspect. In the light of the analysis of Jainism as a system of philosophy, it has been noted that like the rest of the Indian tradition, Jainism accepts whole-heartedly the need to transcend the realm of reasoning and thus postulates that intuitive experience could be con
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