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THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF JAINISM
as taking observations from a population and the third term as drawing inference from the observations. The last two terms give a projection about a new observation. This empirical logic is the basis of scientific methods and should not be lost sight of in all scientific applications.
9.3 THE CONDITIONAL. PREDICATION PRINCIPLE
Another central feature of this system is a principle of conditional predications (called Syadvada) in which one examines inference from seven standpoints (Saptabhangi-naya) prefixed by “maybe":
(1) it is (from one standpoint); (2) it is not; (3) it is and is not;
4) it is indeterminate; (5) it is and is indeterminate; (6) it is not and is indeterminate;
(7) it is, is not and is indeterminate. Note that all predications have a margin of uncertainty; predication (1) can be visualised as 'green' at a set of traffic lights,
2) as 'red'. Its special feature is (4) which allows the possibility of indeterminacy, i.e. 'amber'. Other predications are syntheses of (1) and (2) with (4). “Maybe" is not a good translation of the word “syat”; another translation is “from one standpoint".
= Maybe IT IS (from one standpoint)
Maybe IT IS NOT Maybe IT IS and IT IS NOT Maybe IT IS INDETERMINATE Maybe IT IS and is also INDETERMINATE Maybe IT IS NOT and is also INDETERMINATE Maybe IT IS and IT IS NOT and is also INDETERMINATE
+ I He 7 9 #
Fig. 9.1. Schematic representation of the seven conditional predications: O = Bold
capital letters, – = Capital letters, ? = Italic capital letters.
Thus, we can come to qualitative judgement. A schematic picture is given in Fig. 9.1. We know that in every act of observation, the observer is involved. The above principle attempts perception without the observer, but allowing for the margin of error.
9.4 THE CONDITIONAL HOLISTIC PRINCIPLE
We have described methods of looking at sub-parts of the problem through conditional predication. However, the knowledge is to be
