Course content:

Module 1: Introduction to Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika

1. Historical Context and Philosophical Schools of Ancient India
   • A brief overview of the philosophical landscape of ancient India
   • Emergence of Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika schools
2. Fundamental Concepts and Terminology
   • Core concepts: pramaṇa (means of knowledge), prameya (object of knowledge), and pramā (valid knowledge)
   • Categories of reality: dravya (substance), guṇa (quality),karma (action), sāmānya (universality), viśeṣa (particularity), samavāya (inherence), and abhāva (non-existence)

Module 2: Epistemology and Logic

1. Pramāṇa: The Four Means of Knowledge
   • Pratyakṣa (perception)
   • Anumāna(inference)
   • Upamāna (comparison)
   • Śabda (verbal testimony)
2. Logical Analysis and Argumentation
   • Nyāya’s systematic approach to logical reasoning
   • Pañcāvayava-nyāya (the five-membered syllogism)
   • Debates, refutations, and the pursuit of truth

Module 3: Metaphysics and Ontology

1. The Nature of Reality
   • Atomism and the origin of the universe
   • Ātman (the concept of soul) and Mokṣa (its liberation)
   • Īśvara (the role of God in the cosmic order)
2. Causality and Time
   • The theory of causation and its implications
   • The concept of time and its relation to change

Module 4: Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika and Modern Philosophy

1. Cognitive Science and the Theory of Perception
   • Comparing Nyāya’s theory of perception with modern cognitive science
   • The role of inference in scientific inquiry
2. Logic and Formal Systems
   • Analyzing the similarities and differences between Nyāya logic and modern formal logic
   • The relevance of Nyāya’s dialectical method in contemporary philosophy