Dr. Purnima Das
Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Maynaguri College Maynaguri, Jalpaiguri, W.B. -735224
E-mail: daspurnima21@gmail.com
Issue: Volume 2 No. 1 (March 2026) Anubodhan
Received: 23 March 2026 / Accepted: 25 March 2026 / Published: 31 March 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n1.2026.023
Abstract
This paper investigates the intricate convergence of epistemology and ethics in classical Indian philosophical traditions, with a central focus on how truth (satya), belief (pratyaya), and duty (dharma) are conceptualized and operationalized within indigenous logical systems. Taking the Nyāya school as the principal framework – renowned for its rigorous epistemological and logical apparatus – the article delves into how the pursuit of valid knowledge (pramā) is not a value-neutral endeavor but is imbued with ethical responsibility.
The analysis extends to include comparative insights from the Mīmāṁsā, Buddhist and Jaina Traditions, each of which offers distinctive understandings of cognitive authority and moral obligation. For instance, while Nyāya emphasizes pramāṇa (means of valid knowledge) as vehicles of both epistemic and ethical import, Mīmaṁsā integrates epistemic correctness with scriptural duty and Buddhist thought interrogates belief and truth from a soteriological perspective. Jaina epistemology, with its doctrine of anekāntavāda (many-sidedness), foregrounds intellectual humility and pluralism as epistemic virtues.
The paper ultimately argues that Indian logical traditions are not solely concerned with abstract metaphysical precision or formal correctness but are deeply ethical undertakings. They aim at cultivating responsible cognition, right belief, and moral action. By framing knowledge acquisition as a form of ethical engagement, these traditions challenge modern dichotomies between knowing and valuing and offer a holistic model of epistemic agency.
Key Words: Truth, Belief, Duty, Pramā, pramāṇa, Anekāntavāda, Epistemic Virtue
How to cite: Das, P. (2026). Ethics of Knowing: An Indian Perspective. Anubodhan, 2(1), 245–251. https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n1.2026.023