Scripture, Logic, Language

Dharmakirti, an Indian Buddhist philosopher of the 7th century, explored the nature, limits and justifications of rationality within the context of Buddhist religious and metaphysical concerns. While Dharmakirti is widely recognized for his crucial innovations in Indian logic and semantic theory, his notoriously difficult thought nonetheless remains poorly understood. In this volume from Wisdom's acclaimed Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism series, one of the world's leading scholars of Buddhist philosophy sheds light on the interrelated topics of scripture, logic and language in the works of Dharmakirti and his philosophical heirs, both Indian and Tibetan. Professor Tillemans's knowledgeable explanations of such technical subjects as the apoha theory of reference and the problem of entailment (vy…pti) are coupled throughout with insightful reflections on how best to evaluate Dharmakirti's theories in light of contemporary philosophical thought.