The Department of Philosophy Colloquium Series Presents

CONCEPTS AND THE NYĀYA THEORY OF ERROR

Date: Friday, February 28, 2025
Time: 3:30-5:oopm
Location: Sakamaki C-308

Nyāya philosophers explain the phenomenon of perceptual error in terms of our perceiving a real object but as another object. This view is called anyathā khyāti which is often translated as a ‘theory of misplacement’ where an object is misplaced and therefore mislabeled as another. In a previous work, I have argued that concepts are better understood in terms of our abilities to reidentify and recognize a thing. In this talk, I explore the juxtaposition of my proposed theory of concepts in Nyāya with its theory of error. My working conclusion is that anyathā khyāti is best understood as a matter of misidentification and not a matter of mislabeling.