Cognitive Tools for Narrating the Past: A Study of Classical India

Nirmalya Guha*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    The classical Indian variety of history may be called ‘istory’. It is not completely true that no real importance was attached to istory in classical India. But much of oral istorical literature is lost since—perhaps—narrating istory was considered a performance. Unlike historical narratives, istorical narratives are presentative, not representative. Istory can be understood as a system of narrating past events that has a purpose and poetic beauty. Finally, the paper will argue that istory is based on cognitive tools of two types: epistemic tools such as testimony, inference, tarka and aesthetic tools. Thus, it has a hybrid cognitive method.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)237-248
    Number of pages12
    JournalJournal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research
    Volume39
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2023

    All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

    • Philosophy

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