Question

According to the Nyāya system, the argument "A sparrow is a bird, since it has wings" would have an inferential defect (hetvābhāsa) called _____________

• A. Svarūpāsiddhi (unestablished in respect of itself)
• B. Āśrayāsiddhi (unestablished in respect of abode)
• C. Sādhāraṇa-anaikāntika (common strayer)
• D. Asādhāraṇa-anaikāntika (uncommon strayer)

Hint:

In Nyāya reasoning, ensure that the reason (hetu) provided must be directly relevant to the predicate (sādhya), without being too general or irrelevant.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

In the Nyāya system, the defect Svarūpāsiddhi refers to a situation where the reason (hetu) used in an inference is not relevant or appropriate to the predicate. In the given example, the inference "A sparrow is a bird, since it has wings" is flawed because the characteristic of having wings is not unique to sparrows (many animals have wings) and thus does not establish the necessary property of being a bird. The reason (wings) does not inherently prove the conclusion (being a bird).
Option (A) is correct because the property of wings, in this context, does not necessarily establish the nature of the sparrow as a bird.
Option (B) refers to the fault where the reason is established in the wrong location or context, which does not apply here.
Option (C) refers to the fault of "common strayer," where a reason is too general, but this still doesn't fully address the specific issue here, which is related to the nature of the property.
Option (D) is incorrect because "uncommon strayer" is not relevant to this particular type of defect in reasoning. \[ \boxed{\text{The correct answer is (A).}} \]