A group blog of scholars exploring Indian philosophy
We recently received the following information from Scott Stroud (University of Texas at Austin) on behalf of the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy (SAAP). This prize is an exciting way to recognize the some of the many philosophical Continue reading Ambedkar Prize Established by the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy (SAAP)
My previous post looked at Elisa’s discussion of a seeming contradiction in Kumārila. In this post I attempt to give my own answer to the question that Elisa saw as prompted by that seeming contradiction: Does Kumārila accept that the Continue reading Is I-cognition for Kumārila a kind of perception?
Unlike “progressive” Americans who embrace race, the caste reformer B.R. Ambedkar envisioned a world where race/caste distinctions were annihilated – and specifically by mixing, by intermarriage. The view of racial purity shared by the mainstream American left and right – Continue reading “The future will belong to the mestiza”
Suguru Ishimura and I are currently preparing a heavily annotated English translation of Ślokavārttika ātmavāda, verses 107–139, the section concerned with I-cognition (ahampratyaya). The translation is to appear in a Kumārila Reader, edited by Elisa Freschi and Nilanjan Das. After Continue reading Is there a seeming contradiction in Kumārila’s account of I-cognition?
According to Kumārila, much can be sense-perceived. It goes without saying that sensible qualities can be sense-perceived, but Kumārila thinks that we can also sense-perceive the substance behind the sense-qualities (that is, the substrate of the sense-qualities). He also thinks Continue reading Kumārila and the limits of perception
Ashoka University is now accepting applications for our PhD program in Philosophy (details here: https://www.ashoka.edu.in/programme/phd-programme-in-philosophy/). The program is five years long and is fully funded. Students do coursework for two years then write a dissertation. International applicants are welcome. Our faculty with Continue reading PhD program in Philosophy at Ashoka University
My previous post on Kumārila’s cognition of the I (here: https://elisafreschi.com/2026/02/15/does-kumarila-accept-i-cognition-as-a-kind-of-perception/) was part of an ongoing conversation with Alex Watson, who patiently prompted me to read or re-read (respectively) his 2010 (“Bhaṭṭa Rāmakaṇṭha’s Elaboration of Self-Awareness (svasaṃvedana)…”) and 2020 (“Four Continue reading Again on ahampratyaya in Kumārila (using Watson 2010 and 2020)
CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, PATNA Forum on International Legal History & Philosophy, 15 April 2026 (in-person) Call for Papers and Engaged Listeners About: This Call for ideas (in the form of detailed abstracts) invites scholars working in International Law, Constitutional Continue reading Forum on International Legal History & Philosophy in India, CfP
Kumārila is an extremely systematic thinker. Thus, if there is a seeming contradiction in Kumārila’s thought, it is likely the case that the contradiction is only a seeming one and that it can be solved. In the case at stake, Continue reading Does Kumārila accept I-cognition as a kind of perception?
Mīmāṃsā authors distinguish between fixed/conditional duties on the one hand, and elective duties on the other. Even Maṇḍana wants to keep them distinct, though insisting that in both cases the commands can be reduced to descriptions of states of affairs. Continue reading Fixed duties vs imperfect duties