OM-ARHAM

Chapter 5 – A Line of Demarcation between the first four and last four Yogadṛṣṭis [55 of 121]

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Chapter 5.4 – The Fallacious argument (kutarka) [11 of 32]

Nature of a fallacious argument [3 of 10]

(2) It stands contradictory with the findings of the direct observation:

The conclusion established with the help of a fallacious argument dose not conform to reality. A controller of a mad elephant was telling people to move away form the road because the mad elephant may kill them. When a student of logic heard it he thought of two alternatives.

They are:

1. Does this elephant kill one who is in contact with it?
2. Or, does it kill one who is not in contact with it?

When he contemplated on the suitability of both the alternatives in present situation, he concluded that there exist logical difficulties in both of them. Such an arrangement of verbal as well as mental alternatives born out of the ignorance of the student is called a fallacious argument. While the student was busy in forming the fallacious argument the mad elephant caught him. Somehow, he was rescued by the controller.[1]

This is how the fallacious argument astrays the intellect of the student and does not confirm to reality. The mad elephant neither kills one who is in its contact nor one who is not in its contact. In reality it kills one, who comes in its way from the front side.[2] But this fact cannot be grasped with the help of the fallacious argument.

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