Logic and debate are considered to be important characteristics of a philosophical tradition. Concerning the Indian tradition of philosophy, much attention has been paid to these issues as they appear in early classical A-yurveda, specifically the Carakasam. hita-. Satischandra Vidyabhushana argued that the relevant passages in this earliest work present us with summaries or expositions of the ancient teachings of A-nvi-ks. iki-, the "investigating science", logical, dialectical and eristic

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... hings that soon after became-in a modified and pruned form-the core of Aks. apa-da's Nya-yasu-tra, whereas Surendranath Dasgupta claimed that logic actually originated in the medical science and was later on codified in the Nya-yasu-tra. The paper will present and discuss these contrasting positions, place the material of the Carakasam. hita-in a broader historical context, briefly review the most important scholarship on the issue, and suggest a fresh interpretation of the evidence within the cultural context of early classical Indian medicine.