Word Meaning, Perceptual Roots: Grounding Mimamsa and Nyaya’s Accounts of Denotations of Generic Terms in Perception

Abstract

What do common nouns like “cow” denote – a particular cow or a universal quality of cow-ness? This paper delves into the intricate theories of two ancient Indian philosophical schools - Nyaya and Mimamsa - by utilizing a conceptual metaphor approach. Inspired by Lakoff and Núñez's work, we bridge the gap between modern readers and ancient philosophers through the mapping of sensory experiences to abstract concepts. Through perceptual grounding, we explore the integration of Universal and Particular notions and the wholeness contributed by different schools of thought. Finally, this method sheds light on the potential of cognitive semantics.