Anekantavada

One of the three causal models in
Indian philosophy, along with
asatkaryavada and satkaryavada. All
three models seek to explain the workings of causality in the everyday world,
particularly the relationship between
causes and their effects, which has
profound implications for religious
life. Philosophical theory assumes
that if one understands the causal
process correctly and can manipulate
it through one’s conscious actions, it
is possible to gain final liberation of
the soul (moksha). Disagreements
over differing causal models are
grounded in varying assumptions
about the nature of things.
The asatkaryavada model assumes
that effects do not preexist in their
causes; the satkaryavada model
assumes that they do. The third model,
Anekantavada (“the view that things
are not single”), seeks to occupy the
middle ground between these two.
Anekantavada stresses how one
looks at things and the way that this
can color a judgment. In viewing the
transformation of milk to curds, butter,
and clarified butter, an anekantavada
proponent would claim that the
substances in question were contained
in the causes (supporting the
satkaryavada notion), but that the
qualities each of these substances possessed were newly created each time
(supporting the asatkaryavada notion).
Thus, causes and effects are simultaneously both the same and different,
depending on the lens through which
one looks at them. This theory is an
attempt to find a middle ground
between the other two causal models
by showing that each is possible, but it
runs the risk of being seen as not taking
any position at all. The major proponents of this position are the Jains, who
are outside the scope of the present
work. For further information see Karl
H. Potter (ed.), Presuppositions of
India’s Philosophies, 1972.