Alfred Ye

College:

Wolfson College

Course:

DPhil in Oriental Studies

Contact:

alfred.ye@wolfson.ox.ac.uk

alfred.x.ye@gmail.com

Thesis Title

Kumārila on Universals: the Ākṛtivāda Chapter of Kumārila’s Ślokavārttika. A Critical Edition, Annotated Translation, and Study

Research Interests:

  • Mīmāṃsā philosophy in Sanskrit sources
  • Classical Indian metaphysics and epistemology
  • History of Indian philosophy
  • Pre-modern intellectual history in classical India
  • Philosophical dialogue between Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Jainism

My dissertation project provides an account of the theory of universals by the seventh century Mīmāṃsā philosopher, Kumārila Bhaṭṭa, in his Ślokavārttika (“Critical Commentary in Verses”). In the chapter entitled as Ākṛtivāda (“Theory of Universals”), my main subject of study, Kumārila formulates radical propositions when expounding his theory of universals. My dissertation sees the main intervention of Kumārila’s theory of universals as part of Kumārila’s broader agenda on updating Mīmāṃsā system with a more sophisticated ontology and epistemology in the highly competitive Indian philosophical circle in the second half of the first millennium. My project also aims to construct an intellectual history of Kumārila’s theory of universals by tracing its transmission and its critical reception in the history of Indian philosophy. The textual history that I have examined suggests that Kumārila manages to create a distinct philosophical identity with his theory of universals.

Recent Publications 

Journal Article:

Ye, Alfred X. (2021) “On Śālikanātha’s Critique of Īśvara and the Notions of God”, Journal of Indian Philosophy, 49(3), pp. 451-465. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10781-021-09469-y

Book Review:

Ye, Alfred X. (2020) Navya-Nyāya Philosophy of Language by Toshihiro Wada , New Delhi: D.K. Printworld. ISBN: 978-81-246-1013-8, Journal of Indian Philosophy, 48(5), pp. 1019-1021

 

Alfred Ye