According to the classical Indian school of logic (Nyaya), which of the following arguments involves the fallacy of ashrayasiddha?
AThe sky-lotus is fragrant, because it is a lotus, like the lotus of a lake ✓ Correct
BSound is not eternal because it is produced
CSound is eternal because it is produced
DSound is eternal because it is audible
Correct answer: (A) The sky-lotus is fragrant, because it is a lotus, like the lotus of a lake
Explanation
The sky-lotus is fragrant fails because the subject, the sky-lotus, does not exist at all.
In ashrayasiddha the very locus (ashraya) of the inference is unreal.
A sky-lotus is a fictitious object, so there is no subject in which the property can reside.
With a non-existent subject, neither the reason nor the probandum can be located anywhere.
An inference whose subject itself is unreal commits the ashrayasiddha fallacy.
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