Editing Carvaka School of Thought in Indian Philosophy (section)

==== '''Epistemology''' ====
It is legitimate to say that the entire philosophy of Carvakas is based on their notion of knowledge or epistemology. Knowledge of reality or valid cognition is called ‘prama’ and the source of such knowledge is called ‘pramana’. The Carvakas maintain that perception is the only pramana or reliable source of knowledge. What is arrived at by direct perception is the truth. That alone exists. What is not perceivable is non-existent, for the simple reason that it is not perceived (Radhakrishnan, 1927, 279)<sup>9</sup>. They assert that the only correct knowledge is that we can perceive through our senses. To authenticate their stance, they criticise the potentiality of other sources of knowledge like inference and testimony which are accounted as valid pramanas by many other philosophical schools of thought. The Carvaka is the only school of traditional thought that solely recognised and acknowledged ''pratyaksha'' (perception) as a legitimate form of knowledge. The idea is derived mainly from Madhava's treatment of the Lokayata-epistemology in the ''Sarvadarshansangraha.'' That which is not perceived is non-existent according to this school of thought.