In classical Indian philosophy, the Nyaya Darshan or Nyaya school of logic was traditionally propagated by which thinker?

Introduction / Context:
Indian philosophy is organised into several classical schools, often grouped as orthodox or heterodox systems. Among the orthodox schools, Nyaya, Sankhya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Vedanta, and Yoga are especially important. Each of these systems is associated with a founding sage whose name appears in many objective questions. This question checks whether you can correctly link the Nyaya Darshan, a school focused on logic and epistemology, with its traditional propounder.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The school in question is Nyaya Darshan, a system of logical and philosophical analysis. • The options list four sages: Gautama, Kapil, Kanada, and Jaimini. • We assume the reader knows at least the basic mapping between schools and their original exponents.

Concept / Approach:
The safest approach is to commit to memory a table of classical schools and their key founders. Nyaya is linked with Gautama, also known as Akshapada Gautama. Sankhya is associated with Kapila or Kapil, Vaisheshika with Kanada, and Purva Mimamsa with Jaimini. When a question asks specifically about Nyaya Darshan, you match it with Gautama. The philosophy emphasises valid means of knowledge, logical debate, and analysis of inference, all of which make it central to the study of Indian logic.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Nyaya is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. Step 2: Recall that Nyaya is mainly a school of logic and pramana, the theory of valid knowledge. Step 3: Connect the Nyaya sutras with the sage Gautama, also called Akshapada Gautama, who is credited with composing the basic text. Step 4: Identify Kapil as the sage associated with the Sankhya system and therefore not correct for Nyaya. Step 5: Identify Kanada as the founder of the Vaisheshika school, which deals with atomistic categories. Step 6: Recognise Jaimini as the exponent of Purva Mimamsa, emphasising ritual interpretation of the Vedas. Step 7: Since only Gautama corresponds to Nyaya Darshan, select Gautama as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to recall standard mnemonic pairs: Nyaya Gautama, Sankhya Kapila, Vaisheshika Kanada, Yoga Patanjali, Mimamsa Jaimini, and Vedanta Badarayana or Vyasa. If you can recite this set, you immediately see that Nyaya and Gautama are always joined together. Another way to verify is to recall that the Nyaya system deals heavily with inference and logical fallacies, which are topics related to the legacy of Gautama as a logician and philosopher.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Kapil: Associated with Sankhya philosophy, which analyses reality in terms of Purusha and Prakriti, not the Nyaya approach. Kanada: Linked with the Vaisheshika school, which focuses on categories of reality and atoms, not primarily on logic. Jaimini: Founder of the Mimamsa school, dealing mainly with Vedic ritual exegesis and not Nyaya logic.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse Kapil and Gautama because both appear frequently in philosophical contexts. Similarly, Kanada and Jaimini are sometimes mixed up because their schools are studied in the same chapter. A common mistake is to rely on vague memory instead of a clear mapping table. To avoid errors, revise a simple list where each school is firmly tied to one name, and test yourself by covering one column and recalling the matching term. This quick revision habit can prevent negative marking in objective papers.

Final Answer:
The Nyaya Darshan or Nyaya school of logic was traditionally propagated by Gautama.