A
The Western philosophy closest to Cārvāka is Classical Materialism and Empiricism, with some overlap with Skepticism. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
1. Materialism
Similarity: Both Cārvāka and Western materialists assert that only matter exists, and everything—including consciousness—arises from physical interactions.
Examples:
Democritus / Epicurus (Ancient Greece) – universe made of atoms; the soul is material.
Thomas Hobbes – humans are purely physical beings; mind arises from body.
2. Empiricism
Similarity: Both Cārvāka and empiricists insist that knowledge comes from sense experience.
Western Empiricists:
John Locke – all ideas come from experience; reject innate ideas.
George Berkeley – while idealist, emphasizes perception as source of knowledge.
David Hume – only impressions from experience are valid; skeptical about causation and metaphysics.
3. Skepticism about Religion / Supernatural
Similarity: Cārvāka denies heaven, hell, and divine realms; Western skeptics also question religion.
Examples:
Epicurus – gods exist but do not intervene in human affairs.
Richard Dawkins / Modern Atheists – deny supernatural influence; moral systems grounded in humanism.
Key Notes
| Feature | Cārvāka | Western Analogue |
|---|---|---|
| Reality | Only the perceivable, material world exists | Materialism (Democritus, Hobbes) |
| Knowledge | Only perception is valid; rejects inference | Empiricism (Locke, Hume) |
| Consciousness | Product of matter | Materialist views of mind (Hobbes, Epicurus) |
| Afterlife / Gods | Denies heaven, hell, gods | Skepticism / Atheism |
| Ethics | Humanistic, pragmatic | Secular humanism, utilitarianism |
✅ Conclusion:
Cārvāka aligns most closely with Ancient Greek materialism (Democritus, Epicurus) and modern empiricism / skepticism, as all reject supernatural claims and emphasize experience and matter.
If you want, I can make a visual chart comparing Cārvāka with Greek and modern Western materialism and empiricism for easy study.
Do you want me to do that?
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