Q1 of 12 Page 188

Does Amartya Sen see argumentation as a positive or a negative value?

Sen sees argumentation as a positive value. He believes that the argumentative tradition greatly shapes our social world and culture. According to Sen, it became an important part of our public life and has also deeply influenced the Indian politics. He even argues that argumentation was a major contribution to the development of democracy in India.


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3

Sen has sought here to dispel some misconceptions about democracy in India. What are these misconceptions?

 4

How, according to Sen, has the tradition of public discussion and interactive reasoning helped the success of democracy in India?

 2

How is the message of the Gita generally understood and portrayed? What change in interpretation does Sen suggest?

 1

This essay is an example of argumentative writing. Supporting statements with evidence is a feature of this kind of writing.

For each of the statements given below state the supportive evidence provided in the essay:


(i) Prolixity is not alien to India –


(ii) The arguments are also, often enough, substantive –


(iii) This admiration for the Gita, and Krishna’s arguments, in particular has been a lasting phenomenon in parts of European culture –


(iv) There remains a powerful case for ‘faring well’, and not just ‘forward’ –