VAISHESHIKA

(Skt.,visesa, difference) One of the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy.Vaisheshikais concerned with the things that there are, or the categories of being.Vaisheshikais a kind of atomism, holding that the basis of physical reality is a plurality of infinitesimal atoms. The Indian school was well aware of the problem of understanding how the combination of infinitesimals produces a finite quantity of stuff (see Bayle's trilemma ).Vaisheshikais philosophically allied to theNyayaschool, supplementing its analysis of knowledge with a philosophy of the nature of the things that are known.