Concept · Cognitive Bias: Indian logic fallacies (Nyāya tradition, c. 6th BCE–2nd CE)
Asiddha (unproved reason)
Origin: Aksapada Gautama/Nyāya tradition
Biological Parallel
Claim: 'This bird migrates because it has migratory genes.' But the genes haven't been identified—the reason is unproved (asiddha). The fallacy: asserting explanations before establishing mechanisms. Evolutionary biology battles this: invoking 'genes for X' without genetic evidence. Until FOXP2 was isolated, claims about 'language genes' were asiddha. The Nyāya tradition demanded: prove the reason exists before using it to explain. Hypotheses aren't explanations until mechanisms are demonstrated. Unproved reasons are narrative placeholders.