Chapter 5: The Argumentative Indian

Sen treats argumentation as a positive value. Argumentation sparked dissent and shaped Indian politics to a large extent. He even claimed that argumentation was an important contribution to the development of democracy in India. Argumentation supports the opinions of ordinary people, which helps maintain democracy in our country. Therefore, Sen believes that argumentation is extremely important for the normal operation of democracy.

Answer. ‘Bhagavad Gita’ is described as Krishna’s one-sided wisdom, despite the disastrous consequences; however, Sen believes that Arjuna’s consistent and more sensible analysis of ‘faring well’ should also be placed in the context of today’s violent world. Looking back, Sen suggests that the interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita needs to supplement Mahabharata’s broader argumentation wisdom.