Summary of Amartya Sen's The Argumentative Indian

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

Book Preview: #1 The epic MahA bhA rata presents each of the two arguments for doing your duty with much care and sympathy.

However, the tragic desolation that the post-combat and post-carnage land seems to face towards the end of the book can even be seen as a vindication of Arjuna's profound doubts.#2 The Gita's univocal message requires supplementation by the broader argumentative wisdom of the Mahabharata, which includes the perspectives of those who were defeated in the debates.#3 The tradition of arguments and disputations has been exclusive to the Indian population, but it has not been limited to the male elite.

Women have participated in both political leadership and intellectual pursuits in India, though they have not been as dominant in those roles as men.#4 The arguments presented by women speakers in epics and classical tales, or in recorded history, do not always conform to the tender and peace-loving image that is often assigned to women.