 The Naiyāyikas are a part of this tradition. One of their most significant contributions is formulation of a method which forms the core of inquiry in general and so also of scientific inquiry. The method has four main steps. The first step is to provide an enumeration (uddeśa) of the divisions of the subject matter. The second step is to supply a definition (lakṣaṇa) of the subject under consideration, in the form of a distinguishing mark of it. The third step is an examination (parīkṣā) of the definition, and the fourth verification (nirṇaya). Enumeration sometimes includes classification (vibhāga); however, in general, classification comes after definition. Any truth reached by this procedure is raised to the status of an established theory (siddhānta). ‘Pramāṇas [methods of knowledge-acquisition] are operations subsidiary to the ascertainment of truth. The methods of special sciences are ancillary to these pramāṇas’ (P. C. Ray, 1956). It is evident that methodologically there is no difference between science and philosophy, particularly epistemology. In Nyāya epistemology, common sense, science, logic and scriptures are all considered to be continuous with one another.