A cache of 5th-century copper plates found in Pauni, Vidarbha, has revealed a legal-philosophical code titled 'Pramana-Lakshana'. The plates outline the 'Philosophy of Epistemic Trust', establishing how truth should be verified in communal disputes and spiritual claims based on the reliability of the source and the consistency of the message.
Experts believe these plates were used by ancient educational guilds to teach the 'Ethics of Information.' By defining what constitutes a valid witness (Apta) and reliable evidence, the text shows a highly sophisticated approach to social epistemology in the Vakataka-era Deccan, blending logic with civic duty.