Thursday, September 13, 2018

Ethics & Integrity: Values, Ethics, Morality

Values, Ethics, Morality

ValuesValues refer to the important and enduring beliefs or principles, based on which an individual makes judgement in life. Values do not attach judgement of right and wrong to a personal domain. Values refers to something that one consider to have worth in one’s life. For example – being a vegetarian, choosing materialism over spiritualism etc.
TypesIntrinsic (Primary)Values which are an end in itself – education for wisdom
Instrumental (Secondary)Values which are means to an end – education for job, Gym for toned body


Nature
UniversalWhich do not change with context or time and remain same always – Love, truth, care, respect, peace
EvolvingChange with time – Polygamy, Satipratha, LGBT, Parda system,
Change with place – Abortion, Food Preference, Collectivism vs individualism
Subjective (Relativist)Values which change with the context or situation – Killing vs Euthanasia vs killing in self defence vs capital punishment – Values which can be justified in a particular situation
Objective (Absolutist)Absolutists are the people according to whom values do not change with respect to time or context – Killing is killing no matter what
Conflicting values in contemporary timesIn contemporary times all the conflicts in this world are due to non-acknowledgment of values of others. People keeping their values above of others, and not respecting the values of others become the cause for widespread differences, mistrust & intolerance in society as well as international sphere.
  • Materialism vs spiritualism
  • Hierarchy vs egalitarianism
  • Capitalism vs socialism
  • Globalization vs localization
  • Theocratic vs secular state
  • Individualism vs collectivism
FundamentalistWhen one becomes colorblind that other’s values should not exist (Only his value is right) – ISIS
Global conflictsDue to conflict of values – Rising intolerance i.e. not acknowledging others values – USA vs Russia
Moral PolishingValue conflicts – Bajrang dal on valentine’s day, Cow killing vs cow vigilantes

Ethics & Morality
  • Attaching judgment to values
  • Determine right & wrong aspects of human action
EthicsCollective set of values prescribed by a group  – organization, religion, society, culture, profession – They are externally sourced by a common set of principles a group or society believes in
MoralityIndividual set of principles, determining right & wrong for oneself – They are internally sourced means what an individual believes in irrespective of society
E vs MThey are mostly complementary to each other but in some cases are antagonistic – Inter caste marriages, Doctor treating a rapist, lawyer fighting a case for a terrorist, Khap panchayat vs individual thinking, RRM Roy vs orthodox rituals
  • Ethical values become moral on socialization; whereas consensus based codification of moral values become ethics
  • Law – Emerges out of larger consensus + Objective in nature + Codified + Binding & Enforceable

Determinants of Values / Ethics / Morality
Individual levelFamilyFormative stage, 1st informal stage of socialization, emotive component, collectivism & helping attitude of joint family vs economic aspirations & alienation of nuclear family
School1st formal stage of socialization, learns Discipline, Equality (EWS & Riches), Intermixing of cultures, Study of all religions
ReligionsRefers to selfless duty – Niskamkarma, Jakat, Lunger versus exploitation of religion – Fatwa, ISIS, Saffron vigilante
Peer GroupPeer group pressure to sail with the flow or become an odd man out
LeadersWhich aspire us to be like them – Raghuram Rajan, Vinod Rai, Durga Shakti Nagpal, Abraham Lincoln
Media(Print & Electronics) – Awareness vs Sensitization; Cinema – Social equality vs commodification of women
ProfessionalMinimum standard & behaviour required in a profession – Doctor, lawyer
National levelWhich binds us in a common thread – Constitution, Common History, Common Enemy pre independence & post-independence

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