VisionIAS - Video Classroom Lecture

Ethics Class 01

FEATURES OF VALUE, ATTITUDE, MORALITY AND ETHICS (VAME) (1:07 PM)

Static v/s Dynamic:
VAME are relatively permanent.
They are the source of our identity.
They are the result of the massive investment of time, cost, and energy.
Any departure from the existing values tends to create feelings of guilt.
However, it is not completely static as change is accommodated in the following manners:
1. The change is also accommodated by accepting different behaviours under the same value.
2. Sudden experiences in life. For example: The value system of Samrat Ashok post-Kalinga war, the Story of Angulimal, and COVID experiences.
3. When there is a change in the environment drastically. For example- the Radicalization of Youth by anti-social elements, and more exposure to social media.
Question: In defence services, patriotism means laying down one's life for the country. What according to you is patriotism in everyday life? Give examples (150 words/10 marks)

CULTURAL SPECIFIC VERSUS UNIVERSAL (1:28 PM)

Values act as an adhesive, which binds the people of society together.
For any society to survive, it needs to have stability and harmony.
One of the prerequisites is vale consensus. Hence these are some values that are culture-specific.
In the Indian context, collectivism is a value in our society.
Cooperation is also a value in our society and Strong religious sentiments are a value in our society.
Delayed Gratification is a value derived from collectivism (delayed Gratification means delaying the gratification of own desire)
These can not be seen in the West so these can be called Culture-specific.
* Love, happiness, integrity, and compassion are Universal Values
Compassion = Empathy + Desire for action.
Antipathy: I am against this person
Apathy: Indifferent towards others
Sympathy: To pity someone
Empathy: I will imaginatively put myself in the shoes of others and feel the pain
Compassion: I am able to understand the situation and help to alleviate the pain
For e.g. Awanish Sharan an IAS officer introduces the concept of a bike ambulance for the tribal population of Chattisgarh.

ABSOLUTE VERSUS RELATIVE (1:45 PM)

"Truth is a truth even if no one speaks, a lie is a lie even if everyone speaks".
Something right or wrong for all time to come.
There cannot be the wrong way of doing the right things. Hence means are important.
For example: Jumping a traffic signal to save someone's life is not justified. similarly, the concept of Robinhood is also not justified
However, the absolute approach was criticised for being rigidity and It is believed a certain amount of flexibility is required to successfully interact with the environment.
Hence relativeness is preferable because it helps us to make decisions depending upon the situation.
For example: sometimes being kind is more important than being right such as distributing Rations to those who don't have Aadhar-linked ration cards.
Hence it is said to evaluate the rightness of an action it is important to understand the intention behind the action.

OBJECTIVE V/S SUBJECTIVE (1:59 PM)

The value is not the property of the object but the perspective of the subject. This perspective is held by subjective scholars, For example: Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholders.
However, if values are evaluated irrespective of the individual, it is referred to as objective. For example: According to Plato, beauty is an objective value.
However, there are some values which exist independent of the individuals. For example: wisdom, compassion, love etc
Note: Wisdom = Intelligence + Morality.
However, the values can be objective but their manifestation can be subjective. For example: one of the manifestations of expressing love of the Cinema has been Stalking.
Note: Kindly refer to the flowchart made by the faculty in this regard.
Long-lasting beliefs based on preference with respect to desirable and undesirable become the values
Values result in morals and ethics:
When it is seen through the prism of right and wrong.
Only those values which can be seen through the prism of right and wrong, those values become morals at the individual level and ethics at the societal level
Honesty, integrity, courage - all these values can be seen through the prism of right and wrong.
Morals when accepted at the societal level become ethics
Ethics when practiced at the individual level becomes morals
Morals are individual standards of right and wrong and Ethics is a framework with respect to right and wrong

VALUE & ATTITUDE (2:24 PM)

When values are tied to an object it is referred to as attitude. Attitude depicts the readiness of the psyche to act or react in a certain way.
Values are general and not related to any object whereas attitude is specific and is always oriented towards distinct objects i.e. people, ideas, events etc.
Values represent what ought to be whereas attitudes are well-established thoughts which reflect the likeliness to behave in a particular manner.
Values are derived from culture, traditions, family etc. Hence are relatively more enduring.
However, attitude is also determined by personal experiences. Hence, is relatively less enduring.
For example: Being religious is value t is a value but that does not specify that you will regularly visit religious shrines.
Values at individual levels are morals and at societal level it is Ethics.

MORALS AND ETHICS (2:41 PM)

Parameters	Ethics	Morals
Concept	What is the right way to act in a situation by an actor	Standards of behaviour which individuals have set for themselves with respect to right or wrong
Source	External/society	Internal/ Individual
Why do we follow?	Because society says it is the right thing to do.	Because we believe it is right
What if we deviate?	It might lead to social exclusion, boycotts, or social ostracization.	The feeling of guilt, anxiety, remorse
Flexibility	Collective proposition of society hence more objective as compared to morals.	Varies from individual to individual hence more subjective

Note:
When the morals of individuals are accepted at the collective level it is Ethics and Ethics at the collective level is practised by the individual level then it i referred to as 'Moral'. For e.g. Sati was considered a good act but now this act is considered illegal.
For e.g. With respect to the Doctor, a person is terminally ill however is a convict there exists. The morality of Dr. says the person deserves to die but the medical ethics says it is the duty of the Dr. to save a life.
Question: What do you understand by values and Ethics? In what way it is important to be ethical along with being professionally competent? (150 words /10 marks)

CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE (3:09 PM)

The conscience is defined as the intuitive authoritative judgment with respect to the moral quality of actions.
A crisis of conscience can be defined as a situation where you worry because:
1. You think, you have done something wrong.
2. You had a dilemma between the two options and you were compelled to take action against your conscience.
3. There exists a feeling of guilt.
For example:
A. Mental state of Arjun before Kurukshetra
B. Inertia to appear as a witness in criminal cases.
C. Let us assume that those who believe that people are constitutionally allowed to engage in peaceful protest however the superior has given the order to disperse the crowd.
To overcome CoC one requires wisdom, courage and integrity.
"Conscience is like a dog which can never bite but never stops barking "
CoC is a moral manifestation of cognitive dissonance
Question: What is meant by ‘crisis of conscience"? Narrate one incident in your life when you were faced with such a crisis and how you resolved the same. (150 words/10 marks)

NORMS (3:22 PM)

Norms are one of the sources of ethics.
They are referred to as informal guidelines which act as guiding principles of behaviour
They are agreed upon by the societal members and it is binding on all members of society
They are referred to as "social expectations". For example: touching the feet of the elders as a matter of respect or Folding hands to greet them.
It also acts as a tool of social control to ensure uniformity, and conformity and to check deviance.
For example, Caste endogamy, Early marriage wrt girls, arrange marriage, universalisation of marriage, the hetero-sexual norm of marriage
Although they are informal guidelines any digression from the established norms might lead to a social boycott or social exclusion or social ridiculing or social ostracization or scolding.

THE TOPICS FOR THE NEXT CLASS ARE LAWS AND ETHICS AND SOCIALIZATION.