Essence, Sources, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics | UPSC Mains: Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude PDF Download

Essence of Ethics

The essence refers to the intrinsic quality that defines the character of something. The essence of ethics involves its features, significance, and the fundamental properties that define it.
The following properties/features can define the essence of ethics:

• Defining what is Good/Bad: Ethics helps us determine the goodness or badness of thoughts, actions, and behaviors.
• Ethics and society: Ethics cannot exist in isolation. A person is not born with an inherent ethical system. Instead, the environment, such as society and culture, interacts with the individual's genetic structure to shape their ethical understanding. A person may be born in isolation, but to understand ethics, they need to live in a society.
• Man shapes ethics: While ethics shape individuals, individuals also shape ethics. For example, slavery and discrimination were once socially accepted but have changed due to the influence of great personalities who brought about this change.
• Context-dependent ethics: Ethics are influenced by the context in which they operate and vary in meaning and intensity based on time, place, and individuals. For example, spitting, urinating, and littering in public places are considered unethical in Europe but may not be viewed the same way in India. Similarly, issues like abortion and homosexuality are judged differently in different countries.
• Subjectivity of ethics: Ethics are subjective and are influenced by an individual's emotions and perceptions. For instance, an angry person might act in a highly unethical manner, such as during a riot. Conflicts over ethical beliefs can also lead to issues like cow vigilantism and honor killings.
• Ethics and justice: Ethics arise from the prevailing sense of justice in society. For instance, when one child slaps another, a third child may consider it unethical, believing in social justice and the equality of all people, as outlined in the right to life and personal liberty (Article 21).
• Ethics beyond the law: Ethical standards can go beyond the specific rules and regulations of the law. Some actions may not be illegal but may still be unethical, such as when police refuse to help victims simply because the incident occurred outside their jurisdiction.
• Ethics and responsibility: Ethics are sustained by a sense of responsibility, not just accountability to an external authority, but also to an internal sense of duty.
• Prescriptive nature of ethics: Ethics prescribe how people should behave and tell us the kind of conduct that is expected. However, ethics are often presented without explanation or reason, which can diminish their value and respect among people. For example, traditional family values are declining because their significance and rationale are not properly explained to the youth.
• Descriptive nature of ethics: Ethics also examine the existing standards of behavior in individuals and communities.
• Voluntary actions in ethics: Ethics only addresses voluntary human actions, those that occur when a person acts with free will, without coercion. For instance, if someone is forced at gunpoint to act unethically, they are not considered to be acting ethically or unethically, as their actions were not voluntary.
• Levels of ethics: Ethics operate at various levels, including individual, organizational, socio-cultural, political, and international levels. However, the ethics at one level can influence the ethics at other levels.
• Ethics evaluation: Ethics scrutinize and evaluate various ethical norms, principles, laws, values, and other aspects of human conduct.

Sources/Factors Affecting Ethics

• Religion: Religious texts address questions regarding how individuals should behave and what society should be like. For example, Jainism considers non-vegetarian food unethical, while Islam does not have such a restriction.
• Traditions and Culture: Values differ across cultures. For instance, Western cultures tend to be individualistic, whereas Indian culture emphasizes altruism.
• Law & Constitution: The law and constitution often reflect ethical standards that most citizens follow.
• Leadership: The leaders of a society, organization, or nation influence the behavior of their followers or admirers. For example, the democratic, liberal, secular, and tolerant values have shaped modern Indian society.
• Philosophies: Different philosophers and thinkers advocate for various ethical frameworks.
• Geography: Geography can affect eating habits, such as how Brahmins in West Bengal consume fish (a non-vegetarian diet) because geography has historically dictated the need to eat fish for survival.
• Economic Factors: In communist societies, profiteering is considered unethical, while in capitalist societies, profit is viewed as ethical.
• Organisation: The ethical values within an organization shape the behavior of people working there. For example, the values of ISRO and DRDO influence the ethics of their employees.
• Time: Ethical standards evolve with time. For example, ethics in the 18th century are different from those today.
• Experience: Past experiences shape ethics, such as how the Kalinga War impacted Ashoka's ethical perspective.
• Cost-benefit analysis: Utilitarianism involves evaluating actions based on their outcomes, focusing on the greatest good for the greatest number.
• Inspiration: Figures like Gandhi serve as an inspiration for ethical behavior, particularly for those following his principles of non-violence and truth.
• Power: The right or wrong is often dictated by those in power, such as religious authorities (e.g., Brahmins), economic leaders (e.g., Tata), and political figures (e.g., Modi).
• Education: An individual’s thoughts and values are shaped by their education, although there is no direct correlation between ethics and education.

Determinants of Ethics in Human Actions

• Deliberate human action: Involves knowledge, free will (choice), and voluntariness/willingness.
• Purpose: The purpose behind an action can be personal, social, or organizational.
• Object: The object of the action can be positive, negative, or neutral, depending on the nature of the action.
• Nature of human action: Refers to the intrinsic characteristics of the action itself.
• Circumstances: The context in which the action takes place can be demanding or normal.
• Consequence/end: The outcome of the action, which is evaluated based on teleology (the study of purpose or end goals).
• Means: The methods or approaches used to achieve the end, which are evaluated based on deontology (the study of duty and moral principles).

Relation Between Various Determinants in real life

• Overlap: When two or more determinants operate simultaneously, for example, the compassion of civil servants toward a weaker person, where factors like the nature of the object, purpose, consequences, and circumstances are involved.
• Vary: Ethical judgments can differ based on the context, such as the theft of food to save a dying person from hunger versus an official stealing under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
• Contradict: When there is a conflict between the purpose and the means, such as saving the life of a king (purpose) by killing a beggar (means), leading to a contradiction in ethics.

Consequences of Ethics in Human Actions

• At the individual level:
  • Credibility: Ethics enhances personal trustworthiness and integrity.
  • Confidence: Being ethical builds self-assurance in one’s actions and decisions.
  • Social capital: Ethics strengthens relationships and trust within a community.
  • Happiness: Ethical living contributes to a sense of contentment and well-being.
  • Decide your outlook towards society: Ethics helps shape a person’s view of society and their role within it.
  • Elevate your sense of being: Ethical behavior fosters personal growth and a deeper sense of purpose.
  • Decision making: Ethics provides a framework to make sound and moral choices.
• At the organizational level:
  • Brand quality: Ethics contributes to the reputation and quality of a brand.
  • Employee-employer relationship: Ethics fosters trust and respect between employers and employees.
  • Stakeholder relationship: Ethical behavior ensures fair and responsible dealings with stakeholders.
• At the societal level:
  • Absence of greed: Ethics promotes fairness and prevents the harmful impact of greed.
  • Cooperation and peace: Ethical values encourage collaboration and harmonious relationships within society.
  • Equality and justice: Ethics advocates for fair treatment and the elimination of injustice.
  • Sustainability: Ethics guides society towards practices that preserve resources for future generations.
  • Progressiveness: Ethics encourages forward-thinking and positive societal change.
• Prescribes standards of right and wrong: Ethics identifies what is good or evil, just or unjust, fair or unfair, and defines moral duties. It sets well-established standards for rights, obligations, fairness, and societal benefits, promoting the cessation of unethical activities like theft, assault, and fraud.
• Improves thinking, perspective, and judgments: Ethics provides a framework that helps individuals critically assess their actions, choices, and decisions, offering a moral map to navigate through complex issues.
• Assists in self-awareness: Ethics helps individuals understand their true nature and guides them in making decisions that lead to their best interests and well-being.
• Determines our actions or inaction: In the absence of ethics, human actions would be aimless. Ethical standards guide individuals in organizing their actions to lead a virtuous life and contribute to the greater good of society.
• Ethics as the basis of a healthy and peaceful society: Institutions designed for human welfare rely on ethical principles to function effectively. Ethics creates a common point of view, leading to societal stability and agreement, which maintains peace.
• Ethics helps in making society better: Ethics promotes equality, respect for rights, and the fair treatment of all individuals, making society a better place to live.
• Solving moral dilemmas: Ethics offers rules and principles that help navigate difficult moral issues, such as abortion and euthanasia, providing clarity in complex situations.
• Aids in exercising discretion: Ethics equips individuals with principles to make sound decisions when social norms or laws do not provide clear guidance, fostering skills for morally responsible action.
• Guide to both private and public life: Ethics is integral in both personal and professional spheres. In personal relationships, it guides interactions with others, while in professional life, it determines responsible and moral actions, such as corporate social responsibility and ethical governance.
• Ethics shows the way to self-realization: Ethics helps individuals pursue their desire to be good, guiding them towards self-fulfillment and a deeper understanding of life’s purpose. It is essential to living a satisfactory and meaningful life.