Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, Determinants, Dimensions of Ethics; Ethics - in Private and Public Relationships. Human Values- Role of Family, Society and Educational Institutions in Inculcating

1. Essence of Ethics

Ethics refers to the principles guiding right and wrong conduct. In public life, it ensures fairness, justice, and accountability. The essence of ethics lies in upholding human dignity, constitutional values, and societal good amidst complex moral and governance dilemmas.

keywords	Examples
1. Justice, equality, rights-based ethics, distributive justice	Medha Patkar, leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, stood up for displaced tribal and rural communities, despite political and legal hurdles.
2. Liberty, rule of law, moral courage, constitutional ethics	During the 1976 Emergency, Justice H.R. Khanna delivered a historic dissent in the ADM Jabalpur case, defending the right to life and liberty even when others submitted to state pressure.
3. Communal harmony, tolerance, social cohesion, ethical pluralism	Suresh Jadhav, a government school teacher in Pune, incorporated multi-religious prayers and teachings from the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, and the Bible into the morning assembly to promote mutual respect. He also organised Unity Day, where students from all religions shared food and cultural stories.
4. Compassion, dignity, inclusiveness, empathy	Bezwada Wilson, despite facing social stigma and threats, champions the dignity and rights of manual scavengers through legal action, policy reform, and social inclusion.
5. Self-care, de-stigmatisation, emotional intelligence	A civil services aspirant talks publicly about taking therapy for anxiety, inspiring others to seek help.
6. Community care, solidarity, moral responsibility	During the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of neighbours pooled resources to run a free tiffin service for migrant workers.

2. Determinants of Ethics

Ethical behaviour is shaped by various influences like family, education, religion, society, and law. Understanding these determinants helps individuals identify the roots of moral conduct and develop a personal value system aligned with social responsibility, justice, and human dignity.

keywords	Examples
1. Family and Upbringing	Gandhiji’s truthfulness was shaped by his mother's religious discipline.
2. Education System	Moral science classes and activities like NCC/NSS instil civic responsibility.
3. Religion and Spirituality	Ahimsa in Jainism, Dharma in Hinduism, Zakat in Islam, etc.
4. Society and Peer Influence	Group volunteering initiatives under SBM
5. Laws and Constitution	Fundamental Duties promote ethical citizenship.
6. Role Models and Leadership	Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s simplicity and integrity inspired millions.
7. Professional Training and Code of Conduct	Code of Conduct for Civil Servants under AIS Conduct Rules.

3. Dimensions of ethics

Ethics comprises multiple dimensions—virtue-based, duty-based, and outcome-based—each offering a lens to evaluate human conduct. These frameworks help individuals navigate moral dilemmas, align personal values with responsible action, and make choices rooted in justice, wisdom, and compassion.

3.1 Virtue ethics

keywords	Examples
1. Critical and Rational Thinking	IAS officer Armstrong Pame used rational planning and crowd-sourced funds to build a road in Manipur without government support, applying critical reasoning and ethical responsibility.
2. Courage of Conviction	Malala Yousafzai: Continued advocating for girls’ education even after a Taliban attack, reflecting Socratic courage in pursuit of truth. Edward Snowden (NSA leaks): Despite exile and personal risk, Snowden exposed mass surveillance programs, demonstrating moral courage and a commitment to civil liberty.
3. Scientific Temper	“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates NDMA’s evidence-based disaster planning: Uses empirical data and simulations, promoting rational policy grounded in scientific reasoning.  K. Radhakrishnan (ex-ISRO chief) promoted space missions not for prestige, but as tools for rural development, showcasing the humble pursuit of knowledge.
4. Rule of Law	“Obedience to the law is obedience to justice.” Justice H.R. Khanna (ADM Jabalpur case) dissenting voice during Emergency, defending fundamental rights over executive powers—upheld rule of law with courage.
5. Justice	“Justice means doing one's own work and not meddling with what isn’t one's own.” South Africa’s stand against racial quotas in sports: Despite past injustices, there is growing discourse about selecting players purely on merit—showing a shift from symbolic to substantive justice.
6. Wisdom	“I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.” – Socrates Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Aligarh Movement to modernise Muslim education, combining Islamic values with a rational, scientific outlook.
7. Courage	Jyotiba Phule courageously fought caste discrimination and advocated women’s education amidst upper-caste hostility in 19th-century Maharashtra. Irom Sharmila fasted for 16 years against AFSPA in Manipur, symbolising non-violent courage against state policy.
8. Moderation	Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, known for his integrity and humility, lived modestly, reflecting temperance in authority.

3.2 Ethics based on actions

Dimensions	Keywords	Examples
1. Deontological Ethics (Kantian theory)	1.1 Truth as Duty	Gandhi's insistence on non-violence and truth even during the toughest times (e.g., Champaran Satyagraha) reflects a strong sense of moral duty, irrespective of political gain or consequence.
	1.2 Whistleblowing as Moral Duty	Satyendra Dubey, an NHAI engineer, exposed corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral project, driven by a duty to public interest over personal safety.
	1.3 Constitutional Morality	IAS officer Ashok Khemka exposed irregularities in land deals involving powerful political figures (e.g., the Robert Vadra-DLF land case in Haryana). Despite facing repeated transfers (50+ times), he consistently upheld constitutional values and refused to comply with illegal or unethical directives.
	1.4 Justice	Justice J.S. Verma ensured judicial independence in the Hawala case, prioritising duty over political pressure.
	1.5 Moral Courage	A village sarpanch refusing to misuse government funds for caste-based appeasement, despite community pressure, shows loyalty to ethical duty over social pressure.
2. Teleological Ethics	2.1 Utilitarian Governance	Government's suspension of the internet in violence-prone areas (e.g., Manipur, Haryana) reflects a consequence-based decision to ensure public peace and prevent the escalation of communal tension.
	2.2 Welfare Maximisation	Prioritising vaccines for senior citizens and healthcare workers during COVID reflects teleological reasoning to save maximum lives
	2.3 Social Utility	An IPS officer initiating night schools in Naxal-affected tribal belts works beyond duty, aiming to empower youth and reduce alienation
	2.4 Community-Centric Ethics	In Odisha, a district collector walked 10 km through forest terrain to assist a pregnant tribal woman in a remote village.
	2.5 Rural Administration	E-governance initiatives like Digital India or PMGDISHA promotes digital literacy and governance to ensure maximal benefit to the rural masses.

3.3 Applied Ethics 

Dimensions	Keywords	Examples
1. AI Ethics	1.1 Algorithmic Bias	In the US healthcare system, an AI tool used to allocate medical care showed racial bias by giving white patients higher risk scores than Black patients with similar health conditions.
	1.2 Accountability and Transparency	In the Tesla autopilot crash cases, questions of accountability were raised — whether the driver, company, or AI system was at fault. The EU AI Act (2024) mandates that high-risk AI systems must be transparent and explainable, especially in sectors like healthcare and law enforcement.
	1.3 Autonomy and Consent	Google’s AI call assistant (Duplex) was criticised for not informing the receiver that they were talking to a machine, raising ethical concerns over informed consent and deception.
	1.4 Privacy and Data Ethics	ChatGPT and other LLMs raised concerns in Italy and Germany over how user data and conversations are stored and used without adequate consent — leading to regulatory scrutiny in 2023.
	1.5 Deepfake and Misinformation	In the 2024 Indian General Elections, deepfake videos of political leaders were circulated on social media, prompting the Election Commission to issue advisories on AI ethics in campaigning.
2. Media Ethics	2.1 Objectivity	During the 2024 Indian General Elections, some media houses were criticised for biased coverage favouring certain parties, violating objectivity.
	2.2 Freedom of Press vs. Responsible Journalism	Broadcast of misinformation during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., fake news about migrant trains) led to panic, showing misuse of press freedom.
	2.3 Invasion of Privacy	Leaking personal chats of celebrities during drug probe investigations in 2023 sparked privacy debates.
	2.4 Trial by Media	In the Aryan Khan drug case, media narratives influenced public opinion before any legal conclusion, violating fairness.
	2.5 Paid News and Advertorials	The 2019 Paid News Reports by the Press Council identified multiple political ads published as regular news during elections.
3. Bio and Medical Ethics	3.1 Informed Consent	Biocon's 2022 insulin trial faced criticism as participants weren’t fully informed of risks, violating clinical ethics and consent norms.
	3.2 Confidentiality	A data breach in the CoWIN platform in 2023 exposed health details of millions, raising ethical and legal concerns.
	3.3 Medical Negligence and Accountability	Gorakhpur tragedy (UP, 2017) — the death of over 60 children due to oxygen supply disruption raised ethical questions on negligence.
	3.4 Organ Transplant and Brain Death Ethics	Tamil Nadu and Kerala models use opt-in donor systems with ethical counselling; however, black market rackets like the Gurugram kidney racket (2023) expose ongoing violations.
	3.5 Global Sharing of Biological Resources	Nagoya Protocol (2014) on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) ensures indigenous communities benefit from the use of their biological resources (e.g., medicinal plants in tribal India used for pharmaceuticals).
4. Environmental ethics	4.1 Intergenerational Equity	India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission promotes clean energy to reduce the carbon footprint for long-term sustainability.
	4.2 Polluter Pays Principle	Supreme Court fined Sterlite Copper Plant (Tamil Nadu) ₹100 crore for causing environmental damage — upheld this principle.
	4.3 Sustainable Development	Char Dham highway project faces criticism for harming Himalayan ecology despite developmental goals, raising ethical dilemmas.
	4.4 Environmental Justice	Bhitarkanika displacement in Odisha for industrial projects raised concerns over tribal rights and ecological loss.
	4.5 Ecocentrism	The SC verdict on Great Indian Bustard conservation (2021) directed undergrounding of power lines to protect birds, showing an eco-centric approach prioritising ecological balance over economic ease.
	4.6 Environmental Stewardship	The Namami Gange mission encourages local communities to act as "Ganga Praharis" – protectors of the river ecosystem — a model of stewardship-based conservation.
	4.7 Rights of Nature	The Uttarakhand High Court (2017) granted legal personhood to the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.

4. Ethics in Private and Public Relations

Ethics in relationships distinguishes between personal morality and public duty. While private life is guided by emotions and personal bonds, public life demands impartiality, transparency, and adherence to constitutional norms—ensuring trust, integrity, and ethical governance in public service.

Aspect	Ethics in Private Relations	Ethics in Public Relations
1. Definition	Concerned with moral conduct in personal and family life.	Concerned with moral conduct in professional/public life and administrative roles.
2. Guiding Principle	Loyalty, love, empathy, and personal values. E.g., Helping a cousin financially despite their past mistakes.	Objectivity, fairness, impartiality, and constitutional morality. E.g., Not favouring a cousin in the government recruitment process due to a conflict of interest.
3. Scope of Responsibility	Limited to self, family, and close relationships. E.g., Keeping household waste near your gate without community concern.	Broad responsibility towards society, nation, and public welfare. E.g., A municipal officer ensuring city-wide sanitation and waste management.
4. Accountability	Social or emotional accountability (e.g., family disapproval).	Legal and institutional accountability (e.g., CAG, RTI, parliamentary scrutiny).
5. Decision-making Basis	Decisions based on emotional judgment or personal bonds. E.g., Forgiving a sibling’s mistake due to affection.	Decisions based on laws, procedures, and public interest. E.g., A police officer penalising a relative for breaking the law despite personal discomfort.
6. Visibility & Scrutiny	Actions are private, less exposed to public judgment. E.g., Accepting an expensive gift from a friend may not raise issues.	Actions are under constant public/media/legal scrutiny. E.g., accepting a gift above permissible value from a contractor is unethical and legally questionable.

5. Role of Family, Society, and Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values

Values are first shaped by family, reinforced by society, and formalised through education. These institutions form the ethical foundation of individuals, helping inculcate honesty, compassion, civic responsibility, and respect for diversity from an early age.

1. Family 

   1. Value Transmission through Parenting: A child who observes parents not lying on phone calls learns truthfulness.

   2. Role Modelling: Abdul Kalam cited his father's simplicity and fairness as key influences.

   3. Moral Discipline: Mahatma Gandhi learned the importance of punctuality and self-restraint from his mother.

   4. Empathy and Sharing: A child donating toys to the needy, as taught by parents.

   5. Ethical sensitivity: Grandmother narrating the story of Harishchandra instils the value of truthfulness in a child.

2. Society

   1. Social Norm Reinforcement: Whistleblowers are socially honoured for speaking truth.

   2. Community Service and Volunteerism: Students volunteering for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

   3. Civic Awareness and Responsibility: A community boycotting a corrupt politician in local elections.

   4. Cultural Festivals as Ethical Education: Children giving ‘Eidi’ or gifts to the underprivileged during Eid.

   5. Peer Group Influence: A student reports cheating in exams due to peer support.

3. Education

   1. Curriculum-Based Moral Education: NCERT Textbooks Discussing Gandhian Values.

   2. Teacher as Ethical Role Model: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan inspired generations through academic ethics.

   3. School Rules and Ethical Conduct: Practices such as not cheating, respecting others’ opinions, and participating in team activities promote integrity and cooperation.

   4. Debates and Moral Case Studies: Debating topics like capital punishment or environmental ethics.

   5. Inclusive and Democratic Environment: Morning assemblies promoting unity in diversity.