Human Values & Professional Ethics PDF

a foundation course in HUMAN VALUES and professional ethics Presenting a universal approach to value education 3 rd - through self-exploration Revised Edition What is my...

a foundation course in HUMAN VALUES and professional ethics Presenting a universal approach to value education 3 rd - through self-exploration Revised Edition What is my role in this existence? R R Gaur R Asthana G P Bagaria i A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics ii 3rd Revised Edition A foundation course in HUMAN VALUES and professional ethics Presenting a universal approach to value education - through self-exploration RR Gaur R Asthana GP Bagaria i A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics A Foundation Course in Human Values and Professional Ethics RR Gaur, R Asthana, GP Bagaria First edition: New Delhi, 2010, ISBN: 978-81-7446-781-2 Reprint: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 Second edition: New Delhi, 2019, ISBN: 978-93-87034-47-1 Third revised edition: New Delhi, 2023 ISBN: 978-81-957703-7-3 (Printed Copy) ISBN: 978-81-957703-6-6 (e-book) UHV Publications Sarva Shubha Nyas, Kanpur Printed by PHI, 27 Pace City 1, Sector 37, Gurgaon (Harayana) 122001 In the spirit of universalisation of knowledge for the well-being of all, we are making effort for the availability of this book to all unconditionally. To keep the price of the book as low as possible and enable widespread usage, the authors are not taking any royalty whatsoever on this book. The contents of this publication may be used for non-commercial formal and informal educational purposes (mainstream as well as alternative). We request those using these contents for developing/refining their own content on the basis of these contents to maintain the same spirit. Hence, this work is licensed under CC0 1.0 To view a copy of the license, please visit https://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1 Website: uhv.org.in ii  Dedication Dedicated with Gratitude To Revered A. Nagaraj Propounder of Madhyasth Darshan, Sah-astitvavãd Understanding of which provided the foundation of the core content of this book. iii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics iv  CONTENTS Preface.............................................................................................................................. xvii Acknowledgements...................................................................................................... xxiii About the Authors........................................................................................................ xxvii An Introductory Overview of the Book................................................................ xxix Note to the Reader...................................................................................................... xxxiii Section I - Introduction to Value Education Chapter 1: Understanding Value Education................................................ 3 Chapter 2: Self-exploration as the Process for Value Education....... 23 Chapter 3: Basic Human Aspirations and their Fulfilment.................... 47 Chapter 4: Understanding Happiness and Prosperity – Their Continuity and Programme for Fulfilment............................ 73 Section II - Understanding the Harmony at Various Levels Chapter 5: Understanding the Human Being as Co-existence of the Self and the Body............................................................................ 99 Chapter 6: Harmony in the Self – Understanding Myself...................... 121 Chapter 7: Harmony of the Self with the Body – Understanding Self-regulation and Health........................................................... 159 Chapter 8: Harmony in the Family – Understanding Values in Human-Human Relationships.................................................... 183 Chapter 9: Harmony in the Society – Understanding Universal Human Order..................................................................................... 259 Chapter 10: Harmony in Nature – Understanding the Interconnectedness, Self-regulation and Mutual Fulfilment............................................................................................. 299 Chapter 11: Harmony in Existence – Understanding Co-existence at Various Levels.................................................................................... 331 v A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Section III - Implications of the Right Understanding Chapter 12: The Basis for Universal Human Values and Ethical Human Conduct............................................................................... 361 Chapter 13: Professional Ethics in the light of Right Understanding.. 373 Chapter 14: Holistic Development towards Universal Human Order.. 387 Chapter 15: Vision for Holistic Technologies, Production Systems and Management Models............................................................ 397 Chapter 16: Journey towards Universal Human Order – The Road Ahead.................................................................................................... 411 Section IV - Appendices Appendix P-1: Efforts for UHV 1980’s-2023.................................................... 423 Appendix P-2: UHV Faculty Development Programs.................................. 429 Appendix P-3: Minor Degree in Universal Human Values (UHV)........... 431 Appendix P-4: How UHV can contribute to UGC Efforts for Values.... 433 Appendix A1-1: Typical Course Structure........................................................... 441 Appendix A3-1: What is Basic Aspiration?........................................................ 449 Appendix A6-1: Activities of the Self................................................................... 455 Appendix A6-2: Sanskar........................................................................................... 457 Appendix A9-1: Process of Understanding....................................................... 461 Appendix A12-1: Universal Human Values......................................................... 465 Glossary............................................................................................................................ 471 References....................................................................................................................... 479 vi  Preface CONTENTS IN DETAILS Preface............................................................................................................... xvii Acknowledgements....................................................................................... xxiii About the Authors.......................................................................................... xxvii An Introductory Overview of the Book.................................................. xxix Note to the Reader....................................................................................... xxxiii Section I - Introduction to Value Education Chapter 1: Understanding Value Education..................................... 1 Living a Fulfilling Life.................................................................................... 3 Education for a Fulfilling Life.................................................................... 5 Value Education.............................................................................................. 7 Skill Education................................................................................................. 8 Complementarity of Values and Skills................................................... 9 Priority of Values over Skills....................................................................... 10 The Need and Important Implications of Value Education........ 10 Development of Ethical Competence.................................................... 15 Guidelines for Value Education................................................................ 15 Content of Value Education....................................................................... 17 Process of Value Education – Self-exploration.................................. 17 Salient Points................................................................................................... 18 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 19 Chapter 2: Self-exploration as the Process for Value Education 23 Recap.................................................................................................................. 23 What is Self-exploration?............................................................................ 23 The Dialogue Within...................................................................................... 25 The Content for Self-exploration............................................................ 27 The Process of Self-exploration............................................................... 27 vii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Natural Acceptance.................................................................................... 30 Appraisal of the Current Status............................................................. 33 The Way Ahead............................................................................................... 35 Important Implications of Self-exploration....................................... 37 Salient Points................................................................................................... 42 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 43 Chapter 3: Basic Human Aspirations and their Fulfilment.......... 47 Recap.................................................................................................................. 47 What is Meant by Basic Aspiration?...................................................... 47 Continuous Happiness and Prosperity as Basic Human Aspirations........................................................................................................ 48 Basic Requirements for Fulfilment of Human Aspirations.......... 48 Development of Human Consciousness............................................... 62 Holistic Development.................................................................................... 63 Role of Education-Sanskar......................................................................... 64 Salient Points................................................................................................... 67 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 68 Chapter 4: Understanding Happiness and Prosperity – Their Continuity and Programme for Fulfilment................ 73 Recap.................................................................................................................. 73 Exploring the Meaning of Happiness..................................................... 73 Programme for Continuity of Happiness............................................. 77 Exploring the Meaning of Prosperity..................................................... 79 A Look at the Prevailing Notions of Happiness................................ 81 The Programme for Happiness................................................................ 89 Natural Outcome of the Programme..................................................... 90 Salient Points................................................................................................... 91 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 92 viii  Section II - Understanding the Harmony at Various Levels Chapter 5: Understanding the Human Being as Co-existence of the Self and the Body......................................................... 99 Recap.................................................................................................................. 100 Human Being................................................................................................... 100 Human Being as Co-existence of the Self and the Body.............. 100 The Self as the Consciousness Entity, the Body as the Material Entity................................................................................................................... 111 Salient Points................................................................................................... 115 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 116 Chapter 6: Harmony in the Self – Understanding Myself............ 121 Recap.................................................................................................................. 122 Activities of the Self...................................................................................... 122 Activities of the Self are Continuous...................................................... 124 Activities Together Constitute Imagination........................................ 125 Imagination gets Expressed in Behaviour and Work..................... 125 State of Imagination.................................................................................... 127 Possible Sources of Imagination – Preconditioning, Sensation and Natural Acceptance............................................................................. 131 Consequences of Imagination from the three Sources – Self-organisation or Enslavement?......................................................... 135 The Way Ahead – Ensuring Harmony in the Self by way of Self-exploration............................................................................................... 139 Understanding Harmony in the Self (Detail)...................................... 140 Salient Points................................................................................................... 149 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 152 ix A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Chapter 7: Harmony of the Self with the Body – Understanding Self-regulation and Health............................................... 159 Recap.................................................................................................................. 160 The Self as the Seer-Doer-Enjoyer (Body as an Instrument)...... 160 Body as a Self-organised System and an Instrument of the Self........................................................................................................................ 164 Harmony of the Self with the Body........................................................ 165 Appraisal of the Current Status............................................................... 167 The Way Ahead............................................................................................... 168 Programme for self-regulation and Health......................................... 168 Revisiting Prosperity in the Light of the Harmony between the Self and the Body........................................................................................... 173 My Participation (Value) regarding my Self and my Body........... 177 Salient Points................................................................................................... 178 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 179 Chapter 8: Harmony in the Family – Understanding Values in Human-Human Relationships.......................................... 183 Recap.................................................................................................................. 184 Family as the Basic Unit of Human Interaction................................ 184 Understanding Relationship...................................................................... 185 Appraisal of the Current Status............................................................... 189 The Way Ahead............................................................................................... 193 Trust as the Foundation Value.................................................................. 199 Respect as Right Evaluation...................................................................... 216 Affection.............................................................................................................. 231 Care and Guidance........................................................................................ 233 Reverence.......................................................................................................... 236 Glory and Gratitude...................................................................................... 238 A Re-look at Respect, Reverence, Gratitude and Glory.................. 240 x  Love as the Complete Value...................................................................... 242 Distinguishing Between Love and Infatuation.................................. 245 Right Feeling – within Myself or from the Other?............................. 245 Role of Physical Facility in Fulfilment of Relationship..................... 246 Response and Reaction in Behaviour.................................................... 247 Understanding Justice................................................................................. 248 My Participation (Value) in My Family.................................................. 250 Salient Points................................................................................................... 251 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 255 Chapter 9: Harmony in the Society – Understanding Universal Human Order......................................................................... 259 Recap.................................................................................................................. 260 Understanding Human Goal..................................................................... 260 Appraisal of the Current Status............................................................... 262 The Way Ahead............................................................................................... 266 Human Goal and Systems for its Fulfilment – Human Order...... 266 Professions in a Human Society.............................................................. 286 Harmony from Family Order to World Family Order – Universal Human Order................................................................................................... 287 Scope – From Family Order to World Family Order (Universal Human Order).................................................................................................. 289 Natural Outcome of Right Understanding.......................................... 289 My Participation (Value) in the Society................................................ 292 Salient Points................................................................................................... 293 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 294 xi A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Chapter 10: Harmony in Nature – Understanding the Interconnectedness, Self-regulation and Mutual Fulfilment................................................................................ 299 Recap.................................................................................................................. 300 Nature as Collection of Units.................................................................... 300 Classification of Units into Four Orders............................................... 302 Interconnectedness and Mutual Fulfilment among the Four Orders.................................................................................................................. 302 Self-regulation in Nature............................................................................ 308 Understanding the Four Orders............................................................... 309 Significance of Education-Sanskar for Human Order.................... 316 Abundance in Nature................................................................................... 318 Dependence of the Human Being on the Other Three Orders.... 320 Mutually Fulfilling Interaction of Human Order in Nature............ 321 Natural Outcome of the Understanding............................................. 323 My Participation (Value) in Nature......................................................... 324 Salient Points................................................................................................... 325 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 327 Chapter 11: Harmony in Existence – Understanding Co-existence at Various Levels....................................... 331 Recap.................................................................................................................. 332 Existence as Units in Space....................................................................... 332 Understanding Units and Space............................................................. 333 Understanding Submergence................................................................... 335 Existence as Co-existence – Units Submerged in Space.............. 339 Material and Consciousness Units.......................................................... 340 Classification of Material Units................................................................ 341 Classification of Consciousness Units in Association with Material Units.................................................................................................. 342 xii  Development in the Existential Sense................................................... 343 Expression of Co-existence at Different Levels................................. 346 Understanding Role of Human Being in Existence.......................... 348 Natural Outcome of the Understanding.............................................. 352 My Participation (Value) in Existence.................................................... 354 Salient Points................................................................................................... 354 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 356 Section III - Implications of the Right Understanding Chapter 12: The Basis for Universal Human Values and Ethical Human Conduct.................................................................... 361 Recap.................................................................................................................. 361 Values in Different Dimensions of Human Living............................. 362 Universal Values Naturally Emerging from the Right Understanding................................................................................................. 363 Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct........................................... 364 Development of Human Consciousness............................................... 368 Implications of Value-based Living....................................................... 369 Salient Points................................................................................................... 370 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 370 Chapter 13: Professional Ethics in the light of Right Understanding................................................................................ 373 Recap.................................................................................................................. 373 Introduction...................................................................................................... 373 Profession – In Context with the Comprehensive Human Goal... 375 Ensuring Ethical Competence................................................................... 376 Salient Features Characterizing Ethical Competence.................... 377 Issues in Professional Ethics – The Current Scenario...................... 379 xiii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Prevailing Approaches towards Promotion of Professional Ethics – their Inadequacy........................................................................... 380 Inherent Contradictions and Dilemmas and their Resolution..... 382 Salient Points................................................................................................... 384 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 385 Chapter 14: Holistic Development towards Universal Human Order.......................................................................................... 387 Recap.................................................................................................................. 387 Visualisation of Comprehensive Human Goal................................... 387 The Vision for Holistic Development and Universal Human Order.................................................................................................................... 389 Paving Way towards the Humanistic Tradition................................. 390 Humanistic Education.................................................................................. 391 Humanistic Constitution.............................................................................. 391 Salient Points................................................................................................... 394 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 394 Chapter 15: Vision for Holistic Technologies, Production Systems and Management Models................................. 397 Recap.................................................................................................................. 397 Introduction...................................................................................................... 397 A Holistic Criteria for Evaluation............................................................. 398 A Critical Appraisal of the Prevailing Systems................................... 401 Learning from the Systems in Nature and Traditional Practices. 402 Visualizing a Holistic Community Model – Working Towards Harmony at All Levels................................................................................... 404 Topics for Case Studies............................................................................... 405 Salient Points................................................................................................... 407 Test Your Understanding............................................................................. 408 xiv Chapter 16: Journey towards Universal Human Order – The Road Ahead............................................................................ 411 Recap.................................................................................................................. 411 The Core Message.......................................................................................... 411 Appreciating the Need for Self-exploration....................................... 413 Facilitating the Understanding of Harmony at Various Levels.. 413 Step 1: Steps for Individual Transformation....................................... 414 Step 2: Creating Mass Awareness towards Holistic Development.................................................................................................... 417 Step 3: Moving towards Humanising the Mainstream Education 418 Step 4: Developing Models for Holistic Living in Educational Institutions and in the Community......................................................... 419 Is the Transition too Difficult?.................................................................. 419 Concluding Remarks..................................................................................... 419 Section IV - Appendices Appendix P-1: Efforts for UHV 1980’s-2023................................ 423 Appendix P-2: UHV Faculty Development Programs............... 429 Appendix P-3: Minor Degree in Universal Human Values (UHV)........................................................................... 431 Appendix P-4: How UHV can contribute to UGC Efforts for Values.......................................................................... 433 Appendix A1-1: Typical Course Structure...................................... 441 Salient Features of the Course................................................................. 442 Course Objectives.......................................................................................... 442 Course Methodology.................................................................................... 443 Course Syllabus............................................................................................... 443 Guidelines and Content for Practice Sessions................................... 445 xv A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Term Paper or Social Project..................................................................... 446 Guidelines for Implementation and Evaluation................................ 446 Faculty Development Programmes........................................................ 447 Reference Material......................................................................................... 448 Appendix A3-1: What is Basic Aspiration?..................................... 449 Continuous Happiness and Prosperity as Basic Human Aspirations........................................................................................................ 450 Appendix A6-1: Activities of the Self................................................ 455 Appendix A6-2: Sanskar....................................................................... 457 Appendix A9-1: Process of Understanding.................................... 461 Appendix A12-1: Universal Human Values....................................... 465 Human Values pertaining to the Self and the Body........................ 465 Human Values pertaining to the Family............................................... 466 Human Values pertaining to the Society............................................. 468 Human Values pertaining to Nature...................................................... 469 Human Values pertaining to Existence................................................. 470 Glossary............................................................................................................ 471 References........................................................................................................ 479 xvi  Preface Dear reader, we are delighted that you have chosen to read this book. It is about exploring, understanding, developing a holistic world-vision and living a wholesome and fulfilling life. A life of happiness and prosperity, not just as an individual, but also in the family, in the workplace, in the Nation, in the entire society, and indeed in the whole of nature. You do aspire for a such a life, isn’t it? Most of us spend about one-fourth to one-third of our lifetime going through education. The hope is that after going through this process, we develop the competence to ensure a life which is fulfilling in all aspects. As we enter the process of education, we start looking for some source that may help us address our personal concerns and find out answers to the basic questions related to our life. For this, we need at least some basic orientation so that we get the opportunity and guidance to explore and examine the reality of human existence on our own right, and learn to live by it. Unfortunately, the present education system has become highly skill-centric and rather value-deficient which is a very precarious situation for all of us and therefore, needs to be urgently rectified. The authors have always felt that the solution to the present-day problems will come from education. Educational institutions are not meant to be just the mirrors of society. In fact, these are expected to be the thought leaders of the society. Therefore, when the young minds come to educational institutions, they need to be guided properly. In addition to imparting technical skills, they need help to discover the humanity in themselves. Every commission and expert committee on education has, in its own way, emphasised that the central role of education is man-making i.e., the development of a wholesome personality. More recently, NEP 2020 has given a tremendous boost to this, “Education is fundamental for achieving full human potential, developing an equitable and just society and promoting national development”. xvii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics This hope can be appropriately fulfilled by incorporating value education in the present system of education. Of course, that is only an initial step towards value-based education and value-based living, which are essential for the complete fulfilment of the aspirations articulated by the various commissions on education, and now in NEP 2020. From the very first edition, this book has been a definite step in that direction. It is the text book for a foundation course on human values and professional ethics. The foundation course covers various aspects of human existence starting with oneself to understand one’s needs, like the need for prosperity, happiness and peace within. Then, it covers relationships – fulfilling relations with parents, friends, siblings, spouse, children, teachers, and ultimately with all. Next comes the society – a harmonious society where families can co- exist peacefully. Finally comes nature and the whole existence. All of us are an integral part of this nature/existence. The last module is on professional ethics, which are the expression of the collective world-vision in a particular work setting. This opens up the scope for discussing, self-exploring and gaining clarity on all these various fundamental issues concerning our life. As teachers and researchers in the area of technical education, we have been able to experience very strongly the need for bridging this gap and introducing appropriate inputs of value education in the current system. For several years, at least since early 1980’s, we have been trying to develop our own understanding and vision as well as performing experiments in order to evolve suitable inputs in value education which may be effectively integrated in the current curricula. This book is an outcome of our long- drawn search in this direction. In this process, we have been benefitted by various sources of wisdom both occidental and oriental. We have also had consultations and close interactions with a number of stalwarts and experts in the country in this regard. In formulating and experimenting with the methodology described in this book, we have been greatly inspired by the fundamental work of xviii  Preface Sh. A. Nagaraj of Amarkantak who propounded Madhyasth Darshan, Sah-astitvavãd (Existence based Human-centric Contemplation) as the philosophy to understand the human reality vis-á-vis the rest of existence with the prime focus on discovering the inherent co-existence and harmony at all levels of existence. It gave the clarity that human values can be properly understood and articulated in the light of human consciousness. This provided the content of Consciousness Development based Value Education. Keeping in mind the current state of society, and present education system, it has been presented in the form of Value Education. This has been experimented with various spectra of people in the society, in the form of workshops, generally called as Jeevan Vidya Shivir, in various formats with different contents, by many persons. The first such shivir was conducted by Sh. A. Nagaraj in 1988 and subsequently followed up by Dr. Yashpal Satya and others. In fact, Dr. Satya was instrumental in conducting initial experiments to introduce some of these contents in academic courses at IIT Delhi. This philosophy strengthened much of our previous understanding based on traditional wisdom and contemporary science; and at the same time, filled the remaining gaps for us. In the academic domain, we have successfully experimented for several years with the course inputs designed on the basis of above-mentioned research efforts in the form of courses for students and workshops for teachers, staff and other stake-holders (please see appendix P-1 for details). The initial efforts for UHV have been primarily in two modes – first, in the form of Teacher Orientation or Faculty Development Programs and second, in terms of a regular one-semester classroom interaction course. In the first mode, this input has been experimented mainly with the teachers in the institutional framework through. The other mode also has been successfully experimented in a large number of professional institutions. This effort is intended to develop the following attributes in graduates: Holistic vision of life Socially responsible behaviour Environmentally responsible work xix A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Ethical human conduct Having competence and capabilities for maintaining health and hygiene Appreciation and aspiration for excellence (merit) and gratitude for all We have been typically receiving the following feedback about this course: It covers the entire expanse of human living: from self to family, society, nature and existence and covers all dimensions of human life: thought, behaviour, work and realisation. Addresses the ‘Self’ – discusses the human being, particularly the Self and does not just focus on external realities. This turns out to be self- empowering since each individual is able to make decisions and find out what is of value to them in their own right. It relates to one’s life and living – establishes relevance in a person’s life and does not just deal with information and skills. One can see the results of this understanding in human living at all levels. The wisdom (understanding, clarity, purpose) has increased. There is more thought about higher human goals. This clarity about direction and purpose of life has resulted in increased self-discipline, greater sense of responsibility and reduced need for external enforcement. The attention to relationship (in the family, with colleagues, with teachers, etc.) has increased leading to increased sense of commitment towards family and society. There is deep sense of gratitude for efforts made by elders, culture and tradition. Students tend to be more responsible towards academics. This has also had a positive impact on employability, self-employment and commitment toward higher studies and teaching. It has become clearer that material needs are limited and when appropriately determined, these can be fulfilled without much difficulty, thus providing the feeling of prosperity. xx  Preface The methodology of self-exploration facilitates understanding rather than simply some information transfer. Therefore, we now feel that we have one such universal content and methodology which can effectively be implemented for introducing Universal Human Values (UHV) in higher education. The experience of two decades of the focused effort, as mentioned above, has brought us significant insight in this domain. Value-based education is essential to bring about the desired transformation – individual transformation towards the development of human consciousness and societal transformation towards an un- fragmented, humane society. Of course, the introduction of the foundation course in the present mainstream education system is only the starting point. From there, the journey has to go a long way. The next step is making transition towards value-based education, in which the whole content of education is designed on the basis of universal human values, i.e., education for the well- being of all. This would result into value-based living in the family, and ultimately in the whole human society. It may be mentioned that this book only presents the material for a foundation course which is aimed at providing the basic orientation for the change of ethos mentioned above. Deeper self-study of the proposals in their entirety about the reality leading to understanding of oneself, the existence and the ethical human conduct as well as its inculcation will be necessary to carry this exploration further and consolidate one’s understanding and realisation. Some of the references (1 to 5 in particular) provided at the end of the book will be helpful in this pursuit. This extensive self-exploration is expected to lead to the development of human consciousness which naturally results in inculcation of human values and its expression in human living. The reader is encouraged to do so. We are happy to bring out this third edition of the book which is a revised and upgraded version of the second edition. The contents were xxi A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics substantially enriched in the second edition, based on the experience of first ten years during which the first edition of this book was extensively used in different universities and institutions. The style of presentation adopted has been further improvised to facilitate self-exploration among the students on the key proposals rather than packing up a lot of information. A teacher’s manual and website for facilitating the teaching and learning of the value inputs have also been made available. It is our earnest hope that the learning material presented in this book will enable the introduction of this important course in professional institutions, degree colleges and universities. This book is also expected to provide a comprehensive orientational material and food for thought to the general reader. We encourage you to read, explore the proposals and experiment with them in your life. We trust that this will help you in development of your full human potential for living a fulfilling life and the ability to contribute meaningfully to your family, society and humanity at large. We wish you a happy exploration! R. R. GAUR R. ASTHANA G. P. BAGARIA xxii  Acknowledgements In the context of understanding Human Values, one learns significantly from the available knowledge and wisdom developed by the great seekers of truth in the long human tradition and therefore, gratefulness is due to all of them. The development of the course material which forms the subject matter of this book has involved long years of learning, contemplation, consultation and experimentation in effectively presenting this input. In this process, we have received inspiration and guidance from a number of stalwarts and experts and it is our pleasant duty to express our sincere gratitude to all of them. In particular, we wish to express our indebtedness to Revered A. Nagaraj of Amarkantak who provided us an intensive guidance regarding a universal vision for value education which is aimed at bringing about a transformation towards human consciousness through self-exploration. While expressing our deep gratefulness to him, we also consider it appropriate to give a brief introduction of his life and work. Born on 14th January 1920, he became inquisitive about the fundamental questions about human happiness and the nature of existence in his early age and invested around 20 years in deep investigation within to find the answers. As an outcome, he realised the whole existence as co-existence. Based on this realisation, he propounded Madhyasth Darshan, Sah- astitvavãd (Existence based Human Centric Contemplation) which gives a clear formulation of human conduct, human education, human constitution and human order; and is thus conducive to evolve a human tradition of happiness and prosperity in continuity through mutually fulfilling behaviour, work and participation in the larger order at every level of being. With a view to universalize the above, he dedicated his life and made incessant efforts for the same till his last breath on 5th March 2016. We are also very grateful to all the colleagues with whom we collaborated in experimenting with various iterations of this learning material, in the form of workshops and courses, with a wide spectrum of people, both within the institutional framework as well as outside it, in the society. We are grateful to Prof. Prem Vrat, the erstwhile Vice Chancellor of UP xxiii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Technical University (presently known as AKTU, who in 2009 took the bold initiative of introducing this foundation course in ‘Human Values and Professional Ethics’ in all the affiliated professional institutions of the university and thus provided the immediate motivation to bring out this textbook. We express our gratitude to Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, then Chairman AICTE, and his team which has been the driving force for incorporating Universal Human Values in the model curriculum for technical education across India in 2017, facilitating extension of these offerings to school education, institutions of higher learning as well as informal adult education in 2019 and enabling experiments with a Minor Degree in UHV in 2022. We are also grateful to Prof. TG Sitharam, chairman AICTE, and his team for the continuation and expansion of the UHV efforts at AICTE since 2023. We would like to reiterate our appreciation and express gratefulness to all our friends and colleagues who had provided help during the preparation of the first edition of this book. Specifically, we wish to express our deep gratitude to Prof. Rajeev Sangal, erstwhile Director, IIIT Hyderabad whose participation and support in conducting extensive experiments to integrate Value Education in the engineering curriculum at his institution proved very helpful in formulating the contents of the first edition of the book. This book, by now, has been used extensively in various technical and other institutions of higher education. While it found a widespread acceptance by the teachers as well as the students, valuable feedback has also become available during this period which has helped us substantially in the preparation of this third edition. We are grateful to the teachers and students for providing their valuable feedback. In the process of preparation of the 2nd edition, Dr. Shyam Kumar and Dr. Kumar Sambhav were of immense help. Sh. Bhanu Pratap Singh and Prof. Veena Bansal contributed to the preparation of this edition. We wholeheartedly appreciate their help and are grateful to them. We would also like to place our appreciation for all those who have been directly or indirectly of help in the process of development of this book. We are also xxiv  Aknowledgements greatly indebted to our wives – Mrs. Santosh Gaur, Mrs. Sharmila Asthana and Mrs. Archana Bagaria, for their continuous encouragement and support, without which this strenuous work would not have been possible. Finally, we would like to thank Mr. Nitesh Sachan and his Earthaat Foundation team at Kanpur as well as Mr. Sandeep Murada and his team at PHI, New Delhi for their meticulous effort to bring out a quality publication. The Authors xxv A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics xxvi  About the Authors R R Gaur, an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIT Delhi, has been a senior professor of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Delhi with research focus on renewable energy conversion systems. He has also been the Head of National Resource Centre for Value Education in Engineering at IIT Delhi and has contributed significantly towards integrating Science, Technology and Human Values through curricular development and research. For more than three decades, Prof. Gaur, along with other colleagues at IIT Delhi and other institutions has been seriously experimenting with a variety of innovative inputs in value education. In 2009, he took voluntary retirement from IIT Delhi in order to fully devote himself to value education activities. He was associated with value education activities as Honorary Visiting Professor at NRCVEE, IIT Delhi until his last breath, in December 2020. Rajul Asthana, an alumnus of IIT Delhi, has 28 years of corporate experience in India and USA. He was the IT Leader (CIO) of the Industrial Products Division of W.L. Gore and Associates, USA and, later, Senior Vice President with Satyam Computer Services, Hyderabad. As head of their Learning Center globally, he was responsible for co-developing and implementing the company’s learning strategy for associate development. He was a founding member of Global Council of Corporate Universities, France promoting the idea that corporate universities can be instrumental in personal transformation. He was also the founder director of The International Resource Centre for Universal Human Values and Ethics at Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar. Since 2010, he has been devoting his time for a group effort at Manaviya Shiksha Sanskar Sansthan (Institute for Human Education Sanskar), Kanpur to understand, live and promote value-based education, holistic human health, natural farming and value- based living. xxvii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics G P Bagaria, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, is a highly respected teacher both in Electronics and Communication Engineering as well as in Value Education. He has taught in the Department of Electronics at HBTI Kanpur for more than 27 years. He has carried out extensive research over the past 35 years in evolving a suitable methodology for Value Education which can be universal and has successfully experimented with it, both within the institutional framework as well as with a variety of people in the community at large. He is accepted as an inspiring role model by his students and peers. He was awarded the Satyendra K Dubey Memorial Award for the year 2006 by IIT Kanpur for his work in the area of Value Education and social reform. xxviii  An Introductory Overview of the Book This book is an outcome of the long-drawn search, consultation and experimentation with a view to evolve an effective and universally acceptable methodology and content for integrating value education in the curricula of technical/professional education. The first crucial step in this direction is to introduce a Foundation Course in Human Values and Professional Ethics for which this is proposed to be the textbook. It may be emphasised that a unique approach of exploring the human reality vis-à-vis the rest of existence through a systematic process of self- exploration is proposed which naturally leads to the understanding of universal human values and ethical human conduct. Self-exploration on one hand enables the individual to gain right understanding in one’s own right, and on the other hand, helps in self-evolution and life-long learning. It may be viewed as an effective process of value education. Accordingly, the book is written in a way that it initiates a dialogue within the reader by systematically presenting proposals for exploration and facilitating the reader in the process of self-exploration. The whole discussion revolves around the central theme – How to live a fulfilling life? This exploration is a process of successively discovering and understanding the innate harmony at all levels in existence, living by which forms the basis for a fulfilling life. This book has been divided into following four sections: Section-I Introduction to Value Education It comprises of chapters 1-4 which introduce the subject by explaining what is implied by Human Values and Value Education, highlighting the need, content, process and basic guidelines for education in human values. Then it elaborates on ‘self-exploration’ as the process for Value Education. In Chapter 3, the discussion begins with identification of basic human aspirations, as continuous happiness and prosperity; along with the basic requirement to fulfil these. The emphasis is on gaining correct xxix A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics perception about happiness and prosperity. The importance of ‘right understanding’ and the ‘right programme’ of living is highlighted which essentially involves understanding of harmony at various levels of living starting from the individual and spanning up to the whole existence. This becomes the real basis of understanding and assimilating universal human values in our day-to-day life. Section-II Understanding the Harmony at Various Levels It comprises of chapters 5-11, and forms the core section of the book, systematically facilitating the ‘Understanding of Harmony at Various Levels’ starting from Understanding Harmony in the Human Being and going over to Understanding the Harmony in the Family and in the Society which involves elaboration on human relationships and values; visualisation of comprehensive human goal and its actualisation in multiple domains of human activity. Next, the salient aspects of harmony in Nature and finally in entire existence are discussed. Thus, this section presents the crux of ‘right understanding’. Section-III Implications of the Right Understanding It comprises of chapters 12-16 presenting the salient implications of the Right Understanding in life and profession. It is elaborated how the right understanding forms the basis of universal human values and definitiveness of ethical human conduct. The salient aspects of professional ethics are highlighted in the light of right understanding. It provides the vision for a holistic way of living – development of the holistic perception. Finally, the book is concluded with the indication of a few practical steps to facilitate transition from the present state towards the holistic way of living. Towards the end of every chapter, a list of salient points is provided. The reader can go through the list and assure that one is now clear about all the important points. Also, an elaborate probing section on ‘Test Your Understanding’ has been appended with each chapter in order to evaluate your grasp of the subject matter. xxx  An Introductory Overview of the Book Section-IV Appendices At the end of the book, there are a few appendices which provide additional material supplementing the content discussed in the chapters. xxxi A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics xxxii  Note to the Reader As mentioned above, the main purpose of this book is to highlight the fact that to ensure ‘living with fulfilment’, it is essential to explore and understand the human reality vis-à-vis the rest of existence. Therefore, the content of the book is a set of proposals which are neither meant to be memorised and reproduced, nor out-rightly accepted or rejected, but rather gradually explored based on your natural acceptance. This will develop a dialogue within you – a dialogue between ‘what you are’ and ‘what is naturally acceptable to you’. As you read the book, you may try to explore in this manner. As you proceed to explore, there may be a number of questions, most of which will gradually get resolved from within you in the course of self-exploration. It is important to realize that one feels assured only when the answer comes from within rather than being imposed from outside. Our role is to draw your attention towards the proposals and help in initiating this process of self-exploration, self-verification in you. This process of self- exploration will lead to discovery of the values that are potentially there in you, i.e., it will lead to your self-evolution. With that, fulfilment of your basic aspirations is a natural outcome. This calls for sincere and focused effort on your part. For this, the following suggestions may be kept in mind as you go through the book. Read with Awareness Read with awareness, with a view to understand. Merely memorising something is not understanding. We have seen some reality; we have associated some meaning to it and we have represented that meaning with some words. These words are presented in the book as proposals. When you read a word, you associate some meaning to it. Is it the same meaning as intended by us? Further, you try to find the associated reality for yourself. If you are able to find the same reality as intended, the communication is successful. This may be understood as follows: xxxiii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics From authors: Reality R1 → associating meaning to it M1 → word W To Readers: Reading the word W → associating meaning to it M2? → seeing the reality R2? What is expected here is that inferred reality R2=R1 for which M2 has to be the same as M1. If you associate a different meaning or connect that meaning to a different reality, communication is not successful. Let us take an example to illustrate. We want to convey the reality which is designated by the word ‘chat’ (W). You may already have some associated meaning for that word. It may be something like “it is a way to keep in touch with friends online” (M2). You may, therefore, associate it with the reality ‘chatting’ (R2). But here we are using the French word for cat, just to make the point clear about word, meaning and reality. The reality we are trying to communicate is the reality ‘cat’ (R1). Is the reality you inferred from the word ‘chat’ the same as the intended reality (is R2 = R1)? Let us develop this example further, using the word ‘chat’. In order to convey the reality ‘cat’, we have written a word. Now, if you are acquainted with this word and the reality designated by the word, the word itself conveys the reality. If you are not acquainted by this word or the reality designated by it, we further add – ‘’Chat’ is an animal, a pet animal, an animal which is carnivorous and fond of catching and eating rats (M2)’. This we will continue till you are able to identify the reality being indicated, by your direct observation or your past acquaintance with that reality. If we stop anywhere before this happens, you may miss the reality, i.e., there will be loss of communication. We are essentially describing some aspect of reality which you may already be acquainted with, i.e., we are helping you to get some idea as to what it may mean (so, we are helping to create some meaning associated with the word ‘chat’ in you), we go on building up these different aspects of reality, till you are able to identify the reality being conveyed. Then you say to yourself, ‘yes, now I know what you are talking about’. That is an ‘aha!’ moment for you. xxxiv  Note to the Reader This book describes about the reality ‘harmony’ – the harmony in existence. You may or may not connect the word harmony with the existential harmony, so how do we communicate this reality to you? And how do you see this reality yourself? We will do that by successively building the meaning of various aspects of this reality, just as we developed the description of the word ‘chat’ in the example above. We will describe various aspects (meanings) of harmony in successive chapters, and you can see those meanings in yourself first and grasp the reality yourself. All of us human beings have the innate potential to see, to know and that is what we are trying to address to. Chapters 5-7 are about the meaning of harmony that can be seen in human being, chapter 8 is about the meaning of harmony at the level of family, chapter 9 is about the meaning of harmony in society, chapter 10 is about the meaning of harmony at the level of nature and ultimately chapter 11 is about the meaning of harmony in existence. We are suggesting that you read with awareness and look at the proposals carefully to grasp the meaning being explained presently, and try to connect with the intended reality – the existential harmony. If you are able to see the existential reality, our joint effort to communicate it through this book is successful. Avoid Jumps to Ready-made Solutions We sometimes tend to derive ready-made solutions in different situations, trying to fit in some formula that will lead to a solution. What is being presented in the book is the basic understanding which underlies the solution in any situation. If the individual is able to get the understanding, one can design a life devoid of problems. As the problems vary from time to time, place to place, individual to individual; it is the responsibility of the person to work out one’s own solutions. Understanding of values will help us in developing solutions which are mutually fulfilling in continuity. To facilitate this, a few examples have been given at appropriate places to enable you to relate the proposals to your life. Avoid Comparing with Existing Beliefs/Notions As such, all of us have long-held notions and beliefs of our own. They may be right or wrong, but we do believe them. If we are not cautiously aware, then we just tend to compare what is presented with our existing notions or xxxv A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics beliefs. You may have one notion, but there may be something else intended here. Then how do you decide which one is true? Will you insist that only your present belief is right? Or, will you try to grasp what is being proposed here and explore it? And at the same time, will you also explore your present belief? What we are suggesting is to explore the proposals as well as to explore your own beliefs/notions. This will help you to check the validity of your own beliefs and assumptions as well. Verify the Proposals (rather than agreeing or disagreeing) On the basis of the comparison with our present beliefs/assumptions, we may agree or disagree with the proposal, but we will not be able to see the reality in this process. Hence, it has to be avoided. Rather than agreeing or disagreeing, we are asking you to verify it. We have placed an ‘explore and verify’ symbol at several critical points in the book. Do try to spend some time to self-reflect, particularly at these points. At the end of each chapter there is a portion called ‘Test Your Understanding’. It has three parts. Section I is a set of questions to help you check how much you have grasped the concept presented in the chapter. Section II has practice exercises to help you connect the proposals with your day- to-day life. In section III, projects and modelling exercises are mentioned in which you can give a creative expression to your understanding. It will be desirable that you try as many of these exercises as you can before moving to the next chapter. When you have questions, write them down. It is possible that you are able to get a satisfactory answer from within as you explore further. In that case, mark the questions as answered. For the remaining questions further, self-exploration is required – you may like to re-read that particular topic, discuss with your teacher, visit the website, participate in a webinar or participate in a workshop. Definitely, it is more fulfilling to get answers to our fundamental questions from within. You may notice that some statements, concepts and diagrams have been repeated in the book – this is to call attention to them time and again. They xxxvi  Note to the Reader are meant to help you recap what has been already said and, in some cases, help you evaluate your beliefs which may be very sticky and obstructing you to see things as they really are! To draw your attention to some points, we have mentioned certain problems such as the problem of domination in the family and society. These are not meant to be disruptive or to bring about in you a frustrating criticism of yourself or of others around, but rather, to draw your attention toward the root causes, i.e., living without awareness of some part of the reality. To exemplify the proposals, we have used some examples and stories. These are meant to help you to connect the proposals to your living. They are not meant to be some ready-made solutions or do’s and don’ts. Be aware not to get attached to the examples and miss the point! In the book, the proposals are presented in a sequence. It will be desirable to go through them in the same sequence, simply because one set of proposals leads to the next. In a way, the whole book is a ‘sentence’ from the first page to the last page. Needless to say, reading the whole sentence in continuity will help in getting the meaning correctly. Experientially Validate the Proposals This self-exploration is an ongoing process. In the workshops, we usually say that “the workshop starts, but never ends”, because once you start exploring on your own right, it continues. It continues to be a tool for self- evolution. These proposals are not restricted to the book or the classroom! That is to say, the process of analysing, self-verification and mulling over the proposals can take place in our daily life. The good thing about value education is that you do not need a special lab for it – our whole life is the laboratory! This exploration is for understanding which is for living with fulfilment. It must be clear that our ultimate aim is only this – living a life of mutual fulfilment – my fulfilment, the fulfilment of the other, and ultimately, the fulfilment of all. Living is the ultimate test of how much we have understood! Now, we are ready to start exploring. xxxvii A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics xxxviii  Section I Introduction to Value Education 1 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics 2 Chapter Understanding Value 1 Education We all want to live fulfilling lives. We want to be happy and make others happy. We used to pick up values, i.e., what is important in life, what is right and what is wrong, what to do and what not to as a human being to live a fulfilling life. The day-to-day interactions in the family, in community and society in general used to help us develop our values. Today, all these institutions have been severely compromised. Now-a-days, we tend to pick up our values from sources like social media. Strengthening or reviving family and other social institutions may take quite a while. In the time being, educational institutions can play a vital role in providing a comprehensive understanding of human values by developing a holistic, humane world-vision which is in the interest of living a fulfilling life. This book presents the subject matter for a foundation course in value education which can become a regular part of the academic curriculum. In this course, we shall be discussing certain fundamental issues which are important to all of us in our life – issues which directly relate to our happiness, our well-being and welfare, our goals, aspirations and our relationships. Value education deals with something that is universally valuable to all of us, that is conducive to our individual and collective happiness and prosperity. Let us first start with appreciating the need, the expanse and implications of such a subject. Living a Fulfilling Life Each one of us aspires to live a fulfilling life. We have our own visions of a fulfilling life. It may include earning lots of money, gaining power, attaining recognition, touring the world, having a loving family, ensuring harmonious relationships inside and outside the family, maintaining a healthy body, and so on. At the same time, we expect the environment to be pollution 3 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics free, society to be peaceful, free of crimes and an abundance of natural resources. Please pause to make a list of all that you require to live a fulfilling life! Student life is expected to be the preparation for such a life. Now, it remains to be seen whether we really understand what a fulfilling life is. Can it be understood with definitiveness? Or, we will always have to plan just the next phase of life in an ad hoc manner, without being clear what we really want to be? Can it be understood through education? Can a formal course be a help on such issues? Or, will these always have to be dealt with at a personal level in bits and pieces? In order to find satisfactory answers to all these concerns, let us begin with understanding what a fulfilling life means. As a proposal, just see if the following cater to a fulfilling life for you: There is a feeling of happiness within you, all the time. Your body is in good health. You are able to have what you require in terms of physical facility and you have a feeling of prosperity, all the time. You have good relations with everyone connected to you. There is peace and harmony in the society around you. You are able to co-exist with the nature and make effort for an environment in which there is no pollution or depletion of resources, and You are able to understand the salient aspects of your own reality as well as the rest of existence as it is. See if all your desires fit in the above scheme or, is there something more that you require for fulfilment? Also check if every complaint that you may have is to do with the lack of fulfilment of one or more of these. Of course, if something is redundant above, it can be dropped. This is essentially what you have been aspiring for, regardless of whether you have been successful in achieving it or not. Similarly, look back into your own actions and check whether you have been making effort to achieve this or not. Reflect on this at the individual as well as at the collective levels – at the level of your family, your neighbourhood, your village/city, your country and so on. Thus, you will see that this basic aspiration is common to all. You 4  Understanding Value Education are not the only one who aspires for a fulfilling life, but everyone else too. Now, if this happens to be a universal need for all human beings, would there not be a common programme for its fulfilment? Think over it. Education for a Fulfilling Life To understand what a fulfilling life means and to understand the programme to ensure it, there is need for appropriate education. Education is expected to be a process which prepares us to lead such a life. And only with such an expectation, a human being invests nearly one-fourth to one-third of one’s lifetime in the process of being educated. While going through education, if we have the opportunity to get a holistic perspective about life and existence, the decisions taken by us will open channels for a happy and prosperous life. At this stage of life, while completing one’s education, it is needful to gain clarity about what we really want to be, and to acquire competence to actualize it in life, visualizing clearly how one would like to see oneself, say, twenty years hence and further. Take the case of relationship. Harmonious relationship is one important aspect of a happy life. Today, with fast life and changing social structure, sustaining harmonious relationships has become a challenge. Another important aspect is physical well-being and wealth. As you enter higher education, you may have two major milestones in front of you: career and marriage. Can there be some programme which can help you choose your career and spouse prudently? These are issues which may be of concern to each one of you. Further, all of us live in a society. We are anyway related to the society. In fact, we are related to the whole world around us. We want fulfilling relations with all. Even if there is a single relationship in which we find it difficult to ensure mutual happiness or mutual fulfilment, there appear to be only two options before us: either to ignore and forget the other or to feel stressed. Both of these options do not provide a mutually fulfilling solution. Can our education address such issues? Most of the time, it is found that youth read various books, discuss with friends, listen to talks and discourses to seek solutions to such issues which, at times, start appearing unsolvable. As a result, many 5 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics of us are compelled to adopt piecemeal solutions, but that too has its own limitations. Our society is of prime concern to us as our job or career or family are strongly connected to the society. When we get to know about negativity in day-to-day incidents around through the newspaper, news channels or social media, we start feeling more and more insecure and fearful. But this is not what we desire. Just ask yourself – do you want a fearful society or a fearless society? What is naturally acceptable to you? What is it that you aspire for? Next comes the Nature around. We do feel agonised when we hear that pollution is rising, Earth’s atmosphere is becoming warmer and warmer day by day, water table is going down, sea level is rising and coastal areas are sinking, food is getting contaminated, etc. Nowadays, we keep getting such messages on our gadgets every day. Certainly, this is neither good for us, the human beings, nor for the rest of the nature. It may also be observed that on this Earth it is only the human being which goes through a long process of education, in the family, in the formal educational system and in the society. Formal education has been accepted as a basic human right; parents are motivated to send their children to schools and colleges; there is adequate institutional and learning infrastructure; teachers have been appointed and students are coming in fair numbers. All this effort has resulted in significant development of skills and information. Yet, it is the human being only who is creating so many problems on this planet. If one does not feel fulfilled within oneself, (s)he cannot be fulfilling for others too. What remains to be addressed adequately in the present education system is this important aspect, i.e., fulfilment in human being. As a human being, we have two important questions to resolve: 1. What to do? 2. How to do it? A holistic education basically has to address both these aspects adequately. The domain of education which addresses the issues related to ‘What to 6  Understanding Value Education do?’ is called Value Education. It gives us the clarity of our goal, our basic aspiration and the programme to fulfil the basic aspiration. The second domain which addresses the issues related to ‘How to do?’ is called Skill Education. It helps us learn skills, methods and techniques to implement the programme. Both are essential and complementary components of education, and need to be addressed properly. Value Education Looking at the list of aspirations for a fulfilling life which we discussed earlier, one can make out that ensuring such a life necessitates that we understand ourselves and everything around us, clearly identifying our relationship with everything around. When we try to fulfil our relationship with other human beings or any entity in the rest of nature, that defines my participation with the larger order. This participation constitutes the domain of human values. The value of an entity is its participation in the larger order of which it is a part. For example, the value of a marker is that it can write on a whiteboard in the classroom. Here writing is the participation of the marker in the classroom, which is the larger order. As long as the marker can write, it is of value, otherwise it is not of value. Similarly, one value of a vegetable plant is that it can provide nutrition to the Body of a human being. What is the value of a human being then? This question implies – what is the participation of a human being in the bigger order? For example, if your participation in the process of education is to understand what is being taught, your value is to make that effort. The value of a human being is its natural or expected participation in the larger order – at the level of the individual, at the level of family, at the level of society and ultimately, at the level of nature/existence. It is interesting to note that you feel happy in the process of fulfilling your participation in the larger order. In this example, if you understand what has been taught, you feel happy. The teacher also feels happy when you participate in understanding what is being taught. 7 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics For human being, this bigger order includes other human beings, plants, air, water, soil, animals, birds, etc., i.e., the entire nature/existence. The value of a human being is its participation in this entire nature/existence. Hence, to understand human values, we need to study the human reality along with all that is there in the entire nature/existence which constitutes the larger order. The role of human being is to understand and fulfil its relationship with each and every unit in the existence. To understand human values, there is need for value education. We need to explore and understand things as they are; so that we are able to fulfil our participation with them. The part of education that deals with the understanding of one’s participation in the larger order, and thus ensuring it in living, is called as Value Education. It forms the basis of the rest of education as well. Ultimately, the whole education needs to be value based. If it is not value based, it will not serve to fulfil the basic aspiration of the human being, i.e., a life of fulfilment. It can at most provide skills to a person to fulfil the need for physical facility, or so to say, make money, but the basic desire will remain untouched. A simple appraisal of the current state of the affairs shows that our life has become more focused on making money rather than ensuring a fulfilling life. This deficiency needs to be rectified by making education wholesome and conducive to a fulfilling life. Skill Education Skills (technology, management, medicine, etc.) are necessary in our life. Skills have been developed to such a fine extent in every area – in medicine, in production, in construction of bridges and buildings, in all kinds of transportation from bicycles to aeroplanes, in telecommunication and television, to name a few. The list is very large. Skills are definitely required. However, along with skills, it is essential to decide the purpose for which they are to be used. Can you see that? Complementarity of Values and Skills Let us reflect upon a few questions to understand the complementarity of values and skills: Will you use your communication and management 8  Understanding Value Education skills for dominating over others or for mutual fulfilment, making friends? Will you use your medical skills for profiting from disease or for ensuring long-term health? Will you use your finance skills for ensuring equitable distribution of wealth or for profit-maximisation for a few? Will you use skills for nurturing others or for exploiting others and exploiting nature? Will you use the communication facilities that have been developed, particularly the mobile phones with extensive options, for providing human education to the people or for promoting consumerism and indulgence? We can see that skill is important, but it is more important to see the purpose the skill is used for. We can see that skills are only a means to achieve a given purpose. While skills are required to achieve a particular purpose in an effective and efficient manner, it is not within the scope of technology, management, medicine, etc. to decide the purpose. This decision lies outside its scope. It thus becomes important to identify our purpose as human beings. Without this decision, skills can be aimless, direction-less and can therefore, be put to any use – for constructive or destructive purposes. For instance, students of technology will be studying, creating and implementing technologies. If they are getting trained on technology without deciding the purpose of human being, their technical skills could even prove counterproductive when used to dominate, exploit or harm others. We developed technology for harnessing atomic energy or nuclear energy. Now, how much of it has been used for welfare purpose and how much of it has been used for destructive purposes? It seems that we have generated enough nuclear weapons to destroy this Earth 30 times (needless to say that one cannot destroy the Earth more than once). Taking another example – supposing we get convinced that for a happy life, the health of the Body is the basic requirement, we will learn skills to keep the Body healthy. Skills such as learning which food will keep the Body healthy which physical practices will keep the Body functioning properly, what would be the possible ways to do certain kinds of work with the Body? All these fall under the domain of skills. But along with it, it is crucial to understand for what purpose we shall be using our body; and this comes under the value domain. 9 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics As explained above, values and skills have to go hand in hand. There is an essential complementarity between the two for the success of any human endeavour towards the goal of living a fulfilling life. Priority of Values over Skills As elaborated above, values are required to decide “what to do”, while skills are required for “how to do”. Now, when we ask ourselves what would be the priority order, it is easy to see that “what to do” has to be decided first and then only we can think of “how to do” rather than the other way around. Can you see that? For example, if you were to go to a railway station and ask for a ticket, the clerk would ask you where you want to go. But if you keep telling the clerk that you want the fastest train, the most comfortable train, the best air- conditioned train and all that, will it work? That is how many of the things we are doing today are happening! We are working out ways and means to go fast, to travel at supersonic speeds, but are we clear about where we want to go and what we will do when we reach there; and if that will lead to our fulfilment or not? This is an important question that must be kept in the forefront of whatever we think and do. Thus, can you see that values have a higher priority over skills even though both of these are essential for human welfare? The Need and Important Implications of Value Education Having explored the complementarity and higher priority of value education in tandem with the skill education, we shall now highlight some of the important implications of value education to further substantiate its need. These include the following. Correct Identification of Our Goals Value education helps us to identify our goals appropriately. The questions such as the following need an authentic answer which can only come through 10  Understanding Value Education Value Education. Can the goal of a human being be to accumulate as much wealth as possible or to ensure a prosperous life? Are accumulation of wealth and prosperity the same thing or different? Can the goal of a human being be to work just for sensual pleasures, and that too in continuity? Is the sensual pleasure and happiness the same thing or is it something different? Is our goal decided within oneself or by looking at others? There are so many issues such as the ones mentioned above that we are struggling with. This leads to a state of dilemma. Deciding our goals with definiteness becomes a difficult task. In the successive chapters, we will start exploring into all these issues one by one systematically. It will help to develop the basis for you to decide your goals by yourself, and not under the influence of others. Just think that if your goal is also not your own but borrowed from others, will its achievement be fulfilling to you? Hence, it is important that at this stage of your life, you are able to correctly make out your goals with confidence. As we proceed further, we will see that with the understanding of the human being, the nature and the harmony in relationship, it will be possible for us to know our participation as human being in every sphere of our living and therefore, understand our purpose, our goal appropriately. This calls for developing a holistic perspective. Development of a Holistic Perspective The outcome of value education is a holistic perspective with the clarity about human being (the one who understands), about the nature/existence of which we are an integral part as well as our participation in this nature/ existence. This participation is our role, it is our purpose, it is our right, it is our responsibility and it is our value. In terms of day-to-day living, it means that we are able to see our role with respect to ourselves, with respect to the family, with respect to the society and with respect to nature/existence (fig. 1-1). We can also see that we feel happy when we fulfil our participation at any level. 11 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics Individual I have a role within myself (eg. ensuring happiness in the self and health in the body) Family I have a role in my Family (eg. ensuring feeling of relationship and prosperity) Society I have a role in the society (eg. to participate in social system for ensuring justice, peace and harmony) Nature/Existence Figure - 1.1 I have a role in nature/existence Interconnectedness and Participation in (eg. mutual fulfilment with rest of nature) the Larger Order We are interconnected, interrelated in this existence – from the smallest level to the whole cosmos. There is a chain of connectedness with mutual fulfilment at every level. With a holistic perspective we are able to see every little part of it. We can also see that our own existence is by virtue of this mutual fulfilment. It is the same for other human beings as well as all the units in nature, like air, water, plants and animals. The rich bio-diversity is fulfilling for us and is readily available to us without any effort from our side. It is like a gift of mutual fulfilment. All the wisdom, information and skills which the long human tradition has developed are also readily available to us without any effort from our side. This also develops a deep sense of gratitude for the society and ultimately for the whole existence. In the light of the holistic perspective, we can understand that the nature or the existence is in harmony and there is relationship among all the units of nature, including human beings. We can now perceive that the harmony, the relationship is the running thread across all that exists, across all the units in nature – from a single atom to the whole cosmos. We can now see that, in fact, all these units, from atoms to cosmos, are the expressions of this harmony and relationship at different levels. 12  Understanding Value Education Clarity of Programme to Live with Holistic Perspective We are all faced with many questions regarding our program of living, such as: what thoughts are naturally acceptable to me with which I would like to continue, what food will keep my body healthy which clothes will fulfil the need of my body better, what behaviour with my friends will sustain our relationship, how I can be a help to the other in my family, how I can participate in the college or neighbourhood or the society at large so that there is mutual fulfilment, what my role can be in maintaining the harmony of the environment which includes trees, air, water, etc. We all have such concerns and we keep struggling with confusion about all these aspects and the notions vary from person to person. Can we get a vision, a programme that can be holistic as well as universal? This will give us the clarity to work out the day-to-day programs. Value Education provides us the vision which will help us to get answers to get answers to all these questions. We can see that this clarity of programme is necessary for our own state of happiness. Evaluation of our Beliefs Our conduct depends on what we understand or believe about ourselves, our family, the society and the nature around. Value education also helps us become aware of our own beliefs. Much of our behaviour or working is based on beliefs about which we are ourselves quite unaware of. These somehow become the guiding factors of the decisions of our life. Hence, it is important to evaluate our own beliefs sincerely. Of course, all beliefs are not wrong, but there may be many that are. For example, if we believe that earning money is the ultimate goal of life and sensual pleasures are the only source of happiness, we make effort for accumulating money and indulging in sensual pleasures as much as possible. Like that, there may be many different beliefs and based on these beliefs, different programs for fulfilment. One of these beliefs could be that the very design of nature is such that there is struggle for survival and the ‘survival of the fittest’; and that human beings have to struggle their way through life. With this belief, invariably we 13 A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics think in terms of competition, instead of cooperation with human beings; we may even think of domination which may ultimately lead to fighting and even war. We may think in terms of accumulating more and more physical facility. For this we think of exploitation and mastery over rest of nature, instead of ensuring mutual enrichment.