i
rd
3
Revised
Edition
a foundation course in
R R Gaur R Asthana G P Bagaria
HUMAN VALUES and
professional ethics
Presenting a universal approach to value education
- through self-exploration
What is
my role in
this existence?
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i
3 rd
RevisedEdition
a foundation course in
R R Gaur R Asthana G P Bagaria
HUMAN VALUES and
professional ethics
Presenting a universal approach to value education
- through self-exploration
What is my role in this existence?
ii
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-
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.
To view a copy of the license, please visit https://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/
Website: uhv.org.in
ii
A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics
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.
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Understanding Value Education ................................................
Chapter 2: Self-exploration as the Process for Value Education .......
Chapter 3: Basic Human Aspirations and their Fulfilment ....................
Chapter 4: Understanding Happiness and Prosperity – Their Continuity and Programme for Fulfilment ............................
Chapter 5: Understanding the Human Being as Co-existence of the Self and the Body ............................................................................
Chapter 6: Harmony in the Self – Understanding Myself ......................
Chapter 7: Harmony of the Self with the Body – Understanding Self-regulation and Health ...........................................................
Chapter 8: Harmony in the Family – Understanding Values in Human-Human Relationships ....................................................
Chapter 9: Harmony in the Society – Understanding Universal Human Order .....................................................................................
Chapter 10: Harmony in Nature – Understanding the Interconnectedness, Self-regulation and Mutual Fulfilment .............................................................................................
Chapter 11: Harmony in Existence – Understanding Co-existence at Various Levels ....................................................................................
xvii xxiii xxvii xxix xxxiii
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................
Preface ..............................................................................................................................
About the Authors ........................................................................................................ An Introductory Overview of the Book ................................................................ Note to the Reader ......................................................................................................
Section I - Introduction to Value Education
Section II - Understanding the Harmony at Various Levels
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Chapter 12: The Basis for Universal Human Values and Ethical Human Conduct ...............................................................................
Chapter 13: Professional Ethics in the light of Right Understanding ..
Chapter 14: Holistic Development towards Universal Human Order ..
Chapter 15: Vision for Holistic Technologies, Production Systems and Management Models ............................................................
Chapter 16: Journey towards Universal Human Order – The Road Ahead ....................................................................................................
Appendix P-1: Efforts for UHV 1980’s- ....................................................
Appendix P-2: UHV Faculty Development Programs ..................................
Appendix P-3: Minor Degree in Universal Human Values (UHV) ...........
Appendix P-4: How UHV can contribute to UGC Efforts for Values ....
Appendix A1-1: Typical Course Structure ...........................................................
Appendix A3-1: What is Basic Aspiration? ........................................................
Appendix A6-1: Activities of the Self ...................................................................
Appendix A6-2: Sanskar ...........................................................................................
Appendix A9-1: Process of Understanding .......................................................
Appendix A12-1: Universal Human Values .........................................................
Glossary ............................................................................................................................
References .......................................................................................................................
Section III - Implications of the Right Understanding
Section IV - Appendices
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A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics
Natural Acceptance .................................................................................... Appraisal of the Current Status ............................................................. The Way Ahead ............................................................................................... Important Implications of Self-exploration ....................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 3: Basic Human Aspirations and their Fulfilment ..........
Recap .................................................................................................................. What is Meant by Basic Aspiration? ...................................................... Continuous Happiness and Prosperity as Basic Human Aspirations ........................................................................................................ Basic Requirements for Fulfilment of Human Aspirations .......... Development of Human Consciousness ............................................... Holistic Development .................................................................................... Role of Education-Sanskar ......................................................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 4: Understanding Happiness and Prosperity – Their Continuity and Programme for Fulfilment ................ Recap .................................................................................................................. Exploring the Meaning of Happiness ..................................................... Programme for Continuity of Happiness ............................................. Exploring the Meaning of Prosperity ..................................................... A Look at the Prevailing Notions of Happiness ................................ The Programme for Happiness ................................................................ Natural Outcome of the Programme ..................................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
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A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics
Chapter 5: Understanding the Human Being as Co-existence of the Self and the Body ......................................................... Recap .................................................................................................................. Human Being ................................................................................................... Human Being as Co-existence of the Self and the Body .............. The Self as the Consciousness Entity, the Body as the Material Entity ................................................................................................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 6: Harmony in the Self – Understanding Myself ............
Recap .................................................................................................................. Activities of the Self ...................................................................................... Activities of the Self are Continuous ...................................................... Activities Together Constitute Imagination ........................................ Imagination gets Expressed in Behaviour and Work ..................... State of Imagination .................................................................................... Possible Sources of Imagination – Preconditioning, Sensation and Natural Acceptance ............................................................................. Consequences of Imagination from the three Sources – Self-organisation or Enslavement? ......................................................... The Way Ahead – Ensuring Harmony in the Self by way of Self-exploration ............................................................................................... Understanding Harmony in the Self (Detail) ...................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Section II - Understanding the Harmony at Various Levels
ix
Love as the Complete Value ...................................................................... Distinguishing Between Love and Infatuation .................................. Right Feeling – within Myself or from the Other? ............................. Role of Physical Facility in Fulfilment of Relationship ..................... Response and Reaction in Behaviour .................................................... Understanding Justice ................................................................................. My Participation (Value) in My Family .................................................. Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 9: Harmony in the Society – Understanding Universal Human Order ......................................................................... Recap .................................................................................................................. Understanding Human Goal ..................................................................... Appraisal of the Current Status ............................................................... The Way Ahead ............................................................................................... Human Goal and Systems for its Fulfilment – Human Order ...... Professions in a Human Society .............................................................. Harmony from Family Order to World Family Order – Universal Human Order ................................................................................................... Scope – From Family Order to World Family Order (Universal Human Order) .................................................................................................. Natural Outcome of Right Understanding .......................................... My Participation (Value) in the Society ................................................ Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
xi
Chapter 10: Harmony in Nature – Understanding the Interconnectedness, Self-regulation and Mutual Fulfilment ................................................................................ Recap .................................................................................................................. Nature as Collection of Units .................................................................... Classification of Units into Four Orders ............................................... Interconnectedness and Mutual Fulfilment among the Four Orders .................................................................................................................. Self-regulation in Nature ............................................................................ Understanding the Four Orders ............................................................... Significance of Education-Sanskar for Human Order .................... Abundance in Nature ................................................................................... Dependence of the Human Being on the Other Three Orders .... Mutually Fulfilling Interaction of Human Order in Nature ............ Natural Outcome of the Understanding ............................................. My Participation (Value) in Nature ......................................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 11: Harmony in Existence – Understanding Co-existence at Various Levels ....................................... Recap .................................................................................................................. Existence as Units in Space ....................................................................... Understanding Units and Space ............................................................. Understanding Submergence ................................................................... Existence as Co-existence – Units Submerged in Space .............. Material and Consciousness Units .......................................................... Classification of Material Units ................................................................ Classification of Consciousness Units in Association with Material Units ..................................................................................................
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A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics
Prevailing Approaches towards Promotion of Professional Ethics – their Inadequacy ........................................................................... Inherent Contradictions and Dilemmas and their Resolution ..... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 14: Holistic Development towards Universal Human Order .......................................................................................... Recap .................................................................................................................. Visualisation of Comprehensive Human Goal ................................... The Vision for Holistic Development and Universal Human Order .................................................................................................................... Paving Way towards the Humanistic Tradition ................................. Humanistic Education .................................................................................. Humanistic Constitution .............................................................................. Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
Chapter 15: Vision for Holistic Technologies, Production Systems and Management Models ................................. Recap .................................................................................................................. Introduction ...................................................................................................... A Holistic Criteria for Evaluation ............................................................. A Critical Appraisal of the Prevailing Systems ................................... Learning from the Systems in Nature and Traditional Practices. Visualizing a Holistic Community Model – Working Towards Harmony at All Levels ................................................................................... Topics for Case Studies ............................................................................... Salient Points ................................................................................................... Test Your Understanding .............................................................................
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A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics
Chapter 16: Journey towards Universal Human Order – The Road Ahead ............................................................................ Recap .................................................................................................................. The Core Message .......................................................................................... Appreciating the Need for Self-exploration ....................................... Facilitating the Understanding of Harmony at Various Levels .. Step 1: Steps for Individual Transformation ....................................... Step 2: Creating Mass Awareness towards Holistic Development .................................................................................................... Step 3: Moving towards Humanising the Mainstream Education Step 4: Developing Models for Holistic Living in Educational Institutions and in the Community ......................................................... Is the Transition too Difficult? .................................................................. Concluding Remarks .....................................................................................
Appendix P-1: Efforts for UHV 1980’s- ................................
Appendix P-2: UHV Faculty Development Programs ...............
Appendix P-3: Minor Degree in Universal Human Values (UHV) ...........................................................................
Appendix P-4: How UHV can contribute to UGC Efforts for Values ..........................................................................
Appendix A1-1: Typical Course Structure ......................................
Salient Features of the Course ................................................................. Course Objectives .......................................................................................... Course Methodology .................................................................................... Course Syllabus ............................................................................................... Guidelines and Content for Practice Sessions ...................................
Section IV - Appendices
xv
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”.
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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
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A foundation course in Human Values and professional ethics