Every religion, society, or community has a different framework for deciding what is good or bad. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and for that reason its ethics has been influenced by many different sources such as modernization and other cultures. But, the troubling question arises, what is Hinduism ethics? Many philosophers have debated on this subject. Some agree that Hindu ethics is based on dhrama, the duty of maintaining order in the universe. But, philosophers end up trapped in a maze because there are many definitions of what dhrama is. According to “Origins of Hindu Ethics”, “the uncertainty of dharma,[comes from] the difficulties in determining the proper path of conduct for [humankind] amid the messiness of human life” (Monius, 334). Humankind may want to control the outcomes of their actions, but the reality is that they cannot. It would be a mistake to pinpoint Hindu ethics as a single idea when it has a variety of concepts integrated into its belief system. Throughout time, many Hindu traditions have changed, including its moral code. Hindu ethics takes into consideration some of the aspects of the three main ethical theories: deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. By not strictly incorporating the three theories into its belief system, but does uses some of its original elements, making it versatile.
In Anne Monius article, “Origins of Hindu Ethics,” she discusses that “to be moral, to act rightly, is to realize actively one’s place in the ritually constituted cosmos”(331). This exemplifies dhrama and what deontology is, the duty and obligation of acting righteously. For many years, this had been the central philosophy of Hindu ethics. A person was born into a society that had est...
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...hics is acquired through learning as suggested by Manu and Aristotle. Many of the original features of virtue ethics have influenced the Hindu moral reasoning. Hindu ethics like virtue ethics has adapted to individual circumstances rather than the belief of a universal law.
The integration of the three theories has made Hindu ethics into a versatile philosophy that will last for many more centuries According to Joseph Prabhu in his article “Trajectories of Hindu ethics”, Hindu ethics has advanced to a point where it “[is] free to seek truth in, and to adapt to, different circumstances, all while maintaining a continuity, but not a sameness, with the past” (356). Hindu ethics maintains some aspects of its traditional ideals, such as the value of duty, the outcome of freedom and knowledge, and overall character. But as the world progresses, Hindu ethics does also.
Ethical theories may be usefully divided into two main types, deontological or eudaimonist, on the basis of whether they take one or the other of these kinds of judgments as primary. (1) In the main, ancient ethical theories were eudaimonist in both form and content (in the kinds of judgments and terms they took as primary, and in the questions they spent the most time investigating). Most modern ethical theories have been deontological, again in both form and content. (2) Aristotle’s central question is: What is the good life for a human being? Kant and Mill’s central question is: What are our duties to our fellow human beings? My second main contention, which I cannot fully argue for here, is that neither type of theory trumps the other, nor should we attempt to subsume both types under some higher ethical synthesis.
Also, since deontologists place a high value on the individual, in some instances it is permissible not to maximize the good when it is detrimental to yourself. For example, one does not need to impoverish oneself to the point of worthlessness simply to satisfy one’s moral obligations. Deontology can be looked at as a generally flexible moral theory that allows for self-interpretation but like all others theories studied thus far, there are arguments one can make against its reasoning. One objection to deontological moral theory is that the theory yields only absolutes and cannot always justify its standpoints.
Sharma, Arvind (ND) The Hindu Tradition Religious Beliefs and Healthcare Decisions. Retrieved on January 17, 2013 from http://www.academia.edu/1774717/Religious_Beliefs_and_Healthcare_Decisions_The_Hindu_Tradition
...onsibility in life which is decided by the caste they are born into. However, living amongst other people, one’s soul might become “forgetful of the Lord” which leads to “[attaching] itself to pleasure” which would make it “bound” to the wheel of the universe. For a soul to escape this cycle birth, death, and rebirth, it is necessary to connect with this god. The Hindu people believed that “by uniting oneself with him…one ceases to be ignorant” and this means “Birth, death, and rebirth will be no more.” This credence of rebirth and karma highly influenced the way the Hindu society developed.
A disruption of values arises as a powerful factor in the creation of Gandhi’s theory pertaining to spiritual sickness and the gener...
A disturbing thought about man’s ethical barometer is that most of the theories, categories and principles emanate from the point of man’s reason. There is a cause to shudder at the thought of man as the absolute authority of what is right and wrong; what is ethical and what is not. Born into a sinful nature, man will ultimately make decisions that will lead to a moral philosophy that is shaky at best. Even philosophers with the best of intentions fall short to God’s model for the order, organization, and meting out of ethical actions. Because of man’s finite vision of what should be done to improve the present situation, mankind will always be found lacking in making the best ethical decisions; not being able to see the long term outcome and the impact those decisions and actions would have on others in the world.
Cahn, Steven M. and Peter Markie, Ethics: History, Theory and Contemporary Issues. 4th Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Ethics is the study of human values, actions and life decisions, also known as morality. By using moral principles, claims which guide individuals by telling them what they ought and ought not to do, ethics attempts to determine if something is good or bad. However at times different moral principles conflict with another, making it difficult to see what the best course of action is. A good moral theory solves that dilemma by attempts to explain why a person or action is right or wrong, or why a person’s character is good or bad by stating which moral principles are more important than others. Two infamous moral theories are Utilitarianism and Kantianism.
Rajhans, Gyan. "Ideas of Hindu Marriage: Why the Hindu Marriage is Sacrosanct." About.com Hinduismn.pag. About.com. Web. 20 Mar 2014. .
For many years now, people have always wondered what ethical principle is the right one to follow. These individuals are all seeking the answer to the question that the ethical principles are trying to clarify: What defines moral behavior? The Divine Command Theory and the theories of cultural relativism are two principles of many out there that provide us with explanations on what our ethical decisions are based on and what we consider to be our moral compass in life. Even though these two theories make well-supported arguments on why they are the right principle to follow, it is hard to pinpoint which one should guide our choices because of the wide array of ethical systems. Therefore, what is morally right or wrong differs greatly depending
The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the most widely-read, ethical text of ancient India. As an episode in India's great epic, the Mahabharata, The Bhagavad Gita now ranks as one of the three principal texts that define and capture the essence of Hinduism; the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Though this work contains much theology, its kernel is ethical and its teaching is set in the context of an ethical problem. The teaching of The Bhagavad Gita is summed up in the maxim "your business is with the deed and not with the result." When Arjuna, the third son of king Pandu (dynasty name: Pandavas) is about to begin a war that became inevitable once his one hundred cousins belonging to the Kaurava dynasty refused to return even a few villages to the five Pandava brothers after their return from enforced exile, he looks at his cousins, uncles and friends standing on the other side of the battlefield and wonders whether he is morally prepared and justified in killing his blood relations even though it was he, along with his brother Bhima, who had courageously prepared for this war. Arjuna is certain that he would be victorious in this war since he has Lord Krishna (one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu) on his side. He is able to visualize the scene at the end of the battle; the dead bodies of his cousins lying on the battlefield, motionless and incapable of vengeance. It is then that he looses his nerve to fight.
Upon reading about the historical and religious background of Ancient India, one can clearly assume that the country was strongly influenced by three main religious teachings: Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. These three sects in religious thinking have many similarities as all recognize the life-cycle and the need of liberation, they worship one central deity that used to be a human who gained enlightenment and they all recognize the existence of the eternal soul and after-death re-incarnation. However, they also share a lot of differences that mark the underlying principles of practicing them. I will identify the scope of differences and similarities in these ancient religions in an attempt to understand why each attracted followers, why each was shaped a certain way and how they preserved the interest of followers on into the modern times as well.
As a function, ethics is a philosophical study of the moral value of human conduct, and of the rules and principles it should govern. As a system, ethics are a social, religious, or civil code of behavior considered correct by a particular group, profession, or individual. As an instrument, ethics provide perspective regarding the moral fitness of a decision, course of action, or potential outcomes. Ethical decision-making can include many types, including deontological (duty), consequentialism (including utilitarianism), and virtue ethics. Additionally, subsets of relativism, objectivism, and pluralism seek to understand the impact of moral diversity on a human level. Although distinct differences separate these ethical systems, organizations
The teachings on ethical issues from a religious perspective vary greatly in their approach for each faith tradition. The nature of the teachings on ethical issues within the Buddhist faith enables them to be open to discussion and interpretation. In this essay, I will discuss what the teachings that govern the Buddhist position on abortion are, what the Buddhist teachings on when human life begins are, what the prescriptions and prohibitions in relation to abortion in Buddhism are and how these compare and contrast to the position within denominations in the Christian tradition and finally, what is the relevance of this topic to the Religious Education senior cycle syllabus.
Today, Hinduism stands as India’s primary religion. In fact, India houses 90% of the world’s Hindi population and 79.8% of India’s population follows the Hindu religion, according to the 2011 census. It is thought by some to be the oldest religion in the world and the “eternal law” (Fowler). This culture is truly one as defined by Edward Taylor: “A complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capability and habit acquired by man as a member of society.” In order to have somewhat of an understanding about what the Hindu religion entails, one must study the Hindu conception of God, its basic concepts and key beliefs, as well as symbolism.