Universal Human Values BUHK408

Module-5 Implications of the above Holistic Understanding of Harmony on Professional Ethics

 Natural acceptance of human values
 Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct
 Basis for Humanistic Education, Humanistic Constitution and Humanistic Universal Order
 Competence in professional ethics:
a. Ability to utilize the professional competence for augmenting universal human order
b. Ability to identify the scope and characteristics of people friendly and eco-friendly production
systems,
c. Ability to identify and develop appropriate technologies and management patterns for above
production systems.
 Case studies of typical holistic technologies, management models and production systems
 Strategy for transition from the present state to Universal Human Order:

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Natural Acceptance of Human Values

 It is right to say that we naturally accept Human Values in the light of our
understanding of Harmony and Co-Existence. Every Human being naturally expects
to be purposeful and successful. Our wisdom is the true source for realizing these
expectations. This source could never be obliterated -every person naturally accepts
goodness, Every person naturally expects goodness to happen. We all are waiting for
goodness to happen. The place where goodness would be realized will naturally be
in our relationships with other entities in existence. Recognition of a relationship in
existence is essentially recognizing of its innate purpose or value. This is study in
existence. Commitment in a relationship is a natural outcome of this recognition.
Thereafter perfection in Harmony in that relationship becomes inevitable. Perfection
naturally results in fruitfulness or success. Omni-dimensional resolution emanating
from Jeevan is always connected with all our relationships.
 Human values need to be lived. What will it take to fulfill this need? Human values
are realized by understanding of Jeevan, understanding of existence as co-existence,
and by natural acceptance of humane conduct. Wisdom is nothing else but this.
When we begin realizing human values only then we become capable of doing right,
and become proficient in doing right. Till then we are trapped in one mania or the
other -and there's no way for us to do right. Understanding Jeevan and understanding
Existence are essential for becoming wise. Moreover, values are realized only upon
recognition of the meaning or purpose of relationships.

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Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct

 The right understanding gained through self-exploration enables one to identify the
definitiveness of human conduct which may also be called the Ethical human
conduct. It is the same for all human beings, and is in agreement with the universal
human values.

Characteristics of Ethical Human Conduct:

 It is a combined representation of –Values, policies and character. Values help us to

live in harmony with family, character helps us to live harmoniously in the society
and policies help us to maintain harmony with the orders of nature.

Values (Mulya): Values can be witnessed in relationships. The ability to recognize the
relationships is due to imagination and being self organized in work. It enables us to
understand the relationship between various orders of nature too. We have many relations in
life, but the actual purpose of relationship is to be understood. For example, the purpose of
relationship between parents and children is fulfillment and protection and living in order.
Trust is the functional value that helps us to maintain the continuity of relationship.

Policy (Niti): The assets of an individual include the self „I‟, the body and the physical
resources. It is important that proper coordination existsbetween them. Policies are the rules
which when followed help us to protect, enrich and utilize adequately the various assets
possessed by us.

One must evaluate his conduct based on the above three dimensions and self exploration
alone bridges the gap between conduct and the ethical human conduct. A human being can
be called prosperous and successful if he blends his professional skills with ethical human
conduct.

Character (Charitra): Character is determined by the values one incorporates in his life. It
is the outcome of the values he possesses, his perception, imagination and the experiences
gained during his life time.

The characteristics of good character include-

-Having personal trustworthy relationships

-Access to rightful acquiring of wealth

-Compassionate behavior and work

 If one has the above he will be organized and has self harmony. By understanding
natural acceptance on gains self expression and self extension by participation in

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harmony at all levels of existence. This leads to right understanding which will result
in a prosperous undivided society of high human order.
 This definitiveness of human conduct in terms of values, policies and character is
termed as Ethics. The criterion to judge whether an act of human being is ethical or
unethical, and a definite way to work for ethics in life and profession are varying.
Ethics in the life of an individual can be imbibed only through inculcation of values,
policies and character, and this is possible through the process of ensuring right
understanding through self-exploration. At the same time, we can see that a human
being with ethical human conduct coupled with requisite professional skills only can
be a good professional, namely, a good engineer, a good manager, a good teacher
and researcher, a good technocrat, etc.
 'Ethical conduct' implies that it is naturally acceptable and does not give rise to
conflict within. Thus, the 'ethical conduct' is self-satisfying, people-friendly, eco-
friendly and universal.
 Acceptance of Basic human values: Schwartz has identified 10 basic human values.
These include the core values recognized in cultures round the world and are
mentioned in different cultures, religions and philosophical discussions of values.

Each of the ten basic values can be characterized by describing its central motivational
goal:

1. Self-Direction: Independent thought and action; choosing, creating, exploring.

2. Stimulation: Excitement, novelty, and challenge in life.

3. Hedonism: Pleasure and sensuous gratification for oneself.

4. Achievement: Personal success through demonstrating competence according to social

standards.

5. Power: Social status and prestige, control or dominance over people and resources.

6. Security: Safety, harmony, and stability of society, of relationships, and of self.

7. Conformity: Restraint of actions, inclinations, and impulses likely to upset or harm others
and violate social expectations or norms.

8. Tradition: Respect, commitment, and acceptance of the customs and ideas that traditional
culture or religion provide the self.

9. Benevolence: Preserving and enhancing the welfare of those with whom one is in
frequent personal contact (the „in-group‟).

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10. Universalism: Understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection for thewelfare of

all people and for nature.

The model figure of representing the relationship among the values is mentioned
below:

 The conflicts and congruities among all ten basic values yield an integrated structure
of values. This structure can be summarizedwith two orthogonal dimensions. Self-
enhancement vs. self-transcendence: On this dimension, power and achievement
values oppose universalism and benevolence values. Both of the former emphasize
pursuit of self-interests, whereas both of the latter involveconcern for the welfare
and interests of others.
 Openness to change vs. conservation: On this dimension, self-direction and
stimulation values oppose security, conformity and tradition values. Both of the
former emphasize independent action, thought and feeling and readiness for new
experience, whereas all of the latter emphasize self-restriction, order and resistance
to change. Hedonism shares elements of both openness and self-enhancement.

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Basis of Humanistic Education, Humanistic Constitution & Humanistic Universal

Order

BASIS FOR THE HOLISTIC ALTERNATIVE TOWARDS UNIVERSAL HUMAN

ORDER

VISION FOR THE HOLISTIC ALTERNATIVE

 A correct appraisal of the comprehensive human goal welfare and the realization of
co-existence at all levels enable us to visualize and gradually evolve a viable
alternative to the prevailing pattern of human living. Thus the right understanding
prepares us for moving towards the holistic alternative (Universal Human Order)
which will be sustainable as well as conducive to fulfill the basic human aspirations
for all human beings. It will be a mode of living which is self satisfying, people
friendly and eco-friendly.
 Humanistic Education: Humanistic education will incorporate appropriate
integration of values and skills so that human being are able to understand their
physical needs correctly and adopt suitable techniques and production systems to
cater to these needs in an eco-friendly and people friendly manner. The humanistic
education will facilitate the process of self exploration which will lead to continuous
self evolution of human being. It will also enable the realization of once innateness
as well as the universality and definitiveness of ethical human conduct. It will also
develop the conviction that only value based living can be conducive to continuous
happiness and prosperity for one and all.
 Humanistic Constitution Presently, the human society is divided into various
castes, creeds, religions and nationalities whose objectives and interests are proving
contrary to those of others. Accordingly a major part of human endeavour is used in
handling those conflicts and contradictions. Paradoxically, the human beings are
spending substantial part of their energies and resources in preparing themselves for
war, only to ensure peace. When the parameters of human welfare are universal i.e.
commonly applicable to all human beings, the humanistic constitution can only
alternative for the fulfillment of human aspiration.
 Universal human order and its implications: On the basis of the understanding of
harmony we get the notion of an undivided society and universal human order.
 The universal human order will comprise of:
1. The five dimensions of human Endeavour towards a fragmented society.
2. The steps of organization from family to world family, each anchored in right
understanding will integrate in the following ways.

Family →Family cluster →Village/community→ Village cluster →world family

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Professional ethics in the light of right understanding

 Profession (In the light of Comprehensive Human Goal): Profession is channel of

participation by human beings in the larger order in pursuance of comprehensive
human goal. In the process one is able to contribute towards the livelihood of one‟s
family and also participate in the larger order constituting the society and the nature
around. It is an important activity to authenticate one‟s understanding, whereby we
interact with other human beings and with rest of the nature in a mutually fulfilling
manner. Thus, the Profession is a Service‟. „

Competence in Professional Ethics

1–.Clarity about the comprehensive human goal: Samadhana –Samriddhi –Abhaya Saha-
astitva and its fulfillment through universal human order from family order to world family.

2. Confidence in oneself as well as confidence in the harmony, co-existence and self-

regulation prevailing in entire existence based on the right understanding of oneself and the
rest of existence.

3. Competence of mutually fulfilling behaviour, clarity and confidence in ethical human

conduct and its correlation with sustainable personal as well as collective happiness and
prosperity.

4. Competence of mutually enriching interaction with nature, ability to assess the needs for
physical facilities for the family and their fulfillment through production systems ensuring
harmony in the nature.

5. Competence of actualizing one understands in real life.

 How Competence in Professional Ethics can be achieved? The development of

ethical competence is a long-term process to be achieved through appropriate value
education. As profession is only a subset of the life activities, the competence in
profession will only be the manifestation of one right understands. Thus,
Competence in Professional Ethics can be achieved through right understanding.
 The increase of unethical practices in various professions, the contradictions and
dilemmas are primarily due to the prevailing worldview focusing on profit
maximization. These can be resolved through right understanding.

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Competence in Professional Ethics

Professional ethics means to develop professional competence with ethical human conduct.
Developing ethical competence in the individual (profession) is the only effective way to
ensure professional ethics. The development of ethical competence is a long term process to
be achieved through appropriate value education. As profession is only a subset of the life
activities, the competence in profession will only be the manifestation of one's right
understanding. The salient features
Characterizing this competence can be summarized as follows:
1. Clarity about comprehensive human goal: Samadhan -Samridhi -Abhay -Sah-astitva, and
its fulfilment through universal human order.
2. Confidence in oneself: Based on the right understanding of oneself and the rest of
existence.
3. Mutually fulfilling behaviour: Clarity and confidence in ethical human conduct and its
correlation with sustained personal as well as collective happiness and prosperity.
4. Mutually enriching interaction with nature: Self-sufficiency in fulfillment of physical
needs; ability to assess the needs for physical facilities for the family and their fulfillment
through production systems ensuring harmony in the nature. In the light of the above, one
acquires the ability to identify and develop appropriate (people-friendly and eco-friendly)
technologies, production systems etc.

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Case Studies of Typical Holistic Technologies, Management Models & Production

Systems :
The ability & criteria to develop Holistic systems comes through understanding of harmony
at various levels along with the appreciation of comprehensive human goal.
Following criteria need to be considered
 Renewability
 Preservation of natural balance
 Utilizing local resources and expertise
 Decentralized and conducive to meaningful mass employment
 Catering to real needs
 Matching of production, distribution and consumption etc
 Case studies can be done on models like
 Biomass based Energy Technologies
 Animal driven gadgets
 Micro Hydel and wind power Prime movers
 Solar energy devices
 Eco-sanitation Technologies
 Green building materials and techniques
 Watershed management
 Eco-friendly agriculture
 Management models
 Gramin Bank
 Lizzat cooperatives
 Auroville
 Ralegaon sidhi
 Brahma Kumaris
 Emerging Technologies
 Every day, the world produces carbon dioxide that is released to the earth‟s
atmosphere and which will still be there in one hundred years „time. This increased
content of Carbon Dioxide increases the warmth of our planet and is the main cause
of the so called “Global Warming Effect”. One answer to global warming is to
replace and retrofit current technologies with Holistic alternatives that have
comparable or better performance, but do not emit carbon dioxide. We call this
Alternate or holistic energy.
 By 2050, one-third of the world's energy will need to come from solar, water, bio-
mass, wind, geothermal and other renewable resources. Climate change, population
growth, and fossil fuel depletion mean that renewable will need to play a bigger role
in the future than they do today. The use of clean alternative energies such as the

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home use of solar power systems will help ensure man's survival into the 21st
century and beyond.
II. ENERGY NEEDS AND FUTURE

 According to Index Mundi, the energy needs of individuals in terms of electricity

consumption per capita (kWh per person) the highest is in Iceland and lowest is in
Afghanistan. India ranks 153rd
 Iceland 52620 kWh/person (Highest)
 Norway 24558 kWh/person (2nd Highest)
 Kuwait 16091 kWh/person (3rd Highest)
 United States 11920 kWh/person (9th)
 China 3494 kWh/person (70th)
 India 498 kWh/person (153rd)
 Pakistan 390kWh/person (159th) …….{as per June 2012 data}
III. HOLISTIC APPROACH TO LIFE
 What if the major problems now humanity is facing like poverty, emerging diseases,
resources crunch, overpopulation and global warming, to name a few were so
intertwined that we couldn't hope to address one without addressing the others? And
what if we really couldn't expect to address many at once without changing our
approach entirely?
 Earlier methods to solve the crisis no longer suffice for the task at hand. Only more
holistic approach is required like:
 Life cycle thinking
 Global collaboration
 Market based incentives to Holistic production
 Integrated interdisciplinary solutions
 Investments in sustainable systems
IV. POPULATION AND RESOURCES SCENARIO
 Also we must have a close look at the population scenario of the Globe. Global
population growth will create a perfect storm of food, water and energy shortages by
2030, according to the UK government‟s chief scientist. By 2030, world population
is expected to hit 8.3 billion, causing a 50 percent increase in the global demand for
food and energy and a 30 percent increase in the demand for fresh drinking water a
resource that is already in short supply for about a third of the world‟s people.
Researchers found a six-fold increase in water and energy use for only a two-fold
increase in population size. The World Health Organization has reported that
environmental degradation due to excessive dependence on Fossil Fuels, combined
with the growth in world population, is a major cause of the rapid increase in human
diseases.

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Strategy for transition from the present state to Universal Human Order:

Today we are generally trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by maximizing

accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. This effort is giving rise to many
problems manifest today at the level of individual, family, society and the nature. These
problems are:

• At the level of individual–Rising problems of depression, anxiety, suicides, stress,

insecurity, increasing health problems, lack of confidence and conviction etc.

• At the level of family–Breaking up of joint families, mistrust and disharmony in

relationships, divorce, generation gap, dowry deaths, neglect of older people etc.

• At the level of society–Growing incidences of terrorism, violence, communalism, racial

and ethnic struggle, corruption, adulteration, exploitation, wars between nations,
proliferation of lethal weapons etc.

• At the level of nature–Global warming, weather imbalances, depletion of mineral and

energy resources, deforestation, soil degradation etc.

All the problems are a direct outcome of an incorrect understanding, our wrong notion about
happiness and prosperity and their continuity.

The implications of value based strategies can be understood in the following terms:

1. At the level of the individual –Achieve happiness, peace, contentment and bliss in the
self, perseverance, bravery and generosity in living of the individual. The individual get rid
of the tensions, frustrations, depression, and other such situations

2. At the level of the family -Mutual fulfillment in relationships, prosperity in the family,
sustenance of joint families, family as the building block of societal order in place of law
enforcing bodies, respect for all without differentiation on the basis of age, gender, caste,
race, money, post, creed, etc.

3. At the level of the society –Fearlessness in the society, holistic systems for education,
health, justice, production, exchange and storage, harmony between nations, world growing
as a family. Differentiations on the basis of body, physical facilities and beliefs will be
reduced.

4. At the level of nature –Co-existence of all units in nature, earth getting more and more
suited for sustenance of all entities on the globe, balance of seasons, proper development.
The problems of pollution and resource depletion can be solved.

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Strategy for transition from the present state to universal human order

(a) At the level of individual

(b) At the Society Level

Collective measures for prevention and removal of threats to the peace.

 Promote the value based education for the ultimate betterment of society.
 Framing positive agenda, mission statement, objectives, values and behaviors of the
business and service etc.
 Sustainable development
 Assigning the possible social role to its respective members
 Promoting self awareness and enhancing healthy employer-employee relationship
and ultimately the human inter-relationship.

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