Mission Mains 2021: GS 4 Ethics Discussion
This is for those of you who are planning to write Mains 2020. Primarily, the agenda of this thread would be
1. Answer Writing Practice
2. Sharing examples - anecdotes from Current affairs relevant for GS4 Answer writing
3. Any doubts wrt. Paper 4!
Feel free to pool in your suggestions!
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?
All people do not aspire for excellence beacuse
1. Behavioral factors - lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention etc.
2. Infrastructural factors - financial constraints, absence of educational institutions and formal training, lack of government support, remote geography, etc.
3. Social factors - lack of family support and guidance of experienced people, identity barriers like caste, lack of competitive peers, etc.
From an individual's perspective excellence is relative concept. For a student excellence means coming first in the examination while for it may mean just scoring the passing marks. In the former's opinion the later may not have aspiration for excellence as they have different benchmarks.
To me excellence means achieving the best performance as per my ability. It is a virtue that propels one to achieve the highest standard of efficiency and effectiveness.
Amartya Sen in capability approach argues that developing capabilities is key to achieving one's desired goals. My focus therefore has been
1. Knowledge of the subject/area where I seek excellence
2. Acquiring required set of skills through formal training
3. Right attitude and keenness to learn from past mistakes
4. Taking inspiration from success stories
I believe in the words of Swami Vivekananda "Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached" as I aspire for excellence.
upsc2020,6. Explain with examples how whistle-blowing is both an ethical and unethical act if seen in different perspectives?
Whistleblowing means passing on information about corruption or any other malpractice in an organisation to its leadership. It is intended to avert adverse consequences for the organisation.
Ethical act because
1. Helps detect misappropriation of public funds and thereby maintain transparency in the account book, for eg. Engineer Satyendra Dubey had unearthed corruption in his construction project
2. Compels to adhere to code of conduct and code of ethics like accountability, integrity, gender friendly atmosphere,etc. Several me too revelations in many organizations came through whistleblowers.
3. Can lead to legal and institutional framework for better public conduct, for eg. recent amendments to Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 that protects bribe giver if he/she discloses about bribe taker within seven days.
Unethical if
1. Intended to cause personal harm like maligning reputation, frame in false charges, eg. false cases of sexual harassment
2. At times an honest intention may end up in wrong conduct. So if a whistleblower does not investigate enough to find the whole picture and passes on partial information as complete truth it will be unfair to the person who committed an "honest mistake".
3. If the act of whistleblowing is aimed at personal benefits instead of public interest, such as promotion or fame
Given the original purpose of whistleblowing it is necessary to develop such legal and administrative frameworks which can prevent such unethical actions.
upsc2020,
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?Excellence to me refers to achieving the most optimal level of performance in a given activity. Eg Sachin Tendulkar achieved excellence in his cover drives.
Achieving excellence requires years of focused hardwork and fortitude among other things. But the aspiration to achieve excellence precedes all other requirements. Not all humans aspire for excellence for following reasons :-
A. Self doubt - it deters an individual from believing in oneself and aiming for excellence. It is for this reason APJ Abdul Kalam focussed on role of parents to instil confidence in their children
B. Soc-eco constraints- Abhijit Banerjee in his book Poor Economics evidences how poverty trap deters individuals from having higher aspiration and realising potential due to immediate severe hardships
C. Consumption culture- Era of globalisation has thrown open immense distraction around our lives to consume Eg Social media and Over the top media service. It Deters individuals from having ability to concentrate for longer and work towards excellence.
I develop the virtue of excellence via
1. Increasing my self awareness via meditation. This is followed by self regulation to improve on flaws and attain desirable traits like adaptability .
2. Have correct role models to take inspiration from and motivate myself. Eg ISRO chief K.Sivan
3. Following my passion, which helps me sustain my efforts and have honest intentions towards it.
In light of Article 51A which enumerates fundamental duty to strive for excellence, all must get on the path of realising their fullest potential and do service to the nation.
Kudos.
+ Aim to achieve excellence in the work that is carried out with good intention for larger good of others ―EthicalExcellenceprovides success that is sustainable and fulfilling.
That’s actually a good term “ethical excellence” will add good dimension to the answer
upsc2020,Whistleblowing refers to the act of disclosing secretive information of the institution one works at for it being unethical or illegal. Eg Exposing of Vyapam scam was due to whistleblowers. It’s ethicality differs from a matter of perception :-
1. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on surveillance of CIA on USA citizen.
A. It was deemed ethical due to upholding public morality and preventing a surveillance State impacting right to privacy
B. It was also deemed unethical for being an act of treason, for it made public highly classified information which Snowden was duty bound to protect
2. In 2018, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference on highlighting their concerns over the role of CJI and it’s dispensation of functions specifically being the master of roster
A. The said act can be said to be ethical for ushering some transparency on actual functioning of Supreme Court and strengthening justice delivery mechanism for exposing some ills in the system
B. It was also said to be unethical for it went against the principle of “institutions are bigger than the individual”. By making it public, it reduces the credibility of the Judiciary as a clean institution dispensing justice
From above two examples we see how whistleblowing has differing value judgement based on perception. The need is to ensure following Gandhiji’s teaching. That of following one’s dharma, if an individual believes in his cause and that to be just, he should take up the action of whistleblowing.
While the answer you've written is good, I suggest that try to include something related to civil services. For example,
+Truth versus Loyalty: whether a civil servant should remain loyal to the government or he should speak truth for the interest of the society. It is also a classic dilemma in case of whistle-blowing. So from the perspective of govt it would appear unethical, however from the WB's perspective it is ethical.
Conclusion: ought to be balanced - Whistle-blowing is a brave act of conscience, boundaries are blurred and the resort needs to be taken when alternative avenues are not correcting the situation.
Did my conclusion come across as unbalanced ? Asking so that I could correct it
6. Explain with examples how whistle-blowing is both an ethical and unethical act if seen in different perspectives?Whistle-blowing refers to the act of bringing unethical or illegal practices being performed in an organisation into public notice.
Like every coin has two sides, so is the case with whistle-blowing.
Whistle-blowing as an ethical practice -
- It works for the larger good of the society. For example Vyapam case led to bringing in forefront corruption in medical admissions in Madhya Pradesh
- It helps in keeping a check on unbridled power of the officials of an organization. For instance, insider trading practices have been declared as illegal by SEBI.
- On an individual level, it ensures that a person does not suffer from crisis of conscience.
Whistle-blowing as an unethical practice
- Leads of trust deficit in the society as well as organization as was seen after the press conference of SC judges in 2018.
- Breach of confidentiality
- Can lead to lowering of market sentiment and make shareholders/other stakeholders suffer like in case of Satyam.
- If false, it can tarnish the reputation for a long time to come.
While it is true that whistle-blowing acts have on several occasions brought into picture unethical practices like poor governance, corruption etc into public foray, they have also raised question about the exercise of such acts by individuals. Thus, there is a need to have guidelines which can clearly demarcate the occasions on which such acts would be permissible along with other mechanisms to deal with complaints.
My observations
1. I didn’t quite understand the link between insider trader and whistleblowing
2. Good concluding line
upsc2020,Whistleblowing refers to the act of disclosing secretive information of the institution one works at for it being unethical or illegal. Eg Exposing of Vyapam scam was due to whistleblowers. It’s ethicality differs from a matter of perception :-
1. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on surveillance of CIA on USA citizen.
A. It was deemed ethical due to upholding public morality and preventing a surveillance State impacting right to privacy
B. It was also deemed unethical for being an act of treason, for it made public highly classified information which Snowden was duty bound to protect
2. In 2018, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference on highlighting their concerns over the role of CJI and it’s dispensation of functions specifically being the master of roster
A. The said act can be said to be ethical for ushering some transparency on actual functioning of Supreme Court and strengthening justice delivery mechanism for exposing some ills in the system
B. It was also said to be unethical for it went against the principle of “institutions are bigger than the individual”. By making it public, it reduces the credibility of the Judiciary as a clean institution dispensing justice
From above two examples we see how whistleblowing has differing value judgement based on perception. The need is to ensure following Gandhiji’s teaching. That of following one’s dharma, if an individual believes in his cause and that to be just, he should take up the action of whistleblowing.
While the answer you've written is good, I suggest that try to include something related to civil services. For example,
+Truth versus Loyalty: whether a civil servant should remain loyal to the government or he should speak truth for the interest of the society. It is also a classic dilemma in case of whistle-blowing. So from the perspective of govt it would appear unethical, however from the WB's perspective it is ethical.
Conclusion: ought to be balanced - Whistle-blowing is a brave act of conscience, boundaries are blurred and the resort needs to be taken when alternative avenues are not correcting the situation.
Did my conclusion come across as unbalanced ? Asking so that I could correct it
Yes a tad unbalanced, I felt.
All people do not aspire for excellence beacuse
1. Behavioral factors - lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention etc.
2. Infrastructural factors - financial constraints, absence of educational institutions and formal training, lack of government support, remote geography, etc.
3. Social factors - lack of family support and guidance of experienced people, identity barriers like caste, lack of competitive peers, etc.
From an individual's perspective excellence is relative concept. For a student excellence means coming first in the examination while for it may mean just scoring the passing marks. In the former's opinion the later may not have aspiration for excellence as they have different benchmarks.
To me excellence means achieving the best performance as per my ability. It is a virtue that propels one to achieve the highest standard of efficiency and effectiveness.
Amartya Sen in capability approach argues that developing capabilities is key to achieving one's desired goals. My focus therefore has been
1. Knowledge of the subject/area where I seek excellence
2. Acquiring required set of skills through formal training
3. Right attitude and keenness to learn from past mistakes
4. Taking inspiration from success stories
I believe in the words of Swami Vivekananda "Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached" as I aspire for excellence.
Good usage of Sen and the quotation. Very well structured I think.
Silentobserver,6. Explain with examples how whistle-blowing is both an ethical and unethical act if seen in different perspectives?Whistle-blowing refers to the act of bringing unethical or illegal practices being performed in an organisation into public notice.
Like every coin has two sides, so is the case with whistle-blowing.
Whistle-blowing as an ethical practice -
- It works for the larger good of the society. For example Vyapam case led to bringing in forefront corruption in medical admissions in Madhya Pradesh
- It helps in keeping a check on unbridled power of the officials of an organization. For instance, insider trading practices have been declared as illegal by SEBI.
- On an individual level, it ensures that a person does not suffer from crisis of conscience.
Whistle-blowing as an unethical practice
- Leads of trust deficit in the society as well as organization as was seen after the press conference of SC judges in 2018.
- Breach of confidentiality
- Can lead to lowering of market sentiment and make shareholders/other stakeholders suffer like in case of Satyam.
- If false, it can tarnish the reputation for a long time to come.
While it is true that whistle-blowing acts have on several occasions brought into picture unethical practices like poor governance, corruption etc into public foray, they have also raised question about the exercise of such acts by individuals. Thus, there is a need to have guidelines which can clearly demarcate the occasions on which such acts would be permissible along with other mechanisms to deal with complaints.
Good conclusion and usage of important terms like Crisis of conscience, breach of confidentiality. Insider trading example - cab you please elaborate ?
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?All people do not aspire for excellence beacuse
1. Behavioral factors - lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention etc.
2. Infrastructural factors - financial constraints, absence of educational institutions and formal training, lack of government support, remote geography, etc.
3. Social factors - lack of family support and guidance of experienced people, identity barriers like caste, lack of competitive peers, etc.
From an individual's perspective excellence is relative concept. For a student excellence means coming first in the examination while for it may mean just scoring the passing marks. In the former's opinion the later may not have aspiration for excellence as they have different benchmarks.
To me excellence means achieving the best performance as per my ability. It is a virtue that propels one to achieve the highest standard of efficiency and effectiveness.
Amartya Sen in capability approach argues that developing capabilities is key to achieving one's desired goals. My focus therefore has been
1. Knowledge of the subject/area where I seek excellence
2. Acquiring required set of skills through formal training
3. Right attitude and keenness to learn from past mistakes
4. Taking inspiration from success stories
I believe in the words of Swami Vivekananda "Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached" as I aspire for excellence.
Good segregation in the first part of your answer. But prefer not to dump points as you had done in explaining your sub points. Eg “ lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention “
The concluding line is apt
Silentobserver,Whistleblowing refers to the act of disclosing secretive information of the institution one works at for it being unethical or illegal. Eg Exposing of Vyapam scam was due to whistleblowers. It’s ethicality differs from a matter of perception :-
1. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on surveillance of CIA on USA citizen.
A. It was deemed ethical due to upholding public morality and preventing a surveillance State impacting right to privacy
B. It was also deemed unethical for being an act of treason, for it made public highly classified information which Snowden was duty bound to protect
2. In 2018, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference on highlighting their concerns over the role of CJI and it’s dispensation of functions specifically being the master of roster
A. The said act can be said to be ethical for ushering some transparency on actual functioning of Supreme Court and strengthening justice delivery mechanism for exposing some ills in the system
B. It was also said to be unethical for it went against the principle of “institutions are bigger than the individual”. By making it public, it reduces the credibility of the Judiciary as a clean institution dispensing justice
From above two examples we see how whistleblowing has differing value judgement based on perception. The need is to ensure following Gandhiji’s teaching. That of following one’s dharma, if an individual believes in his cause and that to be just, he should take up the action of whistleblowing.
While the answer you've written is good, I suggest that try to include something related to civil services. For example,
+Truth versus Loyalty: whether a civil servant should remain loyal to the government or he should speak truth for the interest of the society. It is also a classic dilemma in case of whistle-blowing. So from the perspective of govt it would appear unethical, however from the WB's perspective it is ethical.
Conclusion: ought to be balanced - Whistle-blowing is a brave act of conscience, boundaries are blurred and the resort needs to be taken when alternative avenues are not correcting the situation.
Did my conclusion come across as unbalanced ? Asking so that I could correct it
Yes a tad unbalanced, I felt.
Okay, thank you
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?All people do not aspire for excellence beacuse
1. Behavioral factors - lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention etc.
2. Infrastructural factors - financial constraints, absence of educational institutions and formal training, lack of government support, remote geography, etc.
3. Social factors - lack of family support and guidance of experienced people, identity barriers like caste, lack of competitive peers, etc.
From an individual's perspective excellence is relative concept. For a student excellence means coming first in the examination while for it may mean just scoring the passing marks. In the former's opinion the later may not have aspiration for excellence as they have different benchmarks.
To me excellence means achieving the best performance as per my ability. It is a virtue that propels one to achieve the highest standard of efficiency and effectiveness.
Amartya Sen in capability approach argues that developing capabilities is key to achieving one's desired goals. My focus therefore has been
1. Knowledge of the subject/area where I seek excellence
2. Acquiring required set of skills through formal training
3. Right attitude and keenness to learn from past mistakes
4. Taking inspiration from success stories
I believe in the words of Swami Vivekananda "Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached" as I aspire for excellence.
Good segregation in the first part of your answer. But prefer not to dump points as you had done in explaining your sub points. Eg “ lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention “
The concluding line is apt
Okay I will bear that in mind henceforth. Thank you!
8. What does this quotation mean to you ?
Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (150 words)
iam_maan,
i want to practice for mains .but i want to write regularly and seriously on weekends so can somebody suggest how should proceedMGP is a good option. Vision - can be used for practice. I am not blown away by their feedbacks.
You may Utilize these threads additionally for practice and peer review.
I have heard that quality wise Forum’s Mains TS is a good one but their feedback process is quite slow. And due to this reason, many suggest to go for Vision’s Mains TS as many of the feedbacks of Forum’s stay pending for a longer time. I have also heard that though all institutes quality of feedback is almost same, still Vision is comparatively better in terms of feedback as well as the Model Answers when compared to other competitors. Can you please provide some information about this as well?
sic_mundus_creatus_est,7. What does this quotation mean to you ?
A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.” – M.K. Gandhi
In the context of Gandhi's idea of inviolable relationship between means and ends.
Gandhi believed that means and ends are interconnected. Nature of means determines nature of outcome. For eg. non violence and satyagraha to achieve swaraj
Similarly human actions are reflections of his thoughts. It is said that man performs an action twice - once when he is thinking about it and second when he performs it in reality. For eg. a thief first thinks about what and how to steal before he actually does it.
Thoughts are guided by values and morality. Ideals of good and bad, right or wrong shape human thoughts. Thus actions reflect individual ethics. The concept of integrity meaning uniformity in thoughts and actions is implicit here.
Thus Gandhi's emphasis on purity of thoughts to achieve noble outcome. A thief cannot become saint so long as he thinks stealing is an ethical act. Hitler's belief in purity of German race guided his atrocities on Jews. Rammohan Roy and Jyotiba Phule thoughts on human equality led made them champions of women empowerment and abolition of caste discrimination.
At another level the above quote affirms human ability to achieve their goals - man can be the master of his own destiny.
8. What does this quotation mean to you ?
Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (150 words)
It indicates that ethics in private life (family) and ethics in public life (nation) are interconnected. According to it an honest person maintains his honesty at his home as well as in the profession. As per NCRB data most criminals experience troubled family life.
Plato - state is individual writ large. The nature of a nation reflects its citizens. An ethical citizenry chooses ethical leadership. Conduct of inter- state and global politics depends upon values of nations. When all countries commit to mutual peace and tranquility problems like wars, terrorism, poverty, environmental degradation will automatically disappear. Thus terrorism persists because some people believe in violence, practice it, and subsequently it finds a place in state programmes in the form of state sponsored terrorism.
A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.” – M.K. Gandhi
The above quote hints towards the interrelation between man's existence and his essence.
The essence of a human is prior to his existence and this essence is moulded by our thought.The law of attraction holds that what we think is what we attract which in turn is an outward manifestation of ourselves
Feminist such as semoine de Beauvoir held that one is not born a women , one becomes a woman,which means that being a woman is merely a state of mind, gender and sex are not the same , one is our existence and other our thought
for someone like Hannah arendt action and thought are aligned, when action and thought part ways thought becomes meaningless and action turns brutal.
therefore what we act is merely an outward practice of our thought,there is no dichotomy between the two.
Gandhiji rightly held that one cannot hope for a rose by planting babool seed. Therefore what we think, we become
sic_mundus_creatus_est,
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