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Summary
Ethics Class 03

BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (5:05 P.M.)

  • (*Refer to the diagram drawn by the faculty on the board.)
  • Norms are the guidelines that are informally created by the societal members and imposed on all the members.
  • The higher stages of the evolution of norms are called Laws.

LAWS (5:08 P.M.)

  • Ethics describes what is the right thing to do.
  • It can have multiple answers depending upon the source of ethics.
  • There was a need for a minimum enforceable standard of behaviour, which is common to all.
  • This gave rise to Laws. Laws remain the same for everyone and are enforceable.
  • Laws are based on the ethical framework. The purpose of the law is to establish social order by controlling the immoral behaviour of society.
  • Laws are external sets of standards imposed by the appropriate authority.
  • Any individual disobeying the law is liable to face penalties and punishments.
  • Laws have societal sanctions and are responsible for the smooth functioning of society.
  • However, ethics acts as a moral compass even when the law is silent.
  • Ethics act as the first line of defence against deviance, whereas law enforcement is remedial and reactive.
  • Andre Beteille quotes that law determines the direction in which society should move. However, it is the culture that determines the direction in which society moves.

DISCUSSION ON QUESTION

  • Question:
  • Give examples where law and ethics are in confrontation. 
  • Approach:
  • Mention the examples of all the possibilities:
  • (a) Legal and Ethical
  • Child Labor Prohibition
  • Education (free and compulsory) for children in the age group 6-14.
  • Right to Privacy.
  • Right to Food.
  • (b) Legal but not Ethical
  • Medical Termination of Pregnancy.
  • Capital Punishment.
  • Passive Euthanasia.
  • Suicide.
  • Altruistic Surrogacy.
  • Divorce.
  • Breaking promises.
  • Live-in relations.
  • Not donating from personal wealth.
  • Moonlighting. 
  • (c) Ethical but not legal
  • Hungry child stealing a loaf of bread for the starving family.
  • Breaking and jumping traffic lights to save the life of someone.
  • (d) Neither Legal Nor Ethical
  • Child Sexual Abuse.
  • Human Trafficking.
  • Domestic Violence.

SOCIALIZATION (5:48 P.M.)

  • Framework
  • (a) Concept
  • (b) Mechanism of Socialization
  • (c) Agency of Socialization
  • Concept
  • It is defined as the process through which a child is inducted into the culture of the society.
  • It is also defined as the process through which values are transmitted from one generation to another.
  • Mechanism of Socialization
  • (a) Observational Learning.
  • (b) Rewards and Punishment.
  • (c) Role taking
  • (d) Trial and Error.
  • Observation Learning
  • The process of learning by watching others.
  • It occurs through social role models such as parents, teachers, friends, etc.
  • For example, a reflection of parents on the behaviour of children, or hero-worshipping. 
  • Reward and Punishment
  • The most common way of socialization is where a person is rewarded on the display of desirable conduct but is punished on the display of undesirable conduct.
  • Similarly, it emphasizes how the glorification of disapproved behaviour has led to the creation of a morally corrupt society.
  • For example, the Sanskritization of corruption.
  • It means blindly emulating the culture of corruption to improve one's status in society. 
  • Broken Window theory: When committing a petty crime, if a person is not reprimanded, the chances of him committing grave crimes at later stages get very high.
  • Role Taking (6:23 P.M.)
  • It is a process of imagining and visualizing oneself as someone else and acting like them.
  • While playing such roles an individual can understand the feelings of others and suitably modify their response.
  • This technique can be used to ensure reform among the prisoners.
  • For example, inculcation of patriotism by playing the role of freedom fighters.
  • In an initiative by B.D.O. in the context of Ghatpatila district concerning the implementation of the Swacch Bharat Mission.
  • In this context, the children were made the agency of change by taking on the role of freedom fighters.
  • Trial and Error
  • It means learning through one's own experiences.
  • Agency of Socialization
  • (a) Family
  • (b) Education System
  • (c) Media
  • (d) Peer Group
  • (e) Religion.

 FAMILY (6:41 P.M.)

  • It is an informal agency of socialization.
  • It helps in establishing value consensus by socializing children in their formative years concerning the values of society.
  • Values like respect, love, cooperation, delayed gratification, obedience, etc. are given by family

STYLES OF PARENTING

  • The different styles of parenting are democratic, autocratic, and permissive.
  • Autocratic Parenting
  • It is the parenting type in which the parents restrict the autonomy of the children.
  • Parents impose their value system on their children.
  • Power distance is very high between the children and the parents.
  • Either the child becomes too compliant or too hostile.
  • In case of compliance, the child becomes submissive and lacks risk-taking ability and confidence.
  • However, if s/he becomes hostile then autocratic, individualistic, self-centred, etc.
  • Democratic Parenting
  • The communication between the child and the parents is based on rationality.
  • The relationship between the parents and child is based on trust, mutual respect, openness, and receptivity to feedback.
  • Parents should exhibit the values of patience and tolerance.
  • Positive reinforcement on the display of desired behaviour.
  • Overall the values that developed are:
  • (a) Rationality
  • (b) Optimism
  • (c) Courage
  • (d) Respect
  • (e) Tolerance
  • Permissive Parenting
  • Too much freedom is given to the children to the extent that it is compatible with their physical survival.
  • In such cases, the chances of disapproved behaviour by the children are very high.
  • Overall the values that developed are:
  • (a) Apathy
  • (b) Neglect
  • (c) Indifference

ROLE OF MOTHER

  • It depends on the attachment, secure and insecure attachment.
  • Secure attachment
  • (a) Mothering is consistent.
  • (b) The relationship between the mother and the child is based on mutual trust and respect.
  • (c) The mother acts as a rational role model for the child.
  • Values inculcated will be high achievement orientation, display of bold behaviour and courage, rationality, leadership qualities, etc.
  • Insecure Attachment
  • If the mother is impervious to the needs of the child.
  • For example, on one hand, it is apathy and neglect, and on the other hand excessive indulgence.
  • The values inculcated are lack of compassion, lack of courage, high dependency orientation, high tendency to associate with anti-social elements, etc.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

  • Prepare the life of Mother in the life of Gandhiji, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and Abraham Lincoln.

ROLE OF FATHER (7:21 P.M.)

  • WHO says that socialization by both mother and father is significant for the holistic development of the child in the first thousand days.
  • Boys learn gender-appropriate behaviour from their fathers.
  • Girls learn to make heterosexual adjustments from their fathers.
  • The role played by the father of the Phogat sisters, Gunjan Saxena, etc. 

THE TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: SOCIALIZATION (CONTINUED)