UNIT - 1

TOPIC: Values and self-development: Social values and individual attitudes, Work ethics, Indian
vision of humanism

Value-based education places an emphasis on helping students develop their personalities so they
can shape their future and deal with challenges with ease. It shapes children to effectively carry out
their social, moral, and democratic responsibilities while becoming sensitive to changing
circumstances. The importance of value education can be understood by looking at its advantages in
terms of how it helps students grow physically and emotionally, teaches manners and fosters a sense
of brotherhood, fosters a sense of patriotism, and fosters religious tolerance.

"Value education" is the process through which people impart moral ideals to one another. Powney
et al. define it as an action that can occur in any human organization. During this time, people are
assisted by others, who may be older, in a condition they experience in order to make explicit our
ethics, assess the effectiveness of these values and associated behaviors for their own and others'
long-term well-being, and reflect on and acquire other values and behaviors that they recognize as
being more effective for their own and others' long-term well-being. There is a distinction to be
made between literacy and education.

Purpose:

The main goals of value education are as follows:

1.​ To make sure that a child's personality development is approached holistically, taking into
account their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs

2.​ Instilling a sense of patriotism and good citizenship values

3.​ Educating students about the value of brotherhood at the social, national, and global levels

4.​ Fostering politeness, accountability, and cooperation

5.​ Fostering a sense of curiosity and inquiry about orthodox practices

6.​ Teaching students how to make moral decisions and how to make good decisions

7.​ Encouraging a democratic outlook and way of life

8.​ Teaching students the value of tolerance and respect for people of all cultures and religions.

Value Education: Types

Cultural Value: Cultural values are concerned with what is right and wrong, good and evil, as well as
conventions and behavior. Language, ethics, social hierarchy, aesthetics, education, law, economics,
philosophy, and many social institutions all reflect cultural values.
Moral Value: Ethical principles include respecting others' and one's own authority, keeping
commitments, avoiding unnecessary conflicts with others, avoiding cheating and dishonesty, praising
people and making them work, and encouraging others.

Personal Values: Personal values include whatever a person needs in social interaction. Personal
values include beauty, morality, confidence, self-motivation, regularity, ambition, courage, vision,
imagination, and so on.

Spiritual Value: Spiritual worth is the greatest moral value. Purity, meditation, yoga, discipline,
control, clarity, and devotion to God are examples of spiritual virtues. Spiritual value education
emphasizes self-discipline concepts. satisfaction with self-discipline, absence of wants, general greed,
and freedom from seriousness.

Social Value: A person cannot exist in the world unless they communicate with others. People are
looking for social values such as love, affection, friendship, noble groups, reference groups, impurity,
hospitality, courage, service, justice, freedom, patience, forgiveness, coordination, compassion,
tolerance, and so on.

Universal Value: The perception of the human predicament is defined by universal ideals. We
identify ourselves with mankind and the universe through universal ideals. Life, joy, fraternity, love,
sympathy, service, paradise, truth, and eternity are examples of universal values.

Social values and individual attitudes

Social Value

Social values are the beliefs, attitudes, and opinions about what is important, both to us and to
society as a whole. Social values are the deeply ingrained principles that guide our actions and
interactions within a community. They shape our behavior, influence our decisions, and help
maintain social harmony.

Values are stable enduring beliefs about what is worthwhile, that influence thoughts and
behaviour.

Some major social values include: Respect, Honesty, Compassion, Equality, Non-Violence etc.

Socio-psychological determinants of values:

Socio-psychological determinants of values refer to the various social and psychological factors that
influence an individual's value system. These determinants shape what people consider important
and guide their behavior and decision-making processes. Here are some key socio-psychological
determinants:

1.​ Cultural Background: The culture in which a person is raised significantly impacts their
values. Cultural norms, traditions, and beliefs shape what is considered important and
acceptable in society.
 2.​ Family Influence: Family plays a crucial role in the development of values. Parents, siblings,
and extended family members serve as role models and impart values through their actions,
teachings, and expectations.

3.​ Education: The level and type of education a person receives can influence their values.
Education exposes individuals to different perspectives, ideas, and knowledge, which can
shape their beliefs and values.

4.​ Socialization: Interactions with peers, friends, and social groups contribute to the formation
of values. Socialization helps individuals learn and adopt the values prevalent in their social
circles.

5.​ Personal Experiences: Life experiences, such as significant events, challenges, and
achievements, can shape an individual's values. Personal experiences provide opportunities
for reflection and learning, leading to the development of new values or the reinforcement
of existing ones.

6.​ Media and Technology: Media, including television, movies, books, and social media, can
influence values by presenting certain ideals, lifestyles, and behaviors. Technology also plays
a role in shaping values by providing access to information and connecting individuals with
diverse perspectives.

7.​ Economic Factors: Socio-economic status and financial stability can impact values. Economic
conditions can influence priorities, such as the importance placed on material wealth,
security, and social status.

8.​ Religion and Spirituality: Religious beliefs and spiritual practices can strongly influence
values. Religious teachings and community involvement often provide a framework for moral
and ethical values.

Type of Values

All values are closely interlinked and inter related and classifying them into distinct categories is a
difficult task. Values have been classified differently in different disciplines.

Indian philosophers have classified values into classes- Spiritual values and Materialistic values.

●​ Spiritual Values- These are values that direct our spiritual thought and behaviour, such as
dharma, arth, kama and moksha
●​ Materialistic Values- These are related to our worldly life and provide direction to our social
behaviour e.g. love, sympathy, cooperation etc.

Some sociologists have classified values into intrinsic values and extrinsic values.

●​ Intrinsic Values- These are values which an individual receives but are not imposed by his
external environment. They find place in his inner self naturally. He internalizes them and his
actions are directed and controlled by them. They form the basis of character formation and
personality development-the values that spring from within or the core of the heart like love,
compassion, sympathy, empathy, tolerance etc.
 ●​ Extrinsic Values- An individual accept certain values by the pressure of his external
environment and though he may not internalize them, his external behaviour is influenced
by them e.g. honesty, discipline, punctuality, loyalty etc.

Another classification of values is into Instrumental values and Terminal values.

●​ Instrumental Values- are those which we use or follow in our behaviour or judgment. These
guide us towards the terminal values. e.g. being polite, responsible, self-controlled, logical
courageous etc.
●​ Terminal Values- are those which we strive towards or seek. These are ultimate and
therefore we live for them. e.g. peace, freedom, happiness, equality, self-respect etc.

(For instance, hard work (an instrumental value) can lead to success (a terminal value), and honesty
(an instrumental value) can contribute to building meaningful relationships (a terminal value))

Sprangler’s classified values into six classes:

●​ Theoretical values: Focused on the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and understanding.

Individuals with these values prioritize intellectual curiosity, logic, and critical thinking.
●​ Economic values: Centered on practicality, utility, and wealth accumulation. Individuals value
efficiency, material gain, and financial security.
●​ Aesthetic values: Focused on beauty, harmony, and artistic expression. Individuals with
aesthetic values appreciate art, nature, and creativity.
●​ Social values: Emphasize love, compassion, and relationships. Individuals prioritize human
welfare, kindness, and interpersonal connections.
●​ Political values: Concerned with power, leadership, and influence. Individuals value control,
authority, and achieving societal impact.
●​ Religious values: Oriented toward spirituality, faith, and understanding of the divine or
ultimate purpose. Individuals prioritize ethical living and transcendental ideals.

Plato classified values into three categories- Truth, Goodness and Beauty.

A conference organized by the Central Board of Secondary Education (1986) listed 50 values.

An NCERT publication ‘Documents on Social, Moral and spiritual values (1979) listed 84 values.

The S.V. Chavan Committee Report submitted to the Indian Parliament in February, 1999 considered
truth, good conduct, peace, love and non-violence as 5 universal values.

Attitudes refer to tendency to respond to certain objects, persons or situations. They are the feelings
and beliefs that determine the behaviour of the persons. They provide framework for responding in a
particular fashion. The attitudes may be positive or negative.

Attitude: Attitudes are relatively stable clusters of feelings, beliefs and behavioural disposition (or
intentions) towards some specific objects.
There are three basic components of Attitudes:

•​ evaluative component (how do you feel) it refers to our feelings of like or dislike towards a
particular person, item or event. (these might also be called as attitude objects- the focus of
our attitude)
•​ cognitive component (what do you believe) what you feel about an attitude object
•​ behavioural component (a predisposition to act in a certain way).
Eg – my boss is embezzling company funds (you believe about something), I can’t stand
working with him (the way you feel), I think I am going to look for a new job (the way you
behave) – cognitive and evaluative may have some effect

Attitudes reflect past experience, shape ongoing behaviour, and serve essential functions for those
who hold them. Attitudes lead individuals to react in certain ways to events or situations they
encounter.

Definition of Attitudes:

According to Baron, Attitude is defined as, lasting evaluations of people, groups, objects, or issues- in
fact, of virtually any aspect of the social or physical world.

Petty and Cacioppo state, Attitudes are general evaluations people make about themselves, other
persons, objects, or issues.

Breckler and Wiggins state, Attitudes are enduring mental representations of various features of the
social or physical world. They are acquired through experience and exert a directive influence on
subsequent behaviour.

Functions of Attitude:

According to Katz, Attitudes serve four important functions for individuals:

•​ Adjustment Function: People tend to develop favourable attitude towards rewarding and
beneficial functions as well as relationship. Similarly, people develop negative attitude
towards such functions and relationships, which shall attract punitive actions.
•​ Ego-defensive Function: Attitude can serve as devise for protecting self-image.
•​ Value-expressive Function: Attitude supports expression of core values.
•​ Knowledge Function: Attitude serves as standard or frame for understanding and
interpreting people and events around them.

Process of formation of Attitude:

There are basically two sources of formation of attitude:

Social Learning : It is acquiring attitudes from others. There are broadly three processes of acquiring
attitudes through social learning: Classical Conditioning, Instrumental Conditioning, and Modeling.

•​ Classical Conditioning is a basic form of learning in which one stimulus regularly precedes
another. It is learning based of association, that when first stimulus is present, the second
would follow. Prejudices and preferences are created through classical conditioning. Classical
Conditioning can play a role in the development of attitudes.
 Examples:
Advertising: A brand (neutral stimulus) is paired with positive imagery or music
(unconditioned stimulus), leading to a positive attitude (conditioned response) toward the
brand.
Social Groups: A child may develop a negative attitude toward a group if they consistently
hear negative remarks about that group from parents or peers.

•​ Instrumental Conditioning is concerned with learning to express the “right” views.

Instrumental Conditioning is created through rewarding a desirable behaviour and
discouraging an undesirable behaviour. Thus a particular type of attitude is created towards a
particular type of action through Instrumental Conditioning.
Examples:
Peer Approval: A student praised by friends for standing up for someone may develop a
positive attitude toward helping others.
Parental Rewards: A child who gets rewarded for completing chores is likely to develop a
responsible attitude toward household work.

•​ Modeling as a concept, deals with individuals acquiring new behaviours through observing
the actions of others. Individuals tend to do what others do, not what others say. Thus,
attitudes may be transmitted from one person to another, or from one group to another, or
from one generation to another.

Direct Experience : Attitudes are also formed through real life experience, which may be also called
as direct experience or personal experience. Various studies suggest that strength of the attitudes
acquired through direct experience is stronger than the strength of attitudes acquired indirectly.
Attitudes acquired through direct experience are held more confidently and are more difficult to be
subjected to change. If you hold strong attitude about an object, issue, or a person, and you want
others to properly understand your stand, it is better to let others have direct experience with the
attitude object.

Process of change in Attitude:

Changing Attitude through Persuasion:

1. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

The ELM suggests two routes to persuasion:

●​ Central Route: Persuasion occurs through logical arguments and evidence, appealing to
reason. Example: A doctor uses scientific evidence to persuade a patient to quit smoking,
presenting statistics about health risks.

●​ Peripheral Route: Persuasion relies on superficial cues like the attractiveness of the speaker
or emotional appeals. Example: A celebrity promotes an environmentally friendly product,
influencing consumers through their popularity.

2. The Yale Attitude Change Approach

This model focuses on the who (source), what (message), and to whom (audience) of persuasion.

●​ Source: Credible, trustworthy, or attractive speakers are more persuasive.

 ●​ Message: Clear, logical, and emotionally engaging content is effective.

●​ Audience: Tailoring the message to the values, knowledge level, and attitudes of the
audience enhances persuasion.

Example: A climate scientist (credible source) delivers a compelling presentation (message) about
global warming to a group of environmentally conscious college students (audience).

3. Cognitive Dissonance in Persuasion

Creating discomfort through inconsistencies in beliefs and behaviors can be a persuasive tool.​
Example: A campaign targeting waste reduction might highlight, “You care about the planet, but you
still use single-use plastics,” encouraging individuals to change behavior to resolve the inconsistency.

Techniques for Persuasion

1.​ Reciprocity: Offering something first can create a sense of obligation.

Example: A charity sends free calendars to potential donors, increasing the likelihood of
receiving donations.

2.​ Social Proof: People tend to adopt attitudes or behaviors that they see others engaging in.

Example: A restaurant displays a sign saying, “Most customers recommend our desserts,”
persuading others to order desserts.

3.​ Authority: Messages from authoritative or expert figures are more likely to persuade.

Example: A dentist recommends a particular toothpaste brand to patients.

4.​ Scarcity: Highlighting the limited availability of something can increase its perceived value.

Example: An advertisement states, “Limited time offer—only 5 left in stock!” to persuade

customers to act quickly.

5.​ Emotional Appeals: Using emotions like fear, happiness, or empathy to persuade.

Example: Anti-smoking ads show emotional stories of families affected by smoking-related

illnesses.

Changing attitude through persuasion is a difficult task. Our ability to resist persuasion is
considerable due to three factors. These factors are: i) Reactance, ii) Forewarning, and iii) Selective
Avoidance.

●​ Reactance refers to the negative reactions we experience whenever we feel that someone is
trying to limit our personal freedom. In some cases, individuals shift away from a view
advocated even if it is one, they might normally accept.
●​ Forewarning refers to tendency of building counter-arguments against a persuasive
argument. These help receivers resist the conclusions recommended by the message.
●​ Selective avoidance refers to a tendency to direct our attention away from information that
challenges our existing attitudes.
However, persuasion is a fact of modern life. Every day we are exposed to countless attempts at
persuasion. Persuasion is effort to change attitudes through various types of communications such as
advertisement or speeches.

Changing Attitude through Cognitive Dissonance: (ours)

Cognitive Dissonance is the internal state that occurs when individuals notice inconsistencies among
their attitudes or between their attitudes and their overt behaviour. (eg- claiming we like job a but
choosing job B; we cherish our health but enjoy smoking). Such inconsistencies create unpleasant
feeling. To avoid this unpleasant feeling and to justify your decision you simply change the way you
feel by simply bringing your attitude in line with your feelings. The weaker the reasons for acting in
attitude-discrepant ways, the stronger these pressures are. Dissonance is a motivational state-
people who experience it want to reduce it. Earlier, inconsistency was identified as the basic feature
of cognitive dissonance. However, recent studies suggest that inconsistency is not the essential
ingredient in dissonance. Rather, dissonance- and the motivation to reduce it- stems primarily from
feelings of responsibility for negative events or outcomes.

Methods of Effecting Attitude Change Richard M. Steers has described the following methods of
effecting attitude change.

•​ Providing New Information: New information, especially coming from accurate sources, may
alter belief structure, subsequently leading to expected attitude changes.
•​ Fear Arousal and Reduction: Both can lead to change in attitude. However excessive arousal
of fear may lead to rejection of message by the individuals. Studies suggest that fear
reduction is more appropriate for changing attitudes than fear arousal.
•​ Dissonance Arousal: Dissonance leads to inconsistencies among individual’s attitude or
between his/her attitudes and overt behaviour. This creates unpleasant feeling which results
in change in attitudes.
•​ Position Discrepancy: The greater the discrepancy between the individual’s own position and
the position advocated by others, the more the individual will move towards the position
held by others.
•​ Participation in Decision Making: Attitude change can be brought about by involving the
individual in the process by which decisions are made.

Kelman has identified three processes that act as instruments of change in attitude.

•​ Compliance: It is application of subtle pressure either through reward or punishment in

order to change the behaviour, and expecting this change to be lasting.
•​ Identification: It is identification with the person who is affecting the change and is acting as
a change agent.
•​ Internalisation: This means that the new attitude is integrated with the other attitudes and
becomes a part of the person’s total personality. It is more permanent in nature. This change
may occur due to desire to change that comes from within.

Work Ethics
The concept of work ethic involves a set of principles, values, and beliefs that influence how
individuals behave and make decisions in their professional lives. It directly affects productivity, job
satisfaction, and the overall reputation of a company.

Work ethics have two types:

1. Personal (i.e. Sincerity, respect for the job, regularity, punctuality, seriousness)

2. Professional (Specific to a work situation)

Characteristics of work ethics:

Work ethics are defined by a set of principles that reflect a person’s attitude, behavior, and values in
a professional setting. Here are some key characteristics of strong work ethics:

1.​ Reliability: Being dependable and consistently showing up for work on time and completing
tasks as promised.

2.​ Integrity: Upholding honesty and moral principles, ensuring that one's actions align with
ethical standards.

3.​ Responsibility: Taking ownership of one’s duties and being accountable for the outcomes of
one's work.

4.​ Diligence: Demonstrating perseverance and a strong work effort, staying focused and
maintaining high productivity.

5.​ Discipline: Exercising self-control to stay on task and follow rules and guidelines, even when
it's challenging.

6.​ Professionalism: Displaying courteous behavior, a respectful attitude, and a well-groomed

appearance.

7.​ Positive Attitude: Maintaining an optimistic outlook and being supportive and cooperative
with colleagues.

8.​ Fairness: Treating all individuals and situations with impartiality and respect, ensuring equal
treatment and avoiding bias.

9.​ Adaptability: Being flexible and open to changes and new ideas, and willing to learn and
grow in one's role.

10.​Commitment: Demonstrating dedication to one’s job and striving for excellence in every task
undertaken.

These characteristics can help create a positive work environment and contribute to both personal
and organizational success.

Indian vision of humanism

Introduction:
Humanism considers man as the measure of all things and keeps man at the centre. It is directed
towards the realization of the inherent potentialities of man and is concerned with development
welfare and happiness of man. Humanism is committed to the values of life and continues to be
unrelenting quest for truth. In the East, unlike in the West, humanism has not been developed as a
system but the traces of humanism could be discerned. Despite the differences from the western
tradition, the trends of humanism such as human dignity, human development, human welfare,
emphasis on man and his values could also be found in Indian thought. In Western tradition
humanism has been distinguished from spiritualism and supernaturalism. We don’t find such
distinction in Indian Tradition.

Among Indian humanist thinkers one finds two types of humanism. While Jawaharlal Nehru and M.N.
Roy etc. support naturalistic humanism, borrowed from the West, M.K. Gandhi and Radhakrishnan
follow the Indian brand of humanism coming from the ancient Vedas, the Upanishads, and the
Bhagavad Gita. The latter is represented by the traditionalist group of Indian philosophers. Therefore,
it is their humanism which forms the essential element of Indian philosophy. Although not a part of
the orthodox school, the Charvaka School of thought can be considered an important philosophical
movement within humanism.

Philosophy of Lokayata (Charvaka): Lokayata repudiated the old religion of custom and magic.
Nothing needs to be accepted by the individual which is not supported by the evidence of reason.
The Lokayatas or the Charvakas who denounced the divine world had a faith on the materialistic
world. They had stressed the importance of happiness for which the man is craving for. The Lokayatas
had underlined the need of materialism. Lokayata means the philosophy of the people and it also
implies the philosophy of this worldliness. For them there is no God, no soul and life after death,
denied all religions and moral values and cared only for the sensual pleasures. Although it lacked a
solid, scientific basis, it contained many brilliant ideas which blazed the trail of social advance. It
rejected supernaturalism and divine intervention in human affairs. It helped the people to break free
of superstitions and taught them not to hope for happiness in a world.

Teachings of Bhagavad Gita:

Bhagavad Gita depicts the world as a scene of an active struggle between good and evil. God is
interested in the welfare of mankind. God upholds the dignity of man. Whenever by the abuse of
freedom unrighteousness increases and the world get stuck in a rut, he creates himself to lift the
world from out of its rut and set it on new tracks. Out of his love he is born again and again to renew
the work of creation of a higher plane. Gita contains the actual living truths; it will be suitable to the
mentality and helpful to the spiritual needs of our present-day humanity, man is a possessor of
freedom and potential to realize good by his conscious effort. Lord Krisna says to Arjuna, <Adveshstâ
sarvabhuthânâm Maithrah karuna eva chah! Nirmamô nirahamkârah samadukha sukha kssah mee!=
(He who hates no creature, who is friendly and compassonate to all, who is free from attachment
and egoism, balanced in pleasure and pain and forgiving is dear to me). Man has to lead a life in
which his acts will not be rooted in desire. He has to render his duty in a spirit of desire less action.
The revival of the teachings of Gita of Selfless action, surrender, dedicated service and fight against
evil, ignorance and injustice has resulted in the release of a large fund of religious energy for social
work in the present times.

Upanisads:
Upanisads started as a movement towards the liberation of the individual from the shackles of
external authority and excessive conventionalism. According to Upanisads, Life on earth is the means
to attain self-perfection. Life is a stage in experiencing spiritual perfection, a step in the passage to
the infinite. It is the time for preparing the soul to enter into eternity. The central theme of the
Upanisads is concerned with the humanistic philosophy which is the quest for certainty. The seers of
the Upanisads lead the people to the central reality which is of infinite existence, (sat) absolute truth
(cit) and pure delight (ananda). We have to love our neighbour as ourselves because all are one in
reality. The moral life is supported by understanding and reason and not of mere sense and instinct.
There is need to recognize the ideal prescribed by reason and if the higher moral is not accepted, our
life will be one of animal existence without any goal or aim where we are randomly busy, loving and
hating, caressing and killing without purpose or reason. The presence of reason is indicative of
something higher than nature and requires people to transform their natural existence into a human
one with meaning and purpose. It is through reason that man is a part of cosmic reason.

The thought strives towards a fullness of live in a more comprehensible and happier world. It reflects
the urge of man towards wholeness, to become something more than mere by merging the transient
individuality in the essence of collective humanity in the universe itself.

Buddhist path way of life:

The Buddhist philosophy is basis for humanism. It invoked the feeling of happiness through the
Astanga Marga and four Noble truths called ARYA Satyas. The Buddhist Philosophy has clearly
envisaged that man can overcome from his problems by leaving behind the desires in hidden.
Buddha raised his voice in protest against superstition and unreason.

Buddhism resembles positively in its attempt to shift the centre from the worship of God to the
service of man. Buddha does not liberate men, but he teaches them how to liberate themselves as
he was liberated himself. He endeavoured to rid himself of all legitimate of speculation build from
the raw material of experience and assist the spiritual growth of suffering humanity by an honest and
unbiased expression of the results of his thought and experience. Buddha explores the possibilities
for the conquest of human suffering and misery. He was convinced of the four noble truths, that
there is suffering and it has a cause that it can be removed and that there is a way to accomplish this.
The first noble truth is concerning the suffering. Buddha has made an appeal to the men who were
longing for a way of escape, to resort to Nirvana. Never in this world does hatred cease by hatred,
hatred ceases by love. Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is Unhappy. One may conquer a
thousand men in battle; but he who conquers himself is the greatest victor. Let man overcome anger
by kindness, evil by good not by birth. Buddhism is humanistic in a sense that it is a religion of love
and values. Buddhism represented a progressive world outlook and expressed in its own distorted
manner the discontent of the oppressed people and their aspirations for social equality and a better
life. It believes in the ability of the individual to achieve ethical goals in this world.

Humanistic approach of Jainism:

The ethics of Jainism is humanistic. Jainism held that it was possible for any human being to realize
absolute knowledge and attain absolute bliss through the intense human effort. The faith in
self-reliance for achieving perfection was an integral part of Jainism. The Jainism teaches claim that
the teachings of the Jainas only can stand the scrutiny of reason. The Jainas attached great
importance to the five vows nonviolence (ahimsa), truth (satya), non-stealing which implies not to
take anything to which one was not entitled (asteye), celibacy or abstention from self-indulgence
(brahmacharya) and non-possession or renunciation (aparigraha). Non-violence was accorded
utmost importance among these principles. The three doctrines of Right faith, Right knowledge and
Right conduct which were known as three jewels constituted the foundations of Jainism. Jainism
believes that man is capable of controlling his own moral life.

He can make ethical decisions and find ethical goals without non-human assistance of intervention.
Jainism and Buddhism attached great importance to character but not to one’s birth. It believes in
the inherent potentialities of all men and their abilities to realize them to become perfect.

The Bhakti Movement and Humanistic reforms:

The Bhakti Movement is remarkable of its kind for the religious unity and for the emancipation of
poverty. They have advocated humanism, equality between men and women. They condemned the
social evils like casteism and Sati. They have preached the oneness of God. This great humanistic
movement of the Middle Ages has not only helped the development of a composite Indian culture
embracing different linguistic and religious communities but also paved the way for united struggle
against feudal oppression.

Humanistic reforms of Ramananda, Kabir, Ravidasa, Tulasidas, Tukaram:

Ramananda made no distinction between Brahmins and members of the degraded castes. He
wanted to promote the ideal of inter-dining. He took people as disciples from all the castes including
the degraded castes. Ramananda started a religious renaissance: According to him all men and
women are equal. He had Muslims and Hindus as his followers. He had Sudras – the outcaste or
untouchables as his disciples.

The chief aim of the teaching of Kabir was to find an acceptable means to reconcile the differences
between diverse castes and religious communities. Kabir preaches for the harmony, love,
understanding of Hindus and Muslims. His concept of non-violent (ahimsa) society is indicative of a
peaceful community living in virtue and goodness. He has set before the world an idea of love and
universal brotherhood.

Ravidasa criticizes teachings of religion which did not appeal to the human reason. He stands against
those religious actions that are contrary to human nature. He opposed Continence, Yogic control, and
fasting. His hospitality and service to the poor and needy is worthy to be noted. Lord resides in
everybody’s hearts is not knowable through rites or performances. Highest expression of religion in
life is the service of man. Ravidasa exhorts the people to rise above evils of pride, anger, greed,
attachment, jealousy and lust.

Tulasidas writing, Ramacarita manasa relating to the life story of Rama stood as a great force in
preventing disintegration of the Sanatana Dharma. Tulasidas says that man is responsible for his
sorrows and joys in life. He attaches great importance to the man associating with the good and holy.

Tukaram attaches utmost importance to character and values. In Tukaram’s teachings we find
emphasis on the point of no compromise for those who successively wish to follow the path of truth,
“Blessed in the world is the compassionate. Their true home is Vaikuntha, but they have come here
to serve mankind. They speak no false word, sweet is the speech on their lips, there is room within
their hearts. Man has to treat others as ends in themselves but never as means to his own ends. To
treat others as his means is to reduce the source of human value and dignity.”

Philosophy of Indian renaissance humanists Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayananda Saraswati, and Swami
Vivekananda:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy has totally rejected the dogmas prevalent in Hindu society in regard to their
numerous Gods, rituals, the doctrine of rebirth; avatars, their practice of idol worship, animal
sacrifices and above all the evil practice of sati prevalent in those days which inhumanly forces
widows to commit suicide by plunging into funeral pyres of their husbands. He continues to fight
against this evil practice and could be successful in arousing the public opinion through the wide
spread campaign. He stands for the granting of equal property rights to women and supported
widow remarriage and against child marriages, advocates the women education. Through Brahma
Samaj, he opposes the social discrimination and played a great role in quickening the forces of
national humanistic regeneration towards progress and freedom.

Dayananda Saraswati was one of the leaders of the Indian renaissance humanism. His attack on
casteism is most noteworthy. The suffering women folk whose social position is similar to the
untouchables also have drawn the attention of Dayananda. He stands for the equal and just
treatment of women and his scheme envisages a free and compulsory education for all. Dayananda
strives hard for the happiness of man, explores possible human ways for the radical removal of the
human suffering. He wants people to live in harmony and co-exist peacefully. He upholds human
values and emphasis the need for the regeneration of man and restoration of the cultural values.

Swami Vivekananda is one of the greatest humanist thinkers of Indian Renaissance. He criticizes
strongly the evil practice of untouchability, the feeling of caste superiority, priest craft and religious
tyranny. He prefers to see the people as confirmed atheists rather than as superstitious fools, so it
holds good if the mankind become atheist by relying on reason rather than blindly believing in two
hundred million of Gods. Emancipation of women and uplift of the masses are the two important
items in Swami Vivekananda’s programme of social regeneration of India. He promotes the common
interests of people, which can bring justice, honesty, peace and goodness. “The basis of all systems
social or political rests upon the goodness of man. No nation is great or good because Parliament
enacts this or that, but because its men are great and good.”

Thus, in Indian tradition from Vedas up to the renaissance, certain values directed towards the
realization of the inherent potentialities of man and concerned with development, welfare and
happiness of man were cherished and propagated which are humanistic in content and spirit. Of
course, Indian humanism has not developed as a systematic philosophy with a sound Metaphysics
and Epistemology as in the case of western tradition.

Moral standards: Moral standards are norms or prescriptions that serve as the frameworks for
determining what ought to be done or what is right or wrong action, what is good or bad character.
The following are supposed be examples of moral standards "Stealing is wrong." "Killing is wrong
"Telling lies is wrong." "Adultery is wrong" "Environment preservation is the right thing to do".
"Freedom with responsibility is the right way "Giving what is due to others is justice".
Moral standards are either consequences standards or non-consequence standards. The
consequence standards depend on results, outcome: An act that results in the general welfare, in the
greatest good of the greatest number, is moral. To take part in a project that results in the
improvement of the majority of people is, therefore it is moral.

The non-consequence standards are based on the natural law. Natural law is the law of God revealed
through human reason. It is the "law of God written in the hearts of men". To preserve human life is
in accordance with the natural law, therefore it is moral. Likewise, the non-consequence standard
may also be based on good will or intention and on a sense of duty. Respect for humanity, treatment
of the other as a human person, an act that is moral- springs from a sense of duty, a sense of duty
that you wish will apply to all human persons.

Non-Moral standards: Non-moral standards are social rules of etiquette and good manners. They are
guides of action which should be followed as expected by society. Sometimes they may not be
followed or some people may not follow them. From time to time, changes are made regarding good
manners or etiquette. In sociology, non-moral standards or rules are called folkways. In short,
non-moral actions are those where moral categories cannot be applied.

Examples of non-moral standards are rules of good manners and right conduct, etiquette, rules of
behavior set by parents, teachers, and standards of grammar or language, standards of art, and
standards of sports set by other authorities. Examples are "do not eat with your mouth open;"
"observe rules of grammar," and "do not wear socks that don't match."

An indicator whether or not a standard is moral or non-moral lies in its compliance as distinguished
from its non-compliance. Non-compliance with moral standards causes sense of guilt, while non-
compliance with a non-moral standard may only cause shame and embarrassment.

Value judgments

A value judgment is a claim about something's moral, practical, or aesthetic worth. Value judgments
do not simply describe the world; they prescribe certain attitudes or behaviors toward the world.
When you say things like (: ∙ That's good. ∙ That's bad. ∙ That's wonderful. ∙ That's a bummer. ∙ That's
not right. ∙ That's sick. ∙ That's not fair. ∙ That's obligatory. ∙ That's admirable. ∙ That's shameful. ∙
That's despicable. ∙ That shouldn't be. ∙ That's ok. ∙ That's just wrong.) you are usually making a
certain kind of value judgment.

Value judgments refer to the subjective opinions and assessments individuals make about others
based on their personal beliefs, experiences, and cultural influences. These judgments can
encompass various aspects such as character, behavior, appearance, and beliefs. They are often
influenced by implicit biases, stereotypes, and societal norms. A value judgment is any judgment that
can be expressed in the form "X is good, meritorious, worthy, desirable" or "X is bad, without merit,
worthless, undesirable."

Moral and non-moral valuation:

Valuations help us judge things as good or bad, but not all valuations involve moral or ethical
considerations. Some judgments are based on personal preferences, technical skills, etiquette, or
involuntary actions rather than ethics.

1. Non-Moral Valuations (Not Related to Ethics)

A.​ Aesthetic Valuation – Based on sensory appeal (e.g., liking or disliking a painting, music, or
food). Some things are considered good or bad because of their appeal to the senses. It is
possible that one finds the food served by the waiter as good or bad depending on whether
the taste buds approve or disapprove them. Or, one might consider a painting good because
it is pleasing to the eyes when looking at it. Or, someone could not appreciate a piece of
music because it disturbs and is irritating to one’s tympanic membrane and is therefore
judged to be bad. These valuations or judgments require the sense of approval or
disapproval depending on whether or not they have good appeal to the senses. But they are
not valuations in the realm of ethics. These are known as aesthetic valuations.
B.​ Technical Valuation – Judging whether something is done correctly or incorrectly based on
skills or procedures (e.g., baking a cake or driving a car properly).
Some things are considered right or wrong depending on whether or not the proper manner
of doing them has been respected. This type of valuation is within the realm of technical
valuation. When baking a cake, one must see to it that the right procedure and right amount
of ingredients are respected. If they have been respected, chances are the result of the effort
in baking will be good. If not respected, the cake might taste bad. In the same manner, as a
driver, most likely, passengers will be anxious if the driver does not execute the proper rules
of driving. Driving too fast or sudden stops will make passengers uncomfortable and fear an
eminent danger. We say that the driver is either a good or a bad driver. These examples are
not; however, properly considered within the realm of ethics but are proper to technical
knowledge and skills.
C.​ Etiquette Valuation – Evaluating socially accepted behaviors, such as greeting teachers,
following table manners, or knocking before entering a room.
People approve or may disapprove about certain ways of doing. For example, sitting quietly
inside a library, greeting my teachers when I happen to meet them along the school corridor,
or knocking at the door before entering an office. These ways of doing are judged to be the
proper observation of certain standards or etiquette but are not judged according to ethical
standards.
D.​ Acts of Man vs. Human Acts –
●​ Acts of Man are involuntary (e.g., breathing, heartbeat) and have no moral impact.
The acts of man refer to the involuntary activities that are necessary to sustain human
life, like in the case of breathing, the continuous beating of the heart and involuntary
movements of the intestines and lungs. They are crucial activities that sustain life and
without them, life ceases to exist. Other than that, natural human activities like speaking,
hearing, eating and walking are also natural acts but have no moral implication as such.
Not unless these very same acts are done with malice. Nothing is wrong about speaking
or sleeping but backbiting someone or sleeping during working hours would be entirely
different.
●​ Human Acts are intentional and may have moral consequences (e.g., helping or harming
someone).
(Acts of man doesn’t require moral considerations.)

These valuations are not ethical but are important for social interactions, skills, and preferences.
2. Moral Valuations (Involving Ethics and Morality)

Moral valuations apply when actions affect human life, rights, or well-being. These include:

Serious Ethical Dilemmas – Issues like murder, euthanasia, or environmental destruction that affect
people’s lives.​
Violation of Social or Cultural Norms – Actions that disrespect traditions or harm communities
(e.g., disrespecting elders).​
Religious and Moral Beliefs – Ethics based on religious teachings (e.g., helping the needy as a moral
duty).

Violating moral principles leads to guilt, legal consequences, or social disapproval.