Approaches of Ethical Study: Indian Perspective and Western Perspective

The ethical study is one of the important topics, which has drawn great attention all over the world. Not only in Western countries but also in India, this subject has been taken very seriously in recent times due to its relevance and importance in our day-to-day life. In the field of ethics, there are two schools of thought that are commonly referred to as the Indian perspective and the Western perspective. They both have their own set of theories and applications but what differs greatly between them is how they approach ethical theory. The Western perspective takes a more theoretical approach while the Indian perspective takes more of a practical approach in their studies on ethics. The Indian and western views are profoundly different from each other on this topic and therefore it will be interesting to know about them, which will eventually help us to lead a meaningful life and become good human beings. This article, therefore, aims at providing basic information about these two ethical perspectives along with some similarities and differences between them.

Indian Ethics and its Origin:

The origin of Indian Ethics can be traced back to the Vedas and Upanishads. The focus in these texts is on understanding moral rules, right and wrong, and following these codes of conduct so that harmony is created in life, with oneself and with others around us. Indian ethics revolves around principles like Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), etc. These principles are believed to be inherent qualities of an individual’s character; therefore, it is a way of life rather than just a code or set of rules one must follow.

Indian Ethics in today’s world: The importance of Indian ethical systems is more important today than ever. As more people are getting away from traditional values and focusing on their own lives, there seems to be a decline in moral values among people. In such situations, emphasizing principles such as honesty, non-violence and non-stealing become extremely important.

Western Ethics & its Origin:

Western ethics’ origin can be traced back to Plato and Aristotle’s period and went through a long process before reaching its present form, which is called Modern ethical theories. Western Ethics originates when Aristotle first categorized human beings into three groups based on their moral aptitude- intuitive, intellectual, and moral- and argued that each group must follow a different path toward virtue. These philosophers believed that everyone was born with certain natural virtues and tried to live up to these personal ideals in their day-to-day lives. Other Greek thinkers and Hebrews had their versions of good, right and just.

Ethics From an Indian Perspective:

From the Indian perspective, it is said that there are six Yamas and Niyamas, which can be thought of as moral guidelines for life. These are based on Hindu and Buddhist scriptures from India’s ancient past. The goal of these rules is to create an ethical society in which people live peacefully together without sacrificing their individuality or violating each other’s rights as human beings. In Indian tradition, there is no separate science for studying ethics. Still, certain Vedic hymns such as Shvetashvatara Upanishad (verse 6) state ‘swa-dharmam tu sakshat bhagwat’, i.e., your duty is your virtue and ‘yatha Prajapati yatha pravritti tathaiva cha’, i.e., whatever activity leads to the welfare of all living beings including animals should be followed by everyone.

Ethics from a Western Perspective:

Ethics refers to human conduct and behaviour as it relates to right or wrong and good or bad. In the western perspective, ethics, moral philosophy and principles of a person or an organization concerning their behaviour towards others, whether implied or explicitly stated by them. The term ‘ethics’ is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means character or habit. A set of ethical standards are what people call morality or ethical code of conduct which helps us decide between right and wrong. As per Aristotle’s definition, Ethics is concerned with what makes a man good. Thus, one can say that according to westerners, morality is that set of standards by which we judge an individual’s character for their behaviour.

Comparing Eastern Philosophy to Western Philosophy:

Similarities Between Eastern Philosophy and Western Philosophy:

Although there are many differences between Eastern and Western philosophy, there are also some similarities. The first similarity between the two philosophies is that both believe in reincarnation. This belief provides individuals with a sense of hope that they will be able to come back and fix any mistakes made in their previous life. Secondly, both philosophies emphasize the importance of living in the present moment. This helps individuals focus on what is happening now instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Thirdly, both philosophies emphasize compassion and helping others. Fourth, both philosophies teach that everything is connected. For example, both philosophies emphasize the importance of living in harmony with others and virtuous life. Additionally, both philosophies emphasize the role that reason plays in ethical decision-making.

Differences Between Eastern Philosophy and Western Philosophy:

However, there are also some key differences between the two approaches. For instance, Eastern philosophy tends to emphasize more the role of tradition and custom in guiding ethical behaviour, while Western philosophy gives more weight to individual autonomy and free will. Also, Eastern philosophy does not have as strong of a notion of universal moral truths as Western philosophy. Instead, it tends to stress the idea that each person should develop their system of ethics based on their particular needs and circumstances. The main difference between the two approaches is that the Western approach is more formalized while the Eastern approach is more individualized. 

The Western approach relies heavily on logic, while the Eastern approach relies more on intuition. Lastly, the Western approach focuses on achieving results, while the Eastern approach focuses on the process. In conclusion, there are several differences between the Eastern and Western philosophy approaches. These differences include formality, reliance on logic versus intuition, focus on achieving results versus focus on process, and linearity versus cyclicality.

Conclusion:

The Western perspective has been more popularized than India’s in the digital age due to its prevalence on social media and is practiced by various influential people. Though both approaches have utilities and if a person chooses any one of them and follows it religiously, then his/her life is going to be improved and strengthened.