NODE 01 · GS Paper IV

Ethics: Foundations & Thinkers

Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values — lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators.— UPSC Mains Syllabus

Philosophical foundations of ethics: consequentialism (Bentham, Mill), deontology (Kant), virtue ethics (Aristotle; Indian — dharma, satya, ahimsa), and their application in governance. Indian thinkers are high-value: Kautilya's Arthashastra, Gandhi's trusteeship, Ambedkar's constitutional morality.

2 refs

18 PYQs

0 CA entries

0/2 tasks

Standard Textbooks

Lexicon for Ethics — Chronicle Publications

Chapters: All

G Subba Rao & P N Roy Chowdhury: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

Chapters: Part 1 and 2

Supplementary Sources

Nolan Committee — 7 Principles of Public Life

Also relevant when writing this answer

These nodes commonly intersect with this one in real Mains questions. The connection is explained below each link.

GS4 · NODE 02→

Constitutional Morality & Public Virtue

Foundations (this node) provide the vocabulary; constitutional morality is the application in the specific Indian governance context. Sequential preparation.

“Any GS4 answer referencing law and morality requires both philosophical grounding (this node) and the Indian constitutional application.”

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