Practical Ethics

H.Narayanan,
EE Department
IIT Bombay, Mumbai
(Text of a lecture delivered on 16th Oct !1"
# dilemma faced by youn$ people, u%ually at the %ta$e &hen they leave home for the fir%t time,
i% that rule% that they have lived by thu% far %eem 'ue%tionable( On the one hand the impul%e%
that tempt and torment them %eem natural &hile on the other, brea)in$ rule% that the parent%
have tau$ht them in their childhood %eem% very &ron$( *urther, tho%e &ho brea) their %hac)le%
are in dan$er of $oin$ completely overboard &ith nothin$ %acred anymore( Thi% could lead to deep
unhappine%% later( Thi% article i% about an approach to handlin$ the problem of formulatin$ a very
per%onal but practical ethical code( The actual, detailed, %olution to the problem i% per%onal and not
addre%%ed here but the factor% &hich need to be )ept in mind are( #l%o %ome %imple +do% and dont%,
are de%cribed(
Ethical code: need and strategy
*ir%t, %hould one have an ethical code at all- .hy not play life by the ear-
# per%onal ethical code i% a %trate$y for choice of action in %ituation% encountered commonly by an
individual( It limit% the choice and thereby reduce% the %tre%%e% involved in con%tantly optimi/in$
accordin$ to ob0ective% &hich mi$ht vary &ith time and circum%tance( If the choice i% made
accordin$ to a code, it i% u%ually thou$ht of a% a duty carried out and therefore lead% to le%%er
feelin$% of $uilt, di%%ati%faction &ith outcome%, fear of puni%hment etc( There i% often a %en%e of
%ati%faction of havin$ performed one,% duty &hen one ha% acted in con%onance &ith the code(

.hat %trate$y %hould one u%e to de%i$n an ethical frame&or) that i% %uitable for one%elf
&hile conformin$ broadly to univer%ally accepted norm%-
*ir%t %tudy the condition of the individual by him1her%elf and in relation to other%(
Then loo) for $enerally a$reed +univer%al principle%,2 a% fe& of them a% po%%ible(
*inally match the t&o and &or) out detail%(

The individual and his/her relationship with others
The individual at a particular point of time may be re$arded a% havin$ %tarted &ith a certain nature,
includin$ potentialitie% %uch a% breedin$ capability, &hich ha% been modified by +education,( Thi%
latter could be re$arded a% a $eneral term for upbrin$in$, conditionin$ throu$h the environment,
%choolin$ etc( *eelin$% %uch a% $reed, envy, $uilt, an$er, anxiety, fear, cruelty, &hich could be
thou$ht of a% control mechani%m%, had $ood +%urvival value, (i(e(, increa%ed the chance% of
breedin$" in a certain environment &hich &ould have exi%ted for ten% of thou%and% of year%( They
are not a$ain%t %urvival even no& and are therefore natural to u%( On the other hand &e have been
taught that &e %hould thin) before &e act, that ne$ative feelin$% &hich can lead to our harmin$
other% are &ron$((( 3er%on% &ho have been brou$ht up in traditional hou%ehold% &ould have been
tau$ht the u%e of prayer, $ratitude to a %upreme bein$ etc( .hile the influence of nurture on the
pre%ent %tate of the individual may not be a% %tron$ a% hi%1her nature it i% %till %tron$ enou$h that one
ha% to ta)e it into account &hile formulatin$ one,% ethical code(
4ext, in %tudyin$ the nature2nurture characteri%tic% of the individual in relation%hip &ith other%,
it i% clear that the%e depend %tron$ly on the nearne%% of the other% to the individual(
The &ay one behave% &ith one,% %iblin$% (initial competition follo&ed by the formation of a %tron$
bond" one,% mate% (po%%e%%ivene%%, 0ealou%y, protectivene%%", one,% pro$eny (po%%e%%ivene%%,
protectivene%%" ha% probably come about lar$ely throu$h evolution( .ith friend% and
ac'uaintance%, the &ay &e behave ha% more to do &ith culture and education( .ith more di%tant
other% it i% entirely culture and the current %ociety norm% &hich are %i$nificant(
Fuzzy ethical rules
1( Individual %hould aim at lon$ term per%onal +happine%%,(
( Individual %hould not +hurt, other% (i(e(, ma)e them unhappy", %hould preferably be
invariably )ind(
It i% po%%ible to ar$ue that the %econd rule could contradict the fir%t, but broadly
mo%t of u% &ould a$ree &ith the %pirit of the%e rule%( .e ho&ever need a &or)in$
definition of +happine%%, to proceed further(
What does happiness mean?
*or mo%t of u%, happine%% more or le%% mean% the follo&in$5
the %en%e of pre%ent mental and( to %ome extent, phy%ical, &ell bein$,
not bein$ unduly concerned &ith future (no %eriou% anxiety",
or pa%t ($uilt, re$ret, an$er &ithin rea%onable limit%"6 a feelin$ of freedom
(the feelin$ that I can do &hat I plea%e but I do not choo%e to do &hat i% +forbidden, by
cu%tom or le$alitie%"6 a feelin$ that one i% $ood and competent and a feelin$ that the univer%e and
+other%, are beni$n and indeed li)e or love the individual(
4o&aday% &e tend to tal) in term% of one,% mood( Mood could be thou$ht of a% an indicator of the
%tate of mind related to ho& &e perceive our%elve% in relation to the pre%ent environment, pa%t
action% and future pro%pect%( .e %ay the mood i% elevated if &e perceive po%itively and depre%%ed if
&e perceive ne$atively( Exce%%ive mood elevation could lead to inappropriate behaviour &ith
adver%e con%e'uence%( 7o happine%% could be re$arded a% mild mood elevation(
Control of mood
7ince our ba%ic rule% %pea) of lon$ term per%onal happine%%, it i% pertinent to %pea) of po%%ible &ay%
in &hich mood can be controlled and made mildly elevated( Mood can be controlled temporarily
and in the lon$ term by many techni'ue%( The %afe%t i% to control throu$h routine% related to %leep,
mental or phy%ical exerci%e, relaxation, diet, %ocial interaction, throu$h deep involvement in
activitie% and throu$h chan$e of %cene( 7ome&hat more %ubtle method% involve control throu$h
mode% of thou$ht &hich modify belief %y%tem%, thin)in$ and behaviour, improve %elf e%teem and
help perceive other% a% beni$n (e$( rational emotive therapy, co$nitive therapy"( The%e are %lo& and
time te%ted( The la%t %everal decade% have %een %ub%tantial advance% in control throu$h alterin$ the
biochemi%try of the brain( But thi% %hould only be done &ith profe%%ional help(
If one accept% that one mu%t aim at lon$ term per%onal happine%%, it follo&% that one mu%t do one,%
be%t to maintain phy%ical and mental health( Or$an%, particularly the brain, %hould be )ept in $ood
health by u%in$ $ood routine% related to %leep, food, exerci%e( 8ncontrolled u%e of mind chan$in$
%ub%tance% %uch a% recreational dru$% or even alcohol, %hould be avoided( The above could be
thou$ht of a% )eepin$ the hard&are in $ood repair( In addition, it i% nece%%ary to exerci%e %elf
di%cipline in order to feel free and to train the mind to focu% lar$ely on the pre%ent, perceivin$
other% and the univer%e a% beni$n( #nxiety, an$er, d&ellin$ on imponderable% (&ho am I- &hat i%
the purpo%e of life-" cannot be fully avoided but mu%t be &ithin control( 8%e could be made of
reli$iou% feelin$%, &hich are natural to everyone, and reli$iou% routine%, that one ha% $ro&n up &ith(
Thin)in$ beni$nly of the entire human )ind i% $ood for one,% o&n mind a% it reduce% %u%picion and
fear and increa%e% the %en%e of &ell bein$( 9o&ever, in interactin$ &ith other% &e do reco$ni/e their
+nearne%%, to our%elve%( The de$ree of loyalty to and the tru%t one ha% &ith other% &ould naturally
depend on thi% nearne%%( To one,% family one ha% a natural affection and al%o %pecial re%pon%ibilitie%(
Then come% the community that one come% into contact day to day, and %o on(
The avera$e individual act% )eepin$ in mind the%e fir%t( Thi% i% probably the &ay it %hould be( If
one thin)% beni$nly +$lobally, but i$nore% local re%pon%ibilitie%, the reaction% of tho%e clo%e%t to the
individual &ould be ne$ative and hurt one,% mood( 9o&ever, it i% natural for all of u% to have in our
mind a clear di%tinction bet&een +u%, and +them,( There i% a $reat diver%ity in +u%, but +they, are
u%ually monolithic, mo%tly %omethin$ %imple li)e +cunnin$, (for in%tance, the &ay Indian% and
3a)i%tani% thin) of each other"( In order to thin) beni$nly $lobally, it i% therefore nece%%ary to
practi%e con%tantly to thin) tolerantly about +them, reco$ni/in$ the exi%tence of $ood and bad in
them and the pre%ence of per%on% amon$%t them &ho mi$ht be inclined to thin) beni$nly of u%(
Interacting with others
Interaction &ith other% can ta)e the form of communicatin$ &ith them or performin$ tan$ible
action% on them( In the former ca%e, one %hould be truthful a% far a% po%%ible( :yin$ i% natural, i% not
totally forbidden (in the %en%e that &hat one %pea)% may not be literally correct, e$( &hite lie%"
but %hould be avoided in all e%%ential matter%( # %imple rule i% that one %hould not $ain %ub%tantially
by it( 3ractically %pea)in$, truth i% ea%ier to remember than the infinity of po%%ible lie%( Exce%%ive
lyin$ i% noticed by other% and the individual i% branded a% unreliable( #l%o (and this is very serious"
lyin$ affect% one,% o&n vie& of external reality, and one %tart% believin$ one,% o&n lie%( 3ractically
%pea)in$, perhap% one %hould u%e three valued lo$ic 2 truth, fal%ehood, %ilence(
The action% that one perform% on other% are related to one,% o&n feelin$% about them( In mo%t
everyday %ituation%, thin)in$ beni$nly about other% i% beneficial to u% and ne$ative feelin$%
to&ard% them cau%e u% active harm( Exce%%ive %u%picion build% anxiety, an$er, and hurt% phy%ical
(for in%tance, rai%e% blood pre%%ure, con%trict% arterie%" and mental health and i% vi%ible to other%
by one,% reaction% to them( .hile $reed and envy are natural, they do not appear to be e%%ential
for %urvival currently and lead to per%onal di%content and reduction in %elf e%teem(
They are al%o noticed by other%( .henever other% feel an individual can hurt them, their reaction
lead% to a %tren$thenin$ of the individual,% o&n ne$ative feelin$%( #ll ne$ative feelin$% %hould
therefore be hidden to a le%%er or $reater extent from other% 22 dependin$ on their nearne%% to
one%elf( #ttempt% mu%t al%o be made to reduce the%e feelin$%(
;onventional mechani%m% for hidin$ one,% feelin$% about other% u%e the rule% of politene%%
and +$ood manner%,( One ma)e% one%elf +%mall, (example, bo&in$ to %ho& re%pect", one %ha)e%
hand% u%in$ the ri$ht hand (+my ri$ht hand cannot hurt you,", one u%e% muted facial
$e%ture% if one i% annoyed ((( # $eneral policy i% to appear +normal, and therefore non threatenin$(
*urther, &hen one di%a$ree% &ith another per%on, unle%% it i% explicitly re'uired, one doe% not voice
it or even if one doe%, the di%a$reement i% &ith the vie& expre%%ed by the per%on and not the per%on
him%elf1her%elf(
educing negative feelings
In order to reduce ne$ative feelin$% one could act po%itive, try to help other%, to be )ind(
The reaction to %uch act% &ill u%ually be po%itive and thereby reduce one,% o&n ne$ative feelin$%(
#% a $eneral rule one could loo) out&ard and be concerned &ith other%, &ell bein$( Ta)in$ care of
one,% family or one,% pet i% better than &orryin$ about one%elf %ince one,% o&n ache% and pain%
are very intere%tin$ to one%elf and one can $et ob%e%%ed &ith them( But ta)in$ care only of +near
and dear, one% al%o ha% %ome of the di%advanta$e% of thin)in$ only of one%elf( #n extraordinarily
effective therapy for buildin$ one,% %elf e%teem i% to devote a certain portion of one,% time to carin$
for people &ho%e &ell bein$ doe% not impin$e directly on one%elf( One could call thi% the +Mother
There%a, method, but ofcour%e practically every civili/ed reli$ion preache% it( It $ive% one,% life a
purpo%e to&ard% &hich one can &or) and increa%e one,% lon$ term happine%%(
eligion
Throu$hout the cour%e of hi%tory, reli$ion ha% played an important part in %hapin$ human thin)in$
and therefore human life( <eli$iou% feelin$ and +reli$iou% experience, may be re$arded a% a
part of human nature( The former i% exemplified by the %en%e of a&e &hen &e are confronted
&ith the $randeur of nature( By the latter, &e mean the %en%e of exaltation, accompanied by an utter
certainty that &hat i% experienced i% the +ultimate truth,, &hich come% to many people either
naturally or throu$h %tre%%( That thi% i% natural i% clear %ince &e %ee %imilaritie% in the experience% of
+my%tic%, all over the &orld( The%e are per%onal and truly %acred for all of u%(
One can u%e the%e to $et a feelin$ that the univer%e i% beni$n and indeed that one i% a part of the
&hole(
Or$ani/ed reli$ion ha% at it% root individual% (+%aint%," &ho have had inten%e reli$iou% experience%(
But the conver%ion into an or$ani/ation i% u%ually done by di%ciple% of %aint% &ho are convinced of
the +truth%, %een by their ma%ter but are al%o very practical( Or$ani/ed reli$ion i% u%eful in definin$
a community to &hich one belon$% and to &hich one i% re%pon%ible( It i% u%eful in ma)in$
the individual le%% %elf centred( #% i% &ell )no&n, ritual% improve mood( It i%, ho&ever, evil &hen it
breed% hatred or contempt to&ard% +other%,( 8nfortunately, thi% appear% to be a natural cour%e for
mo%t reli$ion% to ta)e unle%% con%ciou% %tep% are ta)en by the member%( 9i%tory i% replete &ith
in%tance% of enormou% mi%ery brou$ht about by thi% hatred(
!ealing with "aws
One %hould avoid violatin$ +la&%, a% far a% po%%ible 22 even the letter, but definitely the %pirit( One
could of cour%e independently %tru$$le to $et un0u%t la&% chan$ed( But &hile they are there, an
individual &ould do &ell to %tay &ithin the limit% impo%ed by them %ince puni%hment% and the threat
of puni%hment% &ill reduce per%onal &ell bein$ or the %en%e of &ell bein$( On the &hole, per%onal
rule% %hould be %tricter than la&% %o that one feel% free(
Ethics in scientific activity
*or an individual, a% a &ay of life, bein$ a re%earch &or)er ha% %ome $reat advanta$e% and %ome
%eriou% difficultie%( Doin$ re%earch allo&% the individual to +e%cape life, in a relatively %afe
&ay( .hen one i% involved in it, it i% often excitin$ and )eep% the mind occupied, e%%entially
allo&in$ one to for$et one%elf( .hen a difficult problem i% %olved, there i% a relatively %afe
mood elevation that can la%t a lon$ time( 7ince it re'uire% %eriou% mental effort, one naturally tend%
to $et bac) to day to day livin$ after %ome time( 7o the dan$er% of bein$ cut off from reality are
u%ually not %eriou%(
.hen re%earch i% not $oin$ &ell, %uch a% &hen one i% %tuc) at a problem for month%,
or, additionally, in the ca%e of experimental &or), one i% be%et by e'uipment malfunction
or %horta$e of fund%, ne$ative feelin$% come to the fore( In %eriou% ca%e%, the individual can $et
clinically depre%%ed( 7ometime%, even &hen re%earch i% $oin$ &ell, %leep can be di%turbed
to an extent that affect% both phy%ical and mental &ell bein$(
Freedom in doing research
# re%earch &or)er i% not entirely free unle%% he i% a theori%t &ith independent mean%( Even in thi%
ca%e, %ince mo%t re%earch &or)er% &ould li)e acceptance by the community of %cienti%t% in their
area, by bein$ able to publi%h their re%ult%, there i% the con%traint of +$oin$ &ith the flo&,(
Modern profe%%ional re%earch, at the mundane level, ha% ac'uired a 'uantitative bia% for it% fi$ure%
of merit( <e%earcher i% +$ood, if he publi%he% many ade'uate paper% in 0ournal% of acceptable
%tandard rather than a fe& paper% tac)lin$ hard problem%( 3aper% are +$ood, if they are cited often(
Many middle level a&ard% depend upon 'uantity rather than 'uality( The chance% of ac'uirin$ a
middle level a&ard, and even ho& &ell an experimentali%t i% funded, al%o depend on ho& many
%uch a&ard% one ha% obtained in the pa%t( =uite naturally, a re%earch &or)er,% profe%%ional
advancement depend% on the above fi$ure% of merit(
7ince there are %ub%tantial benefit% if a re%earch &or)er %core% hi$h in the +re%earch fi$ure of merit,,
there i% a natural tendency for any re%earch &or)er to aim directly at +appearin$ $ood, rather than to
concentrate on hi%1her &or) and treat +appearin$ $ood, a% a byproduct( .hen thi% i% &ithin limit%,
only the 'uality of re%earch and the re%earcher,% o&n mental %tate deteriorate( .hen it i% out of
control, the code of %cientific ethic% can be violated(
#cientific Ethics: ules
1( .hen you %tate your re%ult%, do not )no&in$ly utter fal%ehood(
( >ive credit &here it i% due(
The re%ult% of a paper can %ometime% be &ron$ even &hen the author i% a $reat %cienti%t(
*or in%tance, %tatement% of theorem% may not be fully correct 2 %ometime% even fully &ron$2
becau%e of a fla& in the proof &hich ha% mi%led the author( Experimental re%ult% can be completely
&ron$ becau%e certain important factor% affectin$ the outcome of the experiment &ere over loo)ed(
The above are not unethical and no author i% puni%hed by the %y%tem for committin$ the%e error%(
7cientific endeavour doe% not %uffer $reatly becau%e of them( Indeed, u%ually %omethin$ i% learnt
becau%e of the%e error%, if the author or %omeone el%e, &hile pointin$ them out, al%o analy/e% them(
In theoretical &or), people u%ually &ould not )no&in$ly publi%h a &ron$ re%ult becau%e, if it i%
intere%tin$, other% &ould attempt to under%tand it and di%cover the error( It &ould be interpreted
by the community that the author &a% not %)illed enou$h to notice the error( Thi% &ould dama$e the
author,% reputation(
In experimental &or), deliberate fal%ification i% very difficult to detect %ince repeatin$ %omeone,%
experiment i% time con%umin$ and expen%ive( But the author i% deliberately mi%leadin$ the
direction of re%earch the entire community i% underta)in$( Therefore, in the rare in%tance% &here
fal%ification i% proved, the %y%tem deal% very har%hly &ith the perpetrator, e%%entially terminatin$
hi%1her profe%%ional career(
$iving credit
7cienti%t% de%erve credit for their &or)( .hen it i% correctly accorded, the per%on concerned i%
motivated to continue doin$ re%earch( .hen a de%ervin$ %cienti%t i% denied credit, u%ually the
per%on &ould become bitter and $et %ide trac)ed from continuin$ the involvement in re%earch(
It i% in the intere%t of the community that &henever ne& re%earch i% reported, the &or) on &hich it
re%t% i% de%cribed &ith care and fairne%% and due credit i% $iven to the%e earlier &or)er% (+Do unto
other% a% you &ould have them do to you ,"(
%lagiarism
Thi% i% the %econd mo%t %eriou% violation of %cientific ethic%( 9ere one i% robbin$ other% of credit(
.hen it i% committed, it i% very ea%y to detect and the puni%hment i% certain and har%h(
7ome alle$ed pla$iari%m only violate% the letter not the %pirit, but even thi% $et% puni%hed currently(
7o extra care ha% to be ta)en to %ee that one i% not committin$ +inadvertent, pla$iari%m( .henever a
material (text, table, fi$ure, photo$raph (((" i% ta)en from a %ource verbatim, the %ource %hould be
immediately %tated and al%o the fact that the material i% verbatim(
&eyond the code
The re%earcher %hould actively re%i%t the temptation to +appear $ood, rather than concentratin$ on
bein$ +$ood,( It i% better to adopt a per%onal code &hich enable% one to do thi%( Thi% could be
re$arded a% &or)in$ to&ard% lon$ term per%onal happine%%(
One,% natural tendency i% to $rab a% much credit a% po%%ible for one%elf or for one,% immediate $roup
and +damn, other%, contribution% +&ith faint prai%e,( 9o&ever, all of u% appreciate $enero%ity in
other% even if &e our%elve% have difficulty in bein$ $enerou%( 7o active effort% mu%t be made to be
$enerou% a% far a% po%%ible (e$( Ein%tein,% $enero%ity to Bo%e"(
E%tabli%hed &or)er% %hould al&ay% be on the loo)out for detectin$ and nurturin$ talent, particularly
amon$ the di%advanta$ed( .hen %uch talent i% di%covered the entire re%earch community i% in%pired
(e$( 9ardy di%coverin$ <amanu0an"(
Desiderata
>o placidly amid the noi%e and ha%te, and remember &hat peace there may be in %ilence(
#% far a% po%%ible &ithout %urrender be on $ood term% &ith all per%on%(
7pea) your truth 'uietly and clearly6 and li%ten to other%, even the dull and i$norant6 they too have
their %tory(
#void loud and a$$re%%ive per%on%, they are vexation% to the %pirit(
If you compare your%elf &ith other%, you may become vain and bitter6
for al&ay% there &ill be $reater and le%%er per%on% than your%elf(
En0oy your achievement% a% &ell a% your plan%(
?eep intere%ted in your career, ho&ever humble6 it i% a real po%%e%%ion in the chan$in$ fortune% of
time(
Exerci%e caution in your bu%ine%% affair%6 for the &orld i% full of tric)ery(
But let thi% not blind you to &hat virtue there i%6 many per%on% %trive for hi$h ideal%6
and every&here life i% full of heroi%m(
Be your%elf(
E%pecially, do not fei$n affection(
4either be cynical about love6 for in the face of all aridity and di%enchantment it i% a% perennial a%
the $ra%%(
Ta)e )indly the coun%el of the year%, $racefully %urrenderin$ the thin$% of youth(
4urture %tren$th of %pirit to %hield you in %udden mi%fortune( But do not di%tre%% your%elf &ith
ima$inin$%(
Many fear% are born of fati$ue and loneline%%( Beyond a &hole%ome di%cipline, be $entle &ith
your%elf(
@ou are a child of the univer%e, no le%% than the tree% and the %tar%6
you have a ri$ht to be here(
#nd &hether or not it i% clear to you, no doubt the univer%e i% unfoldin$ a% it %hould(
Therefore be at peace &ith >od, &hatever you conceive 9im to be,
and &hatever your labor% and a%piration%, in the noi%y confu%ion of life )eep peace &ith your %oul(
.ith all it% %ham, drud$ery and bro)en dream%, it i% %till a beautiful &orld( Be careful( 7trive to be
happy(
A Max Ehrmann 1BC