NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu , Indian express
Why the question:
Deaths from widespread flooding in Pakistan topped 1,000 since mid-June, officials said August 28, as the country’s climate minister called the deadly monsoon season “a serious climate catastrophe.”
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the factors behind rise in extreme weather events like flooding and role of climate change in it.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving context.
Body:
In the first part of the body, start by giving various reasons that has led to increasing extreme weather events across the world. Natural as well as anthropogenic. Substantiate with examples.
In the next part, write about the role of climate change in the increasing extreme weather events across the world. Analyse as to what extent it is responsible. Cite facts to substantiate.
Conclusion:
Stress upon the action that is needed to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events.
Introduction
Climate Change is a periodic modification of Earth’s climate brought about due to the changes in the atmosphere as well as the interactions between the atmosphere and various other geological, chemical, biological and geographical factors within the Earth’s system.
Climate change is accelerating due to global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and there is resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns.
Body
Impact of Climate Change on India
- Coastal areas:7500 km long coastline is already vulnerable to various disasters like cyclone, coastal flooding, storm surges, heavy rainfall (as seen in Mumbai) etc.
- The rise in the sea temperature and level will only increase the frequency of such hazards endangering the life and livelihood of the coastal population.
- Also, India being close to the equator will experience much higher increase in sea level than higher latitudes
- Monsoon: Phenomenon such as El Nino will increase the variabilityof the monsoon worsening the agricultural crisis with more than 50% area still being rain-fed and threatening the food security.
- Climate change has about 4-9 per cent impact on agriculture each year.
- As agriculture contributes 15 per cent to India’s GDP, climate change presumably causes about 1.5 per cent loss in GDP(1).
- Disasters:More weather aberrations as recently seen in Mumbai and Chennai and increase incidence of the disasters like flood and drought will threaten both rural and urban economy
- Biodiversity: Loss of biodiversity put the livelihood of the forest dependent and hill communities at risk and disturb the biogeochemical cycles that help maintain the flow of nutrient, water and pure air.
- Increase in human-wildlife conflict as observed in State like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand is another threat.
- Health: Increased disease outbreaks especially of the tropical diseases like Malaria and Dengue, heat waves aggravating the urban heat island effect andwater scarcity compelling people to consume polluted water will increase the burden of mortality and morbidity.
- Migration: Rising inequalities as poor will be most affected due to climate change will increase the burden of migration and cripple the urban economies.
- Illegal migration from the neighbour countries will also cause security threats.
Effects of climate change on the Indian monsoons:
- Climate Change has been ruining quite a few things such and Indian Monsoon might be one of them.
- The worst part here is that the effects of the Indian Monsoon are also felt by others and not just India, making it an active feature of the weather across the globe.
- Research has confirmed that Monsoon in Asia is entwined with several aspects of global climate along with having an influence over the global atmospheric circulation as well.
- Since the year 1950, average summer rains in India have declined by around 7 percent.
- In 1990s, high concentrations of aerosols were found in the northern Indian Ocean. In fact, satellite images even showed a stain across the Indo-Gangetic Plain and over the Indian Ocean, which was named as the “brown cloud”. In 1999, a team of investigators set out to understand what brown cloud exactly was.
- Black carboncombines with sulfates and other aerosols, wherein the Indo-Gangetic Plain contributes highly due to intensive industrial and extractive activity.
- Regional Climate Change has been occurring also because of changes in land use.
- In the last 15 decades, forest cover over Asia has reduced significantly.
- Increase in agricultural production in India, excessive use of water for irrigation has caused a negative impact on the moisture of the soil thereby diminishing its capability to reflect or absorb heat.
- Due to all these factors, Monsoon is shifting its patterns.
- Aerosols absorb solar radiation due to which less of it reaching the surface of the Earth.
- This leads to cooling of land, reducing the contrast of temperature between sea and land, thereby weakening the atmospheric circulation that sustains the Indian Monsoon.
- Not only this, changes in circulation in the Indian subcontinent affect air-sea interaction which is the binding factor between Asia and the Indian Ocean.
Measures needed
- Deploying lower-carbon Energy:
- There are four main types of low-carbon energy: wind, solar, hydro or nuclear power. The first three are renewable, which means these are good for the environment – as natural resources are used (such as wind or sun) to produce electricity.
- Deploying lower carbon energy would help address both domestic and international climate challenges while simultaneously improving the economic well-being of India’s citizens.
- Mainstreaming Renewable energy:
- India’s energy mix is dominated by coal powered electric generation stations as of now.
- The need of the hour is increase the share of renewable energy in this energy mix.
- Focus on Energy Efficiency:
- Will need energy efficient buildings, lighting, appliances and industrial practicesto meet the net-zero goal.
- Increased usage of Biofuels:
- Can help reduce emissions from light commercial vehicles, tractors in agriculture.
- In aviation, the only practical solution for reducing emissions is greater use of biofuels, until hydrogen technology gains scale.
- Transition towards Electric vehicles:
- This will further help curb the carbon emissions.
- Carbon Sequestration:
- India willhave to rely on natural and man-made carbon sinks to soak up those emissions. Trees can capture 0.9 billion tons; the country will need carbon capture technologies to sequester the rest.
- Carbon Pricing:
- India, which already taxes coal and petroleum fuels, should consider putting a tax on emissions to drive change.
Conclusion
Climate change is set to inescapably alter the ocean temperatures around the Indian neighborhood. So, giving more importance to understanding the vagaries of the NE monsoon should be among India’s key priority in adapting to climate change. India needs to step up research to improve the performance of the monsoon prediction models. Preparedness is the best way forward.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the roles and responsibilities of the Governor.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by mentioning about Article 153 and the constitutional position of the governor.
Body:
First, in detail, write about the Executive powers are vested on the governor which is exercised by him either directly or through subordinate officers.
Next, write about the Governor is also provided with some judicial powers under the Constitution. Just like the President, the Governor also has the power to grant pardon.
Next, write about the Legislative and financial power of the governor.
Finally, mention the emergency powers as well as the discretionary powers of the government.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
The office of Governor is a British Indian transplant with a federalistic flavour. The role of office of Governor was confined to normal routine ceremonial functions earlier but now enjoys more powers. Discretionary powers of Governor in state are much more extensive in comparison to the President in centre in India. He/She is not bound to act on the advice of the council of Ministers in certain circumstances, even he need not seek its advice.
Body:
Discretional powers of Governor more than president:
Duality of the powers:
- Governors enjoy more discretion than President because of duality of functions they have to perform. He is given higher discretionary powers, for proper functioning of the Constitution.
- He has prima facie discretion in deciding whether a proposed law by a State is violative of the Constitution. He also has greater discretion with regard to dissolution of Legislative Assembly when it does not function according to the Constitution.
Constitution provision itself:
- Discretionary powers of Governor in state are much more extensive in comparison to the President in center in India. For example, Article 163 of the constitutionsays that there shall be a Council of Ministers in the states with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in exercise his functions, except those which are required to be done by the Governor on his/ her discretion.
- The constitution further mentions that if any question arises whether a matter falls within the Governor’s discretion or not, decision of the Governor shall be final, and the validity of anything done by the Governor shall not be called in question on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in his discretion. Moreover, what advice was tendered by the Governor to the Ministry cannot be inquired into a court.
Some discretionary powers are as follows:
- Appointment of the Chief Minister:Generally, the leader of the party with majority is appointed as the Chief Minister. But in situation where no party gets absolute majority, the Governor exercises his discretionary powers in appointing the Chief Minister.
- Dismissal of a Ministry:A minister holds offices during the pleasure of the Governor. When the ministry losses support of the house, the governor will dismiss the ministry. But he cannot dismiss it until it losses majority support.
- Advising the President for proclamation of Emergency:The Governor advises the President to proclaim emergency when he is satisfied that the Government cannot carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, under Article 356.
- Reservation of a bill for the consideration of the President: On his/ her discretion, the Governor can reserve a bill passed by the state legislature for president’s assent. However, situations are mentioned in Article 200, when he will reserve the bill, yet he can use, discretion regarding this matter. Governor has discretion to refuse to sign to an ordinary bill passed by the state legislature.
- Dissolution of Legislative Assembly:The Governor summons, prorogues and dissolves the Legislative Assembly, according to article 174. When the ministry loses the majority and the Governor is satisfied he may dissolve the House.
- Governor determines the amount payable by the Government of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to an autonomous Tribal District Council as royalty accruing from licenses for mineral exploration.
- Seeking information: Governor can seek information from the chief minister with regard to the administrative and legislative matters of the state.
- Thus, though the Governor is made the constitutional head of a state like president of India, yet there is a thin line as the Constitution empowers the Governor to act without the advice of the Chief Minister and his council and can use discretion on certain matters.
- Governor determines the amount payable by the Government of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to an autonomous Tribal District Council as royalty accruing from licenses for mineral exploration.
- Thus, though the Governor is made the constitutional head of a state like president of India, yet there is a thin line as the Constitution empowers the Governor to act without the advice of the Chief Minister and his council and can use discretion on certain matters.
Similarities:
- Both the President and Governor have the status of Constitutional Heads.
- All executive decisions are taken in their name but actual power is exercised by Council of Ministers
- All ordinary / money bills passed must get their assent before they become an act.
- Both of them have powers to promulgate ordinances.
- All Money bills can be introduced with prior recommendation of President in the Lok Sabha and Governor in the state legislature.
- Both have clemency powers.
Conclusion:
As envisaged in the Indian constitution in a federal constitutional division of power between center and real power vests in council of ministers’ president and governor are only ceremonial heads of state. Real power lies with elected government headed by PM and CM.
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To critically write about the issues with respect to office of the governor.
Directive:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give brief introduction of Governor in Indian Polity.
Body:
First, first the significance of the post of Governor as enshrined in the Indian constitution.
Discuss the issues related to abuse of post of Governor in federal polity failing to the functions impartially and efficiently and why the tag of ‘agent of centre’ is being associated with the office of governor. Substantiate with examples.
Next, Explain the misuse of Article 356, Power of Reserving bill, Partisan role in Hung assemblies etc. with examples of recent times.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward to overcome the above.
Introduction
Article 154 of the Constitution envisages Governor as the executive chief of the state. All executive actions are taken in his name. B R Ambedkar called the office of the Governor as the “office of dignity”. He is not an agent of the Centre, but the governor’s post in an independent Constitutional office. His office is the linchpin of Indian Cooperative Federalism.
Body:
Appointment of Governor:
Under the Articles 155 and 156, Governors in India are appointed directly by the President and holds office “during the pleasure of the President”.
Role of the Governor:
- India invented the role of state governor after Independence to act as a conduit between the ceremonial head of state (the president) and the chief minister of each state, as the president’s eyes and ears in the country’s diverse and far-flung states.
- Their duty is to be neutral guardians of the complex relationship between the federal government and state governments belonging to different political parties.
- But this role got diluted as Supreme Court said in one of the judgements ‘agents of the centre’.
Criticism of regarding the Governor Posts
- The governor selections have come to be made on grounds of political partisanship, favouritism, patronage and cronyism.
- The governors are becoming the eyes and ears for Central Government.
- The misuse of the office of the Governor for political purposes to dispose the rival political parties’ government by invoking the Article 356 on dubious or doubtful grounds.
- Appointment of Judges as governors.
- Appointment of people involved in the active politics of the State.
- Removal of Governor merely because he is not on the same political or ideological page as that of the government, this happens despite constitutional bench saying
- A Governor won’t be removed on the ground that he is out of sync with the policies and ideologies of the Union Government or the party in power at the Centre.
- Nor would he be removed on the ground that the Union Government has lost confidence in him.
Recommendations made regarding the Governor Posts
Sarkaria Commission Report Recommendations
- “The Governors tenure of office of five years in a State should not be disturbed except very rarely and that too for some extremely compelling reason. It is very necessary to assure a measure of security of tenure to the Governor’s office.”
- Governor should be an eminent person and not belong to the state where he is to be posted.
- State chief minister should have a say in the appointment of governor
- Governor should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in recent past.
- Governor should not be a member of the ruling party.
- Governor should be removed before his tenure only on the grounds as if aspersions are cast on his morality, dignity, constitutional propriety, etc.
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommendations:
- Governor’s appointment should be entrusted to a committee comprising the prime minister, the home minister, the speaker of the Lok Sabha and the chief minister of the concerned state.
- If they have to be removed before completion of their term, the central government should do so only after consultation with the Chief Minister.
The Punchhi commission recommendations
- The person who is slated to be a Governor should not have participated in active politics at even local level for at least a couple of years before his appointment.
- For office of Governor, the doctrine of pleasure should endand should be deleted from the constitution. Governor should not be removed at whim of central government. Instead, a resolution by state legislature should be there to remove Governor.
- There should be provisions for impeachment of the Governor by the state legislature along the same lines as that of President by President.
- The convention of making the Governors as chancellors of universities should be done away with.
- The commission recommended for “localising emergency provisions” under Articles 355 and 356, contending that localised areas— either a district or parts of a district — be brought under Governor’s rule instead of the whole state.
The Supreme Court’s interpretation
- In 2010, a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court interpreted these provisions and laid down some binding principles (B.P. Singhal v. Union of India), the Supreme Court held:
- President, in effect the central government, has the power to remove a Governor at any time without giving him or her any reason, and without granting an opportunity to be heard.
- However, this power cannot be exercised in an arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable manner. The power of removing Governors should only be exercised in rare and exceptional circumstances for valid and compelling reasons.
- The mere reason that a Governor is at variance with the policies and ideologies of the central government, or that the central government has lost confidence in him or her, is not sufficient to remove a Governor. Thus, a change in central government cannot be a ground for removal of Governors, or to appoint more favourable persons to this post.
- Such a decision, to remove a Governor can be challenged in a court of law.
Conclusion
Despite several commissions appointed by Government themselves and the Supreme Court guidelines, the post of governor is misused again and again.It is, however, time for a thorough review of the Governor’s powers and the process of appointment and removal.
- New rules and conventions may need to be put in place so that Governor’s constitutional mandate is strengthened.
- All part conference to review the role of the Governors, the powers exercised by him and the manner in which he should be appointed and removed.
- The Constitution should be amended and security of tenure must be provided to the Governors. The judgment of the Supreme Court delivered in B. P. Singhal case is the law of the land and the Government should respect it.
- The Governors should be treated with dignity, and should not be fired only for political considerations.
- The Constitution of the land prohibits the arbitrary exercise of power and the Government is not an exception to the equality law.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
Much of the universe remains unknown. The Webb telescope will hopefully provide a powerful window to help resolve some of the cosmos’s many mysteries.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the significance of James Webb telescope.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning the context of James Webb telescope.
Body:
In the first part, mention the various features of James Webb telescope.
Next, write about how James Webb telescope will contribute to the advancement of science. The Webb has four instruments to observe and analyse infrared waves. This makes it singularly suitable to observe the light emitted from the earliest epochs of the universe. This will give us an insight into how the first stars and galaxies formed from the primaeval soup of matter and radiation.
Next, Mention the things that have already been observed in it.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
The world’s most powerful space telescope – James Webb Telescope (JWT), headed to an outpost 1.5 million kilometres (930,000 miles) from Earth, is an exemplar of collaborative science and human ingenuity. Named after a former NASA director, Webb follows in the footsteps of the legendary Hubble — but intends to show humans what the Universe looked like even closer to its birth nearly 14 billion years ago. Though Webb is often called the replacement for the Hubble Space Telescope (HT) , NASA said it prefers to call it a successor.
The first image from NASA’s new space telescope in July 2022 offers the deepest look of the cosmos ever captured.
Body
Features of James Webb Telescope:
- Wavelength:
- The James Webb Space Telescope, carrying four scientific instruments, will observe primarily in the infrared range and provide coverage from 0.6 to 28 microns.
- Size comparisons
- Webb’s primary mirror has a diameter of 6.5 metres.
- So, Webb will have a larger field of view.
- Webb also carries a large sun shield measuring about 22 metres by 12 metres – about the size of a tennis court.
- Orbit
- Webb will not orbit the Earth. It will orbit the sun at about 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth.
- As the Earth orbits the Sun, Webb will orbit with it – but it will stay fixed in the same spot with relation to the Earth and the Sun.
- How far can they see?
- NASA says, “Hubble can see the equivalent of “toddler galaxies” and Webb Telescope will be able to see “baby galaxies”.”
- Webb’s near- and mid-infrared instruments will help study the first formed galaxies, exoplanets and birth of stars.
Importance of JWST
- It is widely expected to unveil many secrets of the universe, particularly those related to the formation of stars and galaxies in the early period the first few hundred million years after the Big Bang.
- Powerful space telescopes, like JWST or the Hubble Telescope, are often called time-machines because of their ability to view very faraway objects.
- The light coming from those objects, stars or galaxies, which is captured by these telescopes, began its journey millions of years earlier.
- Essentially, what these telescopes see are images of these stars or galaxies as they were millions of years ago. The more distant the planet or star, the farther back in time are the telescopes able to see.
- JWST is much more powerfuland has the ability to look in the infrared spectrum,which will allow it to peer through much deeper into the universe, and see through obstructions such as gas clouds.
- As electromagnetic waves travel for long distances, they lose energy, resulting in an increase in their wavelength.
- An ultraviolet wave, for example, can slowly move into the visible light spectrum and the infrared spectrum, and further weaken to microwaves or radio waves, as it loses energy.
- Hubble was designed to look mainly into the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. JWST is primarily an infrared telescope, the first of its kind.
- It can also analyse the atmospheres of exoplanetsthat pass in front of their stars.
- It will look at a large number of things in the universe including icy moons, distant exoplanets and galaxy clusters.
Conclusion
JWST will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System, etc. Scientists hope this set-up can detect the light from the very first population of stars in the Universe to switch on more than 13.5 billion years ago.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth , Insights on India
Why the question:
The Supertech Twin towers in Sector 93A of Noida, Uttar Pradesh were demolished by controlled implosion at 2.30 pm August 28, 2022. Their being located in a residential neighbourhood of Noida makes it even more essential to introduce interventions to mitigate pollution and waste, post-demolition.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the effects of construction waste and steps needed to manage it better.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving context which highlights the extent of construction waste issues.
Body:
First, write about the main types of pollution associated with construction and construction waste – air, water and noise.
Next, write the how adversely it affects the human health and environment and how it can lead to irreversible damage.
Next, write about the steps that are needed to tackle the above issues.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
The Twin towers in Noida, Uttar Pradesh were demolished by controlled implosion. Their being located in a residential neighborhood of Noida makes it even more essential to introduce interventions to mitigate pollution and waste, post-demolition.
Construction and demolition wastes (CDW) are the status of building materials after the end life of buildings. CDW could be concrete, steel, wood products, asphalt shingles, and bricks from building.
Body
Main types of pollution associated with construction and construction waste
- Air: Disassembling and shredding of construction waste generate dust or large particulates into the surroundings and affects the respiratory health of waste management workers and others.
- Water: Landfills are not properly designed to hold construction waste + Illegal dump sites + Improper recycling & disposal of e-waste means compounds leach into the ground and Groundwater get toxified due to heavy metals from demolition waste.
- Soil: Soil is contaminated by direct contact with contaminants from construction waste or its by-products from recycling & disposal + indirectly through irrigation.
- Soils become toxic when substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and polychlorinated biphenyl’s (PCBs) are deposited in landfills.
- Contaminated soils have bad impacts on microbes and plants and the pollutants reach higher animals or humans through the food chain.
Adverse impact on human health and environment
- The most common effects on environment from various activities are dust, noise, smoke and odour (fugitive discharge).
- In circumstance of C & D waste management, the fundamental factors affecting the environment are dust and noise .
- Earth movements, destruction and other building activities frequently includes the generation of spreading clouds of dirt with destructive Impact on the growing figure of people suffering from respiratory diseases, and undesirable impact on the degradation surfaces.
- The dust generation activities also comprise of various restoration activities and dusting of façades.
Measures
- Need robust estimation and characterization of C&D waste to design systems for material recovery: Cities need comprehensive assessment and quantification of C&D waste generation, to plan adequate infrastructure and systems for treatment and management.
- Need of documentation: Cities must create easily accessible databases of buildings and their physical and legal attributes. Construction/demolition permits need to be inventorised with associated waste management plans attached.
- Preparing for waste management from new generation material: Expanded polystyrene insulation (EPS), Styrofoam, plastic spacers, bituminous material and asbestos embedded within new wall assemblies are a recycling challenge. This needs special attention.
- Infrastructure projects need to set up their own recycling facilities: DMRC has done so. Concrete can be easily recycled. Butt excavated waste is a challenge. Other infrastructure projects like highway and roadwork find recycling of bituminous material waste challenging. Globally, proactive prevention of waste is undertaken through modification of existing on site construction practices etc.
- Responsibility of the construction Industry: The current system provides no incentive to the construction agencies for managing their own waste via waste reduction and on-site reuse and recycling. The Rules have created a push by creating a legal requirement for waste management but the financial drivers are missing. This requires fiscal strategy.
Conclusion
Environmental and material challenges associated with the Construction and Demolition waste problem need urgent and immediate attention nation-wide to recover material, protect environment, and for clean air.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world to the concepts of morality;
Difficulty Level: Tough
Reference: plato.stanford.edu
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To compare and contrast deontology and utilitarianism and their application in present day life.
Directive word:
Debate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining deontological ethics and its features.
Body:
First, write as to why utilitarianism is more acceptable and popular.
Next, write the limitations of utilitarianism and how deontological ethics have more moral sensitivity in our daily lives on basis of rules and laws it lays down. Justify with examples as to how it is part of our daily lives.
Conclusion:
Give a concise summation of your views to conclude the answer.
Introduction
Utilitarianism would say that an action is right if it results in the happiness of the greatest number of people in a society or a group. Utilitarianism is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm. When directed toward making social, economic, or political decisions, a utilitarian philosophy would aim for the betterment of society as a whole.
In deontological ethics an action is considered morally good because of some characteristic of the action itself, not because the product of the action is good. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally obligatory regardless of their consequences for human welfare. Descriptive of such ethics are such expressions as “Duty for duty’s sake,” “Virtue is its own reward,” and “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Body
Concept of Utilitarianism
Greatest good of the greatest number, was famously given by Jeremy Bentham, the father of utilitarianism. Bentham’s fundamental axiom, which underlies utilitarianism, was that all social morals and government legislation should aim for producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Utilitarianism, therefore, emphasizes the consequences or ultimate purpose of an act rather than the character of the actor, the actor’s motivation, or the particular circumstances surrounding the act. It has these characteristics:
- Universality, because it applies to all acts of human behavior, even those that appear to be done from altruistic motives;
- Objectivity, meaning it operates beyond individual thought, desire, and perspective;
- Rationality, because it is not based in metaphysics or theology; and
- Quantifiability in its reliance on utility.
Limitations
- A limitation of utilitarianism is that it tends to create a black-and-white construct of morality. In utilitarian ethics, there are no shades of gray—either something is wrong or it is right.
- Utilitarianism also cannot predict with certainty whether the consequences of our actions will be good or bad—the results of our actions happen in the future.
- Utilitarianism also has trouble accounting for values like justice and individual rights. For example, say a hospital has four people whose lives depend upon receiving organ transplants: a heart, lungs, a kidney, and a liver. If a healthy person wanders into the hospital, his organs could be harvested to save four lives at the expense of his one life. This would arguably produce the greatest good for the greatest number. But few would consider it an acceptable course of action, let alone an ethical one.
Deontological ethics and its moral sensitivity
- The first great philosopher to define deontological principles was Immanuel Kant. He believed that each man is an end in himself and must never be used as another man’s means to an end.
- John Rawls another deontologist discarded utilitarianism. He said, that “Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override”.
- For this reason, justice denies that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a greater good shared by others.
- It does not allow that the sacrifices imposed on a few are outweighed by the larger sum of advantages enjoyed by many.
- Therefore, in a just society the liberties of equal citizenship are taken as settled; the rights secured by justice are not subject to political bargaining or to the calculus of social interests.
- As deontology places significance on human dignity, it is most widely accepted.
Conclusion
Deontology is simple to apply. It just requires that people follow the rules and do their duty. This approach tends to fit well with our natural intuition about what is or isn’t ethical. Unlike consequentialism, which judges actions by their results, deontology doesn’t require weighing the costs and benefits of a situation. This avoids subjectivity and uncertainty because one only has to follow set rules.
Topic: laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance;
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Lexicon Publications.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
Using the metaphor of the moral compass to describe conscience, our inner sense of right and wrong offers a framework to guide our actions.
Directive:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by describing what you understand by moral compass (conscience) which governs the actions you take in day-to-day life.
Body:
Elaborate on how the moral compass aids in deciding what right from is wrong. Use examples to substantiate your points.
One way is to treat others the way you want to be treated.
Next way, to use Rights Theory that obligates us to respect the rights of others and live up to our obligations towards them.
Another way is to utilitarian perspective to do maximum good for maximum people.
Conclusion:
Completed the answer by bring out how the moral compass prevents us acting purely from self-interest and helps us live a life of integrity.
Write about the course of action you will take.
Introduction
Moral compass is a term used to describe our inner sense of right and wrong offers a framework to guide our actions. Conscience is inner moral sense of a person which guides him/her to regulate his behaviour. Voice of conscience corresponds to an inner voice that judges your behaviour. Voice of conscience is the source of ethical decision making for many.
Body
Conscience can be defined as something within each of us that tells us what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, if one uses his/her conscience when making decisions it would be guided by what is the right thing to do and what is wrong.
The traditional test is to apply ethical decision-making methods such as Rights Theory that obligates us to respect the rights of others and live up to our obligations towards them. Another approach is to evaluate the possible benefits and harms of alternative courses of action on stakeholders who may be affected by our possible actions and choose the one that maximizes net benefits.
- Our conscience is our inner guide and it helps you figure out how to make good choices. As we grow up, we learn right from wrong. Our conscience is the thought and feeling we have that tells us whether something is a right or wrong thing to do or say. Thus voice of Conscience is a consistent guide to ethical decision making.
- A person can prepare himself/herself to heed to the voice of conscience by:
- Pausing and thinking about the dimensions of issue.
- Practicing the power of silence.
- Meditating and prayer.
- Freeing oneself from external influences and selfish interests.
- A human being always comes across ethical dilemmas in the decision making the process. Voice of Conscience acts as the guide for taking correct decisions when we have to choose between competing sets of principles in a given, usually undesirable or perplexing, situation. Example: Helping accident victim on your way to an interview.
- The voice of conscience of an individual help in analysing the situation from different perspectives and help in taking the right decision.
- Voice of Conscience helps in avoiding Conflicts of interest for better decision making. It can help in deciding between personal gains and public welfare.
- Voice of Conscience is our ability to make a practical decision in light of ethical values and principles.
- Voice of Conscience is a person’s moral compass of right and wrong as well as the consciousness of one’s actions. Expressions such as ‘gut feeling’ and ‘guilt’ are often applied in conjunction with a conscience.
- The voice of conscience might suggest different principles and different behaviours to different situations. But it for a moment help individual from not doing wrong based on universal values.
Conclusion
Acting purely from self-interest, at best, keeps us parallel to the original position and can turn our compass south if our actions do harm to others. We avoid going in that direction by living a life of integrity. We also need to understand and appreciate why we should consider the needs of others before acting. We could simply go back to The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. None of us, presumably, wants to be disrespected so we should treat others respectfully.
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