History of Ethics

History of Ethics

A term which can be measured neither in quality nor in quantity for sure cannot have ordinary history of its origin. In a rather more philosophical approach ‘ethics’ can never be separated by ‘humanity’ hence should ideally declared that ethics exists since humanity came in evolution. Humanity does not mean a community of the ‘configuration of those flesh and bone capable of waking in two legs’. It has far superior meaning and even deeper complexity. Virtue of competition gave the sense of developing physical luxuries and lust of such luxuries developed conflicts. In order to resolve such conflicts by understanding the parallel evolution of love among them had lead humanity to find out peaceful settlements of conflicting issues.

Thus a balance in the tension between the ‘love’ and ‘conflict’ brought the idea of ‘peaceful settlement’. This processes of ‘peaceful settlement’ transformed into the concept of ‘virtue’. ‘Virtue’ become the founding block of ethics.

Too much of obligations and norms invited the need of jotting it down for everyone to take reference in the absence of the one who used to preach it for the clan. These written virtues first termed as ‘the reference book of law’ later turned to be known as holy books. Due to rarity of education among the general members of the clan, the job of interpretation and application of the holy book had been handed over to an authority deputed solely for this job. Such individuals having this authority gained remarkable respect and importance from the fellow clan members. This provoked the leadership with responsibility and accountability.

First foot prints of Humanity were been found some 20000 years ago, fist such law book or holy book of the world as believed is known as ‘Rig Veda’ a true book methodologies of fighting and escaping the attacks of so called under-civilized night dwellers of Indian subcontinents. It informs that night dwellers are afraid of fire and noise but one cannot fight them in nights so based on these studies they had developed various schemes of underpin the enemies of Aryans. Many such books are supposed be found in Egypt, Yunnan and Mongols. Time passed and the leaders started feeling that their clan needs to know about the those ideals who actually follow these laws written in the holy book some 3500 years ago books like Ramayna and very recently Mahabharta came into existence. Holy books like Bible and Koran came out due to the similar need of time. Ram, Krishna, Jesus become the son of Gods who were been born to live the life of virtue and human laws narrated by their ancestors as an exemplary to the common man. They imbibed the fear of sin and virtue deeply in the gene of humanity and so it becomes the great help for the leaders to bestow peace and harmony among the complex lifestyle savvy humans.

These law books kept on amending, iterating and re-scripting as and when its misuse had raised the ugly face. Buddhism and Jainism are such religions came into existence because of dreadful deeds of Vedic era and established post Vedic age. This is how the complexity of humanity invented the term called ‘ethics’.

In the subsequent chapters we will discuss about its application in decision making… thanks for your kind sparing of time with us.