how values taught new - P L Dhar's Web Page · Wh T h V l ?Why Teach Values ? • Value crisis is the root of all social and technogenic maladiestechnogenic maladies • Aristotle

How Can Values by Taught ?ow Can Values by aught ?

P.L.DharIITD lhiIITDelhi

Wh T h V l ?Why Teach Values ?

• Value crisis is the root of all social and technogenic maladiestechnogenic maladies

• Aristotle “..the fate of empires depends on the education of the youth ”the education of the youth.

• Consequences of neglect of value d ti “ f ti f deducation: “..perfection of means and

confusion of the ends” …. Einstein

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• What is education ? …Vision of Holistic Education Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

D ff l d EHVDifficulties in introducing EHV

• EHV and secularism• How can values be taught ? Values are• How can values be taught ? Values are

picked up from the environment, from Role ModelsModels

• Only Enlightened beings can teach values, t di t lnot ordinary mortals

2/19/2010 3Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

EHV d S lEHV and Secularism

• Secularism: A system of social organization and education where religionorganization and education where religion is not allowed to play a part in civil affairs

• Religion: a particular system of belief in• Religion: a particular system of belief in god or gods and the activities that are connected with this belief such as prayer orconnected with this belief, such as prayer or worship in a church or a templeR li i i l li i

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• Religion ~ particular religion or sect

Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

EHV d S lEHV and Secularism

• Article 28 : No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institutionbe provided in any educational institution wholly maintained out of state funds

• Religious instruction instructions• Religious instruction instructions regarding particular forms of prayer or worship or belief systemworship or belief system

• Secular state No sect be patronized & it ifi li i i t ti i t dits specific religious instructions imparted


S l d V lSecularism and Values

• Does Secularism imply value neutrality?• Basis of Civil and criminal laws• Basis of Civil and criminal laws• Universal human Values like honesty,

t thf l i l b t i i ftruthfulness, non-violence, abstaining from stealing, sexual misconduct etc.

• Religions also prescribe ethical norms for their followers..How to draw line between

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religious teaching and value education ?Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

A l f R lAnalysis of Religions

• Each religion has two dimensions : outer sheath and the inner coresheath and the inner core

• Outer sheath:Conditioned by historic, social and political climate parochialand political climate --parochial

• Inner core: spiritual truths Universal : L f N t t i i t th bj tiLaws of Nature pertaining to the subjective world of Man : Dharma


Wh Dh ?What is Dharma ?

• Dharma : basic nature or characteristic• dharma of fire is to burn ; all beings are• dharma of fire is to burn ; all beings are

jaradharmadh Et l L• sanatan dharma : Eternal Laws

• Na hi verena verani samantidha kudacanam Averena ca sammanti esa dhammo sanantano


V l Ed & DhValue Education & Dharma

• Mental defilements like ill will, anger, animosity hatred greed etc have theanimosity, hatred, greed, etc. have the characteristic of “agitation” and “burning”.

• Pure mind is full of love compassion• Pure mind is full of love, compassion, kindness, generosity, etc. and has the characteristic of joy peace harmonycharacteristic of joy, peace, harmony.

• These laws are applicable to all.

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• EHV: Understanding and Internalizing such laws. Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

C V l b h ?Can Values be taught ?

• “Taught” vs “caught” models and their implicationsimplications

• No way out of the present morassI i ti l l t ft th h i ti• Inspiration rarely lasts after the charismatic person has gone- example of Gandhiji

• Is value neutral education possible ?• Any wider interpretation of facts, be these

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y p ,historical, rational or scientific, necessitates value judgement . Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

C V l b h ?Can Values be taught ?

• The question is fundamentally flawed -value neutral education is a mythvalue neutral education is a myth

• Absence of formal discussion results in conflicting signals from different teachersconflicting signals from different teachers

• Role of family as an institution for value d ti P t t t f f ilieducation : Present state of families


How should values be “taught”?


H h ld l b h ?How should values be taught ?

• Limitations of the didactic approach of “moral education”moral education

• Need for rational analysisN fli ti l i l i diff t• No conflicting value signals in different subjects taught to the students

• Knowing about values and actually living them


Cardinal Principles of Value EdEducation

♦♦The foundation should not bemade dependent on myth or authoritymade dependent on myth, or authority

♦Provoke the students to analyze the world and the experiences of their own lifeexperiences of their own life

-its goals, aspirations,etc.♦♦Value dimension should permeate teachingp g♦Give practical training in self-restraint &

self observation to actually inculcate values

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♦Teachers as senior students, nor moral mastersDr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

R l b h d UHVRationale behind UHVs

• Appreciating interconnectedness • Evolutionary paradigm• Evolutionary paradigm• Golden Rule• Empirical Approach


Analyzing nature …..to I dappreciate Interconnectedness

• Analysis of Breathing Process--natural cyclescycles

• The continually changing constituents of human bodyhuman body

• Quantum theory : what is reality ?• Silent contributors to our success--deep

ecological perspective

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• Interdependence-Inter-being →concern for others Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

Analyzing Nature……. The E l dEvolutionary paradigm

• Theory of Evolution : Man has evolved from the living cell over billions of yearsfrom the living cell over billions of years through random genetic mutations + natural selection motivated by survivalnatural selection motivated by survival

• Quantum physics : At a deeper level matter and consciousness are actuallymatter and consciousness are actually inseparable…deep down the consciousness of mankind is ONE

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of mankind is ONE.


Th E l dThe Evolutionary paradigm

• View of sages of ancient India : Evolution is a progressively clearer and more powerfula progressively clearer and more powerful manifestation of the Universal Consciousness pervading the UniverseConsciousness pervading the Universe

• Matter--faint glimmer of the consciousnessPl t b th i t• Plants --grow , breathe, communicate

• Animals--All the above+ movement+

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elemental ethicsDr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

The Evolutionary paradigm-F d f E lFour dimensions of Evolution

IV HigherIndividual IV HigherIndividual

III CulturalCollective

II Mental

2/19/2010 19I Biological Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

Th E l dThe Evolutionary paradigm

• Human beings--Quantum jump in all abilities of animals + increased awareness,abilities of animals increased awareness, esp. awareness about self + ability of self control & ‘self’ transcendence

• Future Evolution of Man --Huxley’s views : Man’s evolution is not biological but gpsycho-social; ..man’s most comprehensive aim is.. greater self-fulfillment through f ll li i f h ibili i

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fuller realization of the possibilitiesDr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

F E l f MFuture Evolution of Man

• Aurobindo :..It is through consciousness, through its transmutation and no longerthrough its transmutation and no longer through a new bodily organism as a first instrumentation that the evolution can andinstrumentation that the evolution can and must be effected.

• Neuroscientists: Fuller utilisation of the• Neuroscientists: Fuller utilisation of the right cerebral hemisphere which functions in non linear intuitive holistic modes

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in non-linear, intuitive, holistic modes


Evolutionary Paradigm and U l H V lUniversal Human Values

• Future Evolution : Greater self fulfillment through movement to higher levels ofthrough movement to higher levels of consciousness

• UHV⇒ Values that help in this journey {• UHV⇒ Values that help in this journey { love, compassion, generosity, truthfulness etc }etc.}

• Undesirable values ⇒ Those which drag us d th l dd f l ti {

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down the ladder of evolution { arrogance, lust, pride, anger, acquisitiveness, etc.}


A l L f ’ IAnalyzing Life’s experiences…I

• Do I feel happy when others– cheat steal abuse beat me– cheat , steal, abuse, beat me

• What kind of friend, employer, customer, servant spouse child would I like?servant, spouse, child......would I like?

• Is it true of all ?Do unto others

as you wish

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yothers to do unto you


A l L f ’ IIAnalyzing Life’s experiences …II

• What makes us really happy ? Greediness or generosity ?g y

Anger or forgiveness ?Cheating or honesty ?

Cruelty or compassion Falsehood or truthfulness ?

Is this universally true ?

2/19/2010 24Thus we can discover the requirements for happy living : The laws of nature dharma Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

A l L f ’ E IIIAnalyzing Life’s Experiences..III

• UHV as requirement for happy living imposed by Dharma < laws of nature>

• pure mind leads to joy , impure to suffering• UHV{ love, kindness, compassion,

generosity, non-jealousy etc,} are the characteristics of pure mind

• Humanistic psychology - UHV as the higher needs of Man

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• Differences between people are trivial as compared to what they have in common


V l C fl D l L fValue Conflicts in Daily Life

• Truthfulness : avoiding caller on ’phone ; disclosing terminal disease owning updisclosing terminal disease , owning up mistake , narcissism

• Honesty : Private Tuition selling a house• Honesty : Private Tuition, selling a house, Inflated Electricity bill, property taxF b t i i l i f k• Forbearance : trivial queries of weak students , criticism of colleagues/students

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• Compassion : beggars , accident victim, giving lift in car Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

K I b b V lKnowing vs Imbibing Values

• Duryodhana’s dilemma janami dharamam na ca me pravrittjanami dharamam na ca me pravritt janami adharmam na ca me nivritti.

• Chasm between conscious & unconscious• Chasm between conscious & unconscious mind It i i t d t l t i th t• It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of Man- A.Einstein

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• Practical training in mental purification• Vipassana as taught by the Buddha Dr.P.L.Dhar: IIT Delhi

V l O f T hValue Orientation of Teaching

• Discuss in all subjects their value implications physics chemistry mathematics biology– physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, social sciences…….

• Technology : Impact on society ⇒ social• Technology : Impact on society ⇒ social,environmental and moral

• Marketing : Importance of being truthful• Marketing : Importance of being truthful• Economics : There are many factors besides

fit2/19/2010 28

profit • Business management : Ethical issues


Responsibilities of Teachers of V l EdValue Education

• Become Role Models of Value based life– Teaching with love and compassion– Teaching with love and compassion– professional integrity - transparency in

evaluationevaluation– accepting shortcomings gracefully, humility– Regular meditation– Regular meditation

• Working as senior students and not moral masters

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masters


C l d R kConcluding Remarks

• EHV is the paramount need of the hour to ensure survival of the humanity – value neutral education i h d f l l i h d i !is a myth , default value system is hedonism !

• EHV is best done by encouraging the students to analyze the world and the experiences of theiranalyze the world and the experiences of their own life -its goals, aspirations, etc.

• Value inculcation needs practical training in self p grestraint and mental purification - possible through Vipassana meditation

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• EHV Teachers have to be role models-- not moral masters but senior students


Thank you!Thank you!

Documents

how values taught new - P L Dhar's Web Page · Wh T h V l ?Why Teach Values ? • Value crisis is the root of all social and technogenic maladiestechnogenic maladies • Aristotle