GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

"Moral actions belong to the jurisdiction of the outward and inward court, both civil and domestic governor; I mean both the magistrate and conscience." - Locke

Answered by 9 toppers · CSE 2023–2025

Dimensions of EthicsSources of Ethical GuidanceLaw and MoralityWorld Thinkers

Syllabus: 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; role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

How toppers approached it

From 8 of the 9 answers · about 160 words · 38% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening50%
  • A restatement25%
  • A definition13%
  • A quotation13%

Body

  • Points63%
  • Points and prose38%

Close

  • A summary63%
  • A way forward25%
  • No separate close13%

The toppers’ answers

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 136 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a restatement

The quote of Locke highlights the role of both external and internal control for moral action.

Body · points

Need of outward court

  1. Ensuring minimum morality in society

  2. Operant conditioning eg punishing against rape, thievery etc

  3. Create a fear to be moral in action eg fear of jail.

  4. Codify minimum morality of society eg BNS, 2024.

  5. Ensure external control over action to be moral

Need of inward court

(1) Navigating grey zones eg Helping a road accident victim

(2) Ethical but illegal acts eg Same sex marriage,

(3) To serve as guide in ethical dilemma eg choosing between professional duty & personal duty

(4) Court of conscience → most sacred as per Gandhiji

(5) Ensuring maximum morality in the society

Close · a summary

Thus, both together help us to remain ethical & moral in action.

More on Dimensions of Ethics

What ethics is and how it is divided: descriptive, normative and applied ethics, the essence and determinants of ethical action, consequences of ethics in human action.

All GS4 questions on Dimensions of Ethics