GS4 · Topic
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.
503 UPSC Mains GS4 questions on Dimensions of Ethics that toppers answered in test series, CSE 2014–2025, most answered first. Open one to see how toppers opened, built and closed it.
Differentiate between the following: ii) Ethics in private relationships and ethics in public life.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023
Dimensions of EthicsEthics in Private and Public Life
All nations give first priority to their citizens for example they are given some constitutional rights which are not enjoyed by people of other countries. Doesn't it show giving preference to citizen over human? Is it ethically justifiable to divide people on the basis of citizenship, that is, territorial sovereignty? Illustrate and explain.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2016
Ethics in International RelationsDimensions of Ethics
Test of morality goes beyond doing a simple cost benefit analysis. Discuss with suitable examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2019
Dimensions of EthicsEthical Theories
What is the relationship between Ethics and Law? Explain with examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2019
Law and MoralityDimensions of Ethics
Our behaviour in virtual world are different than in offline environment as both have different characteristics
Answered by 1 topper
Dimensions of EthicsTechnology and Ethics
"The separation of private and public ethics is not only difficult but may also be counterproductive." Do you agree with this view? Justify your stance with logical arguments and examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2025
Ethics in Private and Public LifeDimensions of Ethics
To have seen what is right and not to do it is want of courage. (Confucius). Discuss.
Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2025
World ThinkersDimensions of Ethics
Technology has brought private affairs of people in the public space today. Do you think people have become more unethical today, as compared to the past?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023
Dimensions of EthicsEthics in Private and Public Life
What differences do you see in ethics, in public and private relationships? Can there be a conflict between the two? Argue giving suitable examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper
Ethics in Private and Public LifeConflict of Interest
What do you understand by the term moral responsibility? When do you think a person or an entity becomes morally responsible for actions committed or omitted?
5 marks · 80 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2025
Dimensions of Ethics
Given are two quotations of moral thinkers/philosophers. For each of these bring out what it means to you in the present context. (a) "When we are caught up in a destructive emotion, we lose one of our greatest assets: our independence."
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2018
Indian ThinkersDimensions of Ethics
Undercover journalism exposes injustices, negligence, corruption and wrongdoing and yet going undercover to expose wrongdoing remains controversial. But, undercover journalists contend that they are fulfilling a fundamental duty of finding truth through their journalism. They argue that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy and the duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. So, there are some supporters of this kind of journalism, which sometimes infringe the privacy of individuals. However, some journalists also urge avoiding surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical issues involved in the practice of undercover journalism? (b) Do you support the practice of undercover investigation by journalists? Give reasons in support of your answer.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2018
Dimensions of EthicsLaw and Morality
Explaining the meaning of media ethics, discuss why it is a prerequisite for democracy.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2025
Dimensions of EthicsAccountability and Ethical Governance
What are values? How are they different from ethics?
5 marks · 100 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2014
Dimensions of EthicsHuman Values
Nisrael, a country in West Asia, recently faced an unprecedented attack on its soil, in which more than 1500 people were brutally massacred. Thousands were injured, and around 200 people were taken hostage. The coordinated attack from land, air, and sea was carried out by an organization named Tamas, which many countries, including Nisrael have designated as a terrorist organization. On the other hand, Tamas argues that it represents the cause of the people of Salestine, whose land is under the illegal occupation of Nisrael. Tamas justified its actions as armed resistance against Nisrael for freedom and self-determination. The attack has sent shockwaves across Nisrael and around the world. Serious questions are being raised by citizens over the intelligence failure of Nisrael's Kossad, one of the most renowned intelligence agencies in the world. However, for the time being, Nisraelis have rallied behind their government and want a befitting response to such an audacious attack. Consequently, the PM of Nisrael has declared war on the Tamas and vowed to eliminate every member of the Tamas. Nisrael has responded by conducting aerial bombings of the Daza strip, which is governed by Tamas. The Daza Strip is a densely populated region, and aerial strikes by Nisrael have led to the killing of many innocent civilians. It is reported that more than 10,000 people have lost their lives in Daza, including some of the hostages as well. There is an acute shortage of food, fuel, and essential items in Daza. The United Nations has warned that the situation in Daza may turn into a grave humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, the international community seems to be divided over the issue. While some countries are defending Nisrael's actions as an act of self-defense, others are blaming Nisrael's illegal occupation of Salestinian territory as the root cause of the conflict and supporting the Tamas. Some nations are pursuing a diplomatic tightrope walk by condemning the ghastly attack on Nisrael and raising concerns over the humanitarian crisis in the Daza strip. Experts fear that if a ceasefire is not declared immediately between the warring parties, the conflict may spiral to other countries in the restive West Asia and may assume catastrophic consequences. Dharmat, a country in Asia, has good relations with both Nisrael and Salestine. While it has historic ties with Salestine, its relations with Nisrael have grown by leaps and bounds in recent times. Dharmat and Nisrael are strategic partners and are actively cooperating in different sectors like agriculture, wastewater management, counter-terrorism, etc. Also, Nisrael is one of the largest suppliers of cutting-edge defense equipment to Dharmat. Both Nisrael and Salestine have reached out to Dharmat to garner support for their respective positions. In Dharmat, there have been rallies and marches in support of both Nisrael and Salestine by different groups. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of Dharmat of Dharmat is drafting an official response to the whole situation. You are the secretary in MEA, tasked with drafting a response regarding the same. a) What are the various ethical issues involved in the case study? b) List various factors that you would consider while drafting the response.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper
Ethics in International RelationsEthical Dilemmas in Government
You are one of the producers of a television reality show. The show is very popular in the country and has a wide viewership among all sections of the society and across various regions. However, a controversy has emerged wherein in the latest season of the show, a contestant from the film industry who has been accused of sexual harassment by many of his co-workers has been accepted as a participant. Several media houses have reported it and have criticized the show for giving a national platform to one of the country's most high-profile alleged perpetrators of female harassment. They term it as a denigration of those women who had bravely spoken up about their harassment. In a personal capacity, you also feel the same and are of the view that such a controversial person should not have been invited to the show. However, when you talk to other producers of the show, it is very close to the host of the show, who is an extremely popular public figure in the country. The show commands a huge fandom and success of the show is also contingent on him. None of the producers want to antagonize the host. In the given situation, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical issues involved in the case? (b) What are the options available to you and what will be your course of action? (c) Discuss the positive and negative impacts of trial by media in such cases.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCorporate Governance
6(i) "The greatest religion is to be true"
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2024
Human ValuesDimensions of Ethics
Samuel is a famous tennis player. He is at the top of his career and had won three grand slams last year. The first major tournament of this year is scheduled for next week in country A. Samuel is the defending champion and crowd favourite. Organizers of the tournament expect Samuel to be a crowd puller for his matches. Many aspiring tennis players and youth look up to Samuel as their idol. The tournament is being organized amidst the deadly third wave of Covid infection in country A. Country A has declared a public health emergency due to the rising number of Covid cases. Keeping in mind medical exigency, the organizers have mandated that every participating athlete as well as the attending audience should be fully vaccinated with two doses. However, Samuel refused to get vaccinated as he believes that vaccines can negatively impact his performance in the tournament. Samuel also argued that mandatory vaccination is a violation of his right to choose and goes against his individual liberty. The organizers of the tournament have known that if Samuel is denied entry in the tournament, their revenue from ticket sales may go down. They hesitantly allowed Samuel to participate in the tournament even without his compliance with vaccine mandate. To tackle the surging wave of pandemic, country A has prescribed two weeks quarantine for any-one who has visited any other pandemic affected country. Samuel has visited one such country. But such a declaration from Samuel would mean that he would miss the tournament as only one week is left for the start of matches. To avoid quarantine, Samuel lied in his affidavit and claimed that he had not visited any other pandemic affected country. Samuel's popularity became his enemy as people quickly found that he had lied in his affidavit and photos of him vacationing last week in a pandemic affected country went viral on social media. There was a huge outrage against the section of the population who wanted to see Samuel in action and was upset that Samuel was forced to leave country A. Based on this case study, answer the following: (a) Identify various ethical issues involved in this incident. (b) In your opinion, whether vaccine mandates are a violation of individual liberty or a reasonable restriction on personal freedom. Justify. (c) Discuss the ethical responsibility of famous personalities while conducting themselves in public.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentLaw and Morality
What does each of the following quotations mean to you? a) "Human behaviour flows from three main sources: desire, emotions, and knowledge"-Plato
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper
World ThinkersDimensions of Ethics
What do the following quotes mean to you in present context - a)"In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place" - Mahatma
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2025
Indian ThinkersLaw and Morality
Discuss how social, cultural and religious factors act as determinants of ethics.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper
Dimensions of EthicsFamily, Society and Education
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence has impacted the ethical decision-making process of individuals. Discuss with suitable examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2024
Technology and EthicsDimensions of Ethics
“No morality can be founded on authority, even if the authority were divine.”
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023
Dimensions of EthicsSources of Ethical Guidance
Consider the following questions based on the relationship between religion and law i. Religious belief shouldn't serve as foundation for morality in a pluralistic society like India. ii. Law should prevail over religion whenever there is conflict between the two. Discuss how ethics can help having a better understanding of conflict between religion and law?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2016
Law and MoralityDimensions of Ethics
What do you understand by value conflict? Give an example from your personal life where you faced a conflict between two values. How did you resolve it?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper
Dimensions of EthicsEthics in Private and Public Life
It is said that in International relations, pursuit of one's own interest should be the only objective. Do you agree?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper
Ethics in International RelationsDimensions of Ethics
Success may not lead you to happiness, but happiness is definitely the key to success. Discuss this statement based on your understanding of happiness and success.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022
Dimensions of EthicsHuman Values
"A man of value is worth more than a man of success." Discuss this statement with examples. (b) "Performing an unethical act is bad, but being aware of it and not stopping it is worse." Discuss with examples. 4. (a) What are 'Global Commons'? Discuss the ethical challenges involved in their utilisation. (b) Distinguish between 'Code of Conduct' and 'Code of Ethics'. Critically examine the efficacy of 'Code of Conduct' in ensuring ethical behaviour in an organization.
Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2020
Human ValuesDimensions of Ethics
“The morality of the individual and the morality of the state are one and the same.” Plato
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022
World ThinkersDimensions of Ethics
You are the CEO of a pharmaceutical company that has monopolized the manufacture of an anti-allergen device, which is used by millions who suffer from different kinds of allergic reactions: life threatening as well as non-threatening. Your company that was initially facing significant losses has increased the price of the device and since then has been witnessing huge profit margins. While the stakeholders of the company are pleased with your decision, there is a public backlash against the price rise. Politicians too have begun criticizing the policies of the company. 20 (a) What are the ethical issues involved? (b) Enumerate the values that are under question in the mentioned scenario? (c) As the CEO of the company, would you retrospectively change your decision in light of the public backlash?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2017
Corporate GovernanceEthical Dilemmas in Government