GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

"Virtue lies in our power, and similarly so does vice; because where it is in our power to act, it is also in our power not to act." - Aristotle

Answered by 5 toppers · CSE 2021–2022

World ThinkersDimensions of Ethics

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 4 of the 5 answers · about 160 words · 25% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening2 of 4
  • A definition1 of 4
  • A restatement1 of 4

Body

  • Continuous prose2 of 4
  • Points and prose1 of 4
  • Points1 of 4

Close

  • No separate close2 of 4
  • A source1 of 4
  • A summary1 of 4

The toppers’ answers

Gamini SinglaAIR 3 · CSE 2021 · 155 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a restatement

Aristotle in this statement has rightly mentioned about the extent of one's power. Power is the ability to influence the decisions of others, eg: power with parliament to frame laws.

Body · points

Virtue lies in our power → It is in our discretion on how to use the power → Towards common good eg Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln used power to abolish slavery → For personal interests → Hitler's negative use → Dictators like kim - to make nuclear weapons

Power to act or not to act → It solely is decision of power holder → He might act and face repercussions and harm eg use of nuclear power by USA to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki

→ Sometimes, it is good to not use one's power and serve the society

Close · a source

eg aversion of cuban crises where both leaders behaved responsible

Thus power must be used to serve collective goals of society as functionalists like Parsons lay out

More on World Thinkers

Moral thinkers and philosophers from outside India used as a source: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Rawls, Confucius and others.

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