A Foundation Course in Human Values and Professional Ethics: Understanding Harmony and Ethical Human Conduct

This textbook and teachers’ manual is designed for foundation courses in Human Values and Professional Ethics. These courses include

1. An introduction to Universal Human Values (e.g., Intro UHV, UHV-I in AICTE’s Model Curriculum)
2. Human Values and Professional Ethics / Understanding harmony and Ethical Human Conduct (e.g., KVE301/KVE401 at AKTU, UHV-II in AICTE’s Model Curriculum, MBA618 at IIT Kanpur)

Starting with identification of basic human aspirations as happiness and prosperity in continuity, the discussion is focused on the appropriate programme to fulfill these enabling to live a fulfilling life. Understanding harmony at various levels starting from the human beings and spanning up to the whole existence forms the core contents of value education in this book.

Finally, the important implications of ‘right understanding’ in life and profession are adequately elaborated. Unlike the conventional treatment, the issues in professional ethics are analyzed in the context of right understanding thereby enabling the resolution of various ethical dilemmas. The main focus is on the development of the ethical competence in the individual through right understanding. The book concludes by proposing salient steps to undertake the journey towards holistic and value-based living.

The Teachers’ manual provides general guidelines as well as the templates for planning the lectures. Each lecture starts with a recap and ends with a crisp key takeaways.