A Call for Inspiration from Greek Sources
There is a lot of soul-searching under way in the West for the right ethics for our times, since existing theories clearly do not satisfy us. The following comments from the British philosopher of ethics Bernard Williams seem relevant here:
The resources of most moral philosophy are not adjusted to the modern world. I have tried to show this is partly because it is too much and too unknowingly caught up in it, unreflectively appealing to the administrative ideas of rationality. … It is not a paradox that in these very new circumstances very old philosophies may have more to offer than moderately new ones.
It is the desire to rectify failure and non-fulfillment in the area of ethics that has led many contemporary philosophers to take recourse in the virtue ethics of the Greek tradition, following mainly the way of Aristotle but adapting his ideas to modern times.
The Ancient Indic Tradition and the Virtue Harmony Within
The search continues so long as the problems persist – on the streets, in our backyards, in schools, in government at all levels, and in the fast-deteriorating natural environment. Dependence on what Williams calls the ‘administrative ideas of rationality’ in ethics is insufficient; rather, he prefers to explore the old philosophies of the Greeks for answers. His search inspires us, in this blog, to move even further back in history to the ancient philosophies of India. There may after all be some clue hidden in those ancient philosophies that is relevant to our needs in today’s world.
There are many good reasons for exploring the wisdom of the East. The Indic tradition is still vibrant, albeit much-waned compared with ancient times. Thus it is possible to apply its spirit readily today, combining yoga and meditation in a holistic way that is often found missing in the West. In this respect there seems to be an advantage here over the Greek tradition which, if found suitable, has to be recreated for today’s applicability in as much as its flow in practice has disappeared.
The Indic system accommodates pluralism in a non-confrontational way while stressing unity, thus avoiding the pitfall of relativism. The animate and inanimate worlds are woven together in a holistic way. Alexander ‘the great’, who was, as we know, a student of Aristotle’s, did show respect for pluralism by not imposing his religion or culture on the people of the lands his army conquered. However, he often allowed his soldiers to mete out harsh and extremely cruel treatment when they faced opposition in battle, a practice not found in ancient India. Instead of the ‘philosopher king’, India had the concept of the ‘saintly king’ (rajarshi)[i], who would have achieved harmony within, combining thinking, feeling and willing, equipping him to build harmony around in the process of administration.
Although the faculty of reason has its abiding influence here, this is not primarily a cognitive experience. The affective aspect of the mind is very much in operation in holding the right kind of attitude in one’s life, and this attitude in turn goes a long way toward shaping the action one performs. Indic philosophy did, over millennia, involve itself in intricate dialectical reasoning. However, the philosophers would refrain from going to the marketplace to argue things, as Socrates did; rather they would wait for ‘the right moment’ — when the student was ready to lapse into deep meditation, which is not possible in the disquiet of the public sphere.
The Gita emphasizes methods for calming the mind to bring it to the right state of harmony through deep breathing and meditation, ultimately for the holistic end of wellness for all living beings in a loving interface with nature. Certainly the end seems appropriate for us today, and the means worth pursuing. Philosophy in India is traditionally called darshana, or viewing. The end of philosophizing is considered as one’s being established in a state where truth is lived in a direct way, not propped up, as it were, by reasoning.
Swami Vivekananda Inspires Unity through Pluralism
Swami Vivekananda first brought the wisdom of India to the West when he addressed the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. His message was of unity through pluralism, as taught in the Gita. This unity is grounded on the concept of harmony within, which, the Gita says, ‘saves us from great fear’. He was also the first to initiate yoga in the West. However, by ‘yoga’ he did not simply mean the body postures (which are important for their own limited purpose) but the broader areas of wisdom, activity in society, and the shaping of the whole mind. It is only in this holistic context that the postures have true significance.
Again, unity is needed for pluralism to function. Vivekananda saw Indic spirituality as a system wherein each of us follows his tradition in a spirit of co-operation and wherein all of us advance toward the same goal of peace and harmony. Thus he rejects the utilitarianism of John Stuart Mill, who builds his concept of a common good in ethics on the basis of the self-centred motivation of each and every one in society. Instead he stresses the concept of harmony within, for which we all need to prepare ourselves. Here Vivekananda does not see any conflict between science and spirituality. We do not find mention of the concept of harmony within in the Aristotelian system, where self- control is posited against self-indulgence and intemperance.
Harmony within, as opposed to mere self-control, adds meaning to the onward flow of life. It is central in the Indic system, with other virtues operating around it.
The above gives us an outline for both a satisfying theoretical as well as an effective practical ethics, which we shall explore further in future postings.
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[i] Sitanshu K Chakraborty, Retired Professor of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, has done extensive work in the area of the Rajarshi model of leadership for business management today.
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