Conscience as a Source of Ethical Guidance
·
What
do you understand by the term ‘voice of
conscience’? How do you prepare yourself to heed to the voice of
conscience? 2013
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·
What
is meant by ‘crisis of conscience’?
Narrate one incident in your life when you were faced with such a crisis and
how you resolved the same. 2013
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·
“Max
Webar said that it is not wise to apply to public administration the sort of
moral and ethical norms we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is important to realize that the state
bureaucracy might possess its own independent bureaucratic morality.” Critically analyse this statement. 2016
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·
What
is meant by ‘crisis of conscience’?
How does it manifest itself in the public
domain? 2019
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·
In
case of crisis of conscience does emotional intelligence help to overcome
the same without compromising the ethical or moral stand that you are likely to
follow? Critically examine. 2021
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·
Differentiate
‘moral intuition” from ‘moral reasoning’ with suitable
examples. 2023
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·
Is
conscience a more reliable guide
when compared to laws, rules and
regulations in the context of ethical decision making. Discuss 2023
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· What is the role of conscience as a source of ethical guidance in public administration? Explain with examples where following one's conscience led to ethical governance despite legality and political pressures. KPSC 2025
Section B
2016 – Job in a Prestigious Chemical Industry - Water Pollution
A fresh engineering graduate gets a job in a
prestigious chemical industry. She likes the work. The salary is also good.
However, after a few months she accidentally discovers that a highly toxic
waste is being secretly discharged into a river nearby. This is causing health
problems to the villagers downstream who depend on the river for their water
needs. She is perturbed and mentions her concern to her colleagues who have
been with the company for longer periods. They advise her to keep quite as
anyone who mentions the topic is summarily dismissed.
She cannot risk losing her job as she is the sole
bread-winner for her family and has to support her ailing parents and siblings.
At first, she thinks that if her seniors are keeping quiet, why should she
stick out her neck. But her conscience pricks her to do something to save the
river and the people who depend upon it. At heart she feels that the advice of
silence given by her friends is not correct though she cannot give reasons for
it. She thinks you are a wise person and seeks your advice.
(a) What
arguments can you advance to show her that keeping quiet is not morally right?
(b) What
course of action would you advise her to adopt and why?
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2018 – Edward Snowden - Law vs Conscience
Edward Snowden, a computer expert and former CIA
administrator, released confidential Government documents to the press about
the existence of Government surveillance programmes. According to many legal
experts and the US Government, his action violated the Espionage act of 1971,
which identified the leak of State secret as an act of treason. Yet, despite
the fact that he broke the law, Snowden argued that he had a moral obligation
to act. He gave a justification for his “whistle blowing” by stating that he
had a duty “to inform the public as to that which is done in there name and
that which is done against them.”
According to Snowden, the Government’s violation of
privacy had to be exposed regardless of legality since more substantive issues
of social action and public morality were involved here. Many agreed with
Snowden. Few argued that he broke the law and compromised national security,
for which he should be held accountable.
Do you agree that Snowden’s actions were ethically
justified even if legally prohibited? Why or why not? Make an argument by
weighing the competing values in this case
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