 you can take some questions. Hello, good afternoon sir. Yes, good afternoon. Sir, your lecture is very interesting and I want to ask a little query. Thank you, thank you. That is environmental in our conditions and the problems also are changing from according to space and the time also and same time the technology is also changing. So, how to decide that what should be the ethics or what value should be followed. Environmental condition is changing. Now, the if you look at carefully your question, there is an answer in it. The answer is this, we already encounter an environment which has not a good one. Is it not? There is there are lot of loss that we experience. There are lot of degradation which has happened and that has affected our quality life. This is this is a kind of a truth which can not be denied or cannot be ignored. Now, the point is that whether such a change can be addressed theoretically and what would be a disciplines approach to study that change. Now, so far as environmental ethics is concerned, we need to shift we need to change our language that is in the in the classical period in the traditionally right from Aristotle to the modern period if you look at I was giving an example referring to Kant during Enlightenment till Kant there was this idea that man was the center of the universe. Everything that are existing around man is to fulfill for fulfilling the desire of man fulfilling the needs of the man. So, therefore, our approach was different. We try to see nature or we try to see the environment having some kind of a utility for ourselves. But now the kind of theory which I am trying to propose or some philosophers have been proposing is that we cannot speak in the language of modernity. We need to change our language the language is from a life from human centric worldview to a life centric worldview unless we put everybody in one you know platform one space and try to connect them we will not be able to realize what we are conceptualizing today. So, therefore, our dream can be only realized if and only if we propose a life centric ethics not a human centric ethics and life centric ethics speaks a different language all together then the human centric ethics. I hope it is clear sir as we know that we are lots of regulations and policies for the control of pollution and conservation of various resources. So, is there any policy for the promotion of environmental ethics as far as sustainable development is concerned in India? Policy for environmental ethics see all policies which are doing which are there to protect environment from further degradation is part of environmental ethics because here the policies are suggesting what ought to be done and what not to be done what ought to be you know the case and that is what the part of environmental studies if we are polluting our rivers then we need to treat the water which is getting into the river. So, that ought to be done if somebody the industry is not following that norm that is a something wrong which is happening and we need to raise voice against it and we consider that is something wrong. So, that is one example. So, when we make a policy we raise a standard and that standard itself is an example of environmental ethics. Sir, thank you very much your presentation was very good we all here appreciated it a lot. I have just one last question like ethics you talked about universal ethics. Can you throw some like like ethics should be applicable to human means, human means are controlling the ethics in fact by controlling the whole ecosystem that interference like global warming global warming is human being is only responsible for global warming and no other spatial changes taking place automatically are responsible for the human for the changing in ethics. Now, see why I was talking about universal ethics in a very general sense because in my earlier discussion with some other participant if you recollect that we are no more a citizen of this country alone we are global citizens global warming if is an environmental effect is experienced not only the citizens of India, but also the citizen who belongs to Norway or some other part of the world. So, the question is that every individual whether he belongs to this world or the other world whether he belongs to east or west or north or south this is going to affect everybody. So, it is a universal concern. So, therefore, we need to redesign our our planning in such a way that we restrict the global warming or we try to protect our endangered species which are getting extinct day by day and so there is a harmony which a universal ethics speaks about and such harmony if it is not advocated then it is a threat to the entire humanity. See we speak about terrorism as a social problem if you have looked at my quotation from Peterson in the beginning of the first half of the lecture I was talking about the social problem as well as environmental problems are to be treated are connected. If terrorism is a problem is a global issue so also the environmental crisis that we face in the form of climate change global warming pollution soil erosion I mean all these things are global issues. So, in that sense we need to develop an ethics which will help the entire humanity. Yes sir please carry on. So, why why human beings think they are the supreme in nature that is my question. Now, this conception that that we are superior or human beings thinks that they are superior is been historically told by all religions that they are superior they are made in the image of God. So, this this is a wrong conception which we carry it is it is there in the in the book of Genesis another one can refer to that where man is at the center and everything is at the periphery of the man and everything is there to fulfill man's needs and it is also there in Aristotle who who creates some kind of a hierarchy in the structure based on the principle of rationality who says that human beings are more rational therefore, they are higher than other beings. So, he he makes a kind of a hierarchical structure of beings. So, that is what is that has harmed us our ethical thinking. You must change your view I think. We need to change that is that is why the shift from a human centric world view to a life centric world view is a necessary. So, this whole concept of ecological cells. If human race does not exist in the that would have been better for the nature I think that would not have been so much of destruction to the nature. Now, this attitude has caused lot of destruction this this attitude which we have carried for centuries you know with us and thinking that everything is there to fulfill our needs ok and humans are something very superior to other beings other biotic beings is something wrong something wrong. And that has to be changed in a when we talk about a life centric world view we try to see that all biotic beings including humans are moral subjects. But humans over and above humans have a responsibility humans can care for others and that is where they are all moral agents. They are not only moral subjects they are also moral agents whereas animals and other biotic beings are moral subjects because they cannot act as we act. They cannot take decisions as as we are taking decisions in our human form of life. So, therefore, human have a very higher sense of responsibility towards nature and towards environment. When human being will think that they are nothing compared to the nature that is why I think nature can ask it. Yes that of course you know when a human beings that is what I am I was pointing out in the whole lecture was to speak against the human centered ethics. The whole lecture was to talk about a new form of ethics in a new language called a life centric ethics. Thank you very much sir. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. As a environmental ethics issue you know the Deorei concept. Which one? Which concept? Deorei, Deorei one of the forest reserve for the God's purpose. I see. Okay, no I am not aware of it but would you please enlighten me. So, this Deorei concept as a ethical point of view now it was one. Second thing is corruption in obeying the laws. Yes. So, why the discussion of ethics? Government strictly not implemented all the rules. Yes. IUCN red data book. So, why the discussion only? Yes. Second thing is environmental syllabus. Yes. From LKJ up to the PG level. Yes. It is only theoretical, not practical related. Yes. Unfortunately, it is very unfortunate that it has not been very practical. Issue of global warming. No global warming. It is a global warning. Yes. Yes. Yes. My suggestion not only discussing the ethical point of view implementation is very necessary. Yes. Now, I fully agree with you that see unfortunately what has happened in last centuries is this that we have created some kind of a distance from nature. So, for example, if you ask now if I ask my child now I will tell you my personal experience. We had recently visited a native place and now the cows the milking was happening and this young child of mine did not like to drink that milk because he said it is directly coming from the cow I want to drink that. Now if you ask who is giving milk now he will say that Dudwala who drops the packet every morning. So, she will like to drink that milk rather than having milk from what we directly get from in the native place. So, we have started living in a society where we have dissociated ourselves extremely from nature. Now look at Tagore have you heard of Tagore Rabindranath Tagore. The concept global as Gandhi ji told that go to the rural side 1932. Both Gandhi and Tagore have a very finest conception of human nature engagement. It is not only Gandhi alone, but Tagore also has you know said that how we need to live along with nature. So, since the modern individual have created some kind of a distance that is harming you know us indirectly and about corruption I think corruption will stop if everybody everybody takes an initiative in reexamining oneself at its own level wherever he has been stationed. So, that is my understanding. Sir, is there any difference between environmental ethics and ethical environment? Ethical environment. Now environmental ethics needs an ethical environment. There is an appeal to create an ethical environment. So, an ethical environment will be created if and only if we cultivate a sense of you know ethical attitude within ourselves then that environment will be created. Yes sir. Another one question is there sir. Okay sir. Please. Is there any certification is there in existence regarding environmental ethics like that quality management or environmental quality there are more certifications are there ISO like that for environmental ethics any certifications are there? I am not sure about environmental ethics that I am not sure about ethics. Love us know that the basic ethics of the environment but in day to day life we do not have time to take care of the environment and the ethics. Okay. Is there any effective implement methods to implements these ethics into society? Okay. Now see we do not have time is not an excuse. We have to have time to initiate it somewhere. Otherwise now we have to experience this in much you know a bigger way the kind of environmental disasters that we are we have been experiencing in our you know day to day life that will come in much bigger way if we do not initiate it right from our own personal end. So I think we need to keep this awareness and act accordingly so that we stop the further deterioration that is happening to environment. Thank you sir. Thank you. Why cannot you make this subject environmental science as a regularized subject in a practice like wise mathematics, botany, etc. And the second question is why not it become a mandatory that only the teachers expertise in environmental science shall be allowed to teach environmental subject instead of the teachers of geology, chemistry and other. Sir the difficult questions are I am sure our instructor in charge Professor Saty will address to this question why not environmental studies is a central theme of our engineering studies. That professor Saty will definitely you know respond to but the other question I do not know who it is what if I specialize in philosophy I can only talk about environmental ethics if somebody specializes in economics will speak about economics much better than I do I but everybody becomes an economics agent when we go to market purchase things but thereby we do not become an expert in economics is not it. So therefore every subject has an expert and every discipline flourishes with that and our experts research and ideas so that is my response to you. Good evening sir. Good evening. Sir how can we justify our activities to our mother earth and what all the activities we can change to achieve the goodness of our environments. As I told you we have been creating abstraction in our life the whole principle of life is life has to flourish not only the human life has to flourish at the cost of environment other biotic beings other living beings but all life has to flourish and that is the first basic principle. Humanity will only sustain if all other beings are given respect if nature is been respected if nature is harmed then obviously I am indirectly harming myself or we are indirectly harming ourselves is not. So when we give up this selfish attitude and adopt a selfless attitude then we will be able to flourish much better protect our environment in a much better way and that will create a sense of respect not only for the humanity but also for all other beings that you know that needs our attention and we needs their existence. Sir one more question here. Sir how can we create awareness among the students in the field of environmental ethics. Yes it is it is easy it is easy because we need to communicate to them and there are various means of communication I was giving an example of you know silent valley movement if you if you go back to the silent valley movement you find that poets have played role, academicians have played role, the politicians the local politicians have played role in the form of various activities. So for example Sundar Lal Bhugna, Vada Yatra which he you know he was influenced by Gandhi's, Gandhi's Vada Yatra and so there are various ways to communicate to people in the form of plays, in the form of poetry, in the form of dramas you know in the form of mass Vada Yatra or movement. So awareness program can be done in many ways. The purpose is to communicate, the purpose is to bridge the gap between people and nature but the kind of lifestyle that we have adopted is creating a hindrance in the path of you know such communication such a dialogue. So a real dialogue will happen if we take ourselves to nature and we close start closely associating ourselves with nature that will be a real form of communication. Thank you sir. Thank you so much. Sir here I have been teaching the environment ethics for the past five years. Okay. For graduate students. Okay. However I am not happy because it is supposed to be inculcated at the school level sir. Yes. What do you feel about this sir? I agree. Sir one more. I certainly agree with you that such a initiative should be taken at the grass root level when a child is been educated right from the primary school to show that how a tree is important, how other pets are important or other animals are important, how closely they are linked to human life that has to be shown at a very basic level of our education because it is easy to transform their attitude when it is taught at the basic level but it is difficult to transform our attitude when it is taught when they are adult. But what is meaningful here is that at least we can create a sense of awareness among ourselves that which was absent few years back. One need not be disappointed that nothing is happening. But I am sure go on repeating with right attitude one day or other we will you know see its positive effect. Thank you sir. One more question from our participants sir please. Okay sir. Sir if there is a natural resources like river for example. Okay. What are the ethics we need to follow from upstream side and downstream side which is constructed a dam on that river. We use that the resources of that river. Yes. Yes. Now certainly the rivers see we need energy and that is why dams are being created. Now when dams are being created it is affecting the life of the being who are earlier dependent on it is not it. So that is inevitable but and that is what that is where the sustainable idea of sustainable development comes in because when it fulfills the need of the humanity. Okay. And that is the basic need and for that reason a dam has been created. I think without humming much such things is you know can be seen in the light of having value but otherwise we cannot destroy all dams and say that no let us go back to the real here that cannot be done that revision cannot be done. What we can can be done is that a desirable reform a desirable reform that can be done we cannot go back to the history and see that we have to undo the entire things but what can be done possibly that what is desirable today. Sir one more question from our principal sir please. Good evening. Good evening sir. Values change with the settings environmental settings either moral values or ethical values or intrinsic values. Okay. Then how to account for? Intrinsic values do not change a value which is necessarily value in itself will not change how it will change only the external values will change value in itself will not change. Whatever it is it changes with the settings. No the situation. Either time settings or place settings. See look at look at this example the question like the child slaves slavery okay slavery was I was giving an example of slavery which was prevailing you know in Athens then when Plato himself was talking about the right of the citizen and a noble state etc. Now the situation has changed is it not and we we condemn slavery is it not. So we condemn slavery in this sense that we see that every human being is valuable and there is an intrinsic value in their life. So similarly when we talk about child labor today and that has to be banned precisely in this light of thinking that every individual has a life and we should allow or help that life to flourish. So unless we create that situation we will not be helping the humanity rather we are really creating a damage to our own form of life. So even if the situation are different the values do not change particularly the intrinsic value. Okay okay. What is the approach to the nuclear power plant project in Pongsan, Jethapur in environmental problem and if so give just one reason. Yes now see the question is you want more energy you want a good lifestyle. Now when we find that there is a necessity we try to fulfill the necessity we try to create alternative energy nuclear energy is one of the energy. Okay now to have nuclear energy and to create a nuclear plant is possible but it is also required and that is also another necessity is that we should create responsible citizen who will take care of the industry who will take care of the plant the nuclear plant. Now if our citizens are not responsible if the engineers working there are not responsible they do not feel that it is their duty to work and work hard see that it does not create any harm to others then our entire exercise will be futile exercise. So all the needs will be fulfilled if and only if we take a holistic account of what is our need what is our responsibility what kind of duty and the responsibility it demands from us. So everything has to be taken you know into account seriously then only we can think of a good society look at France. Look at France and France was the country which had produced nuclear most nuclear have most nuclear plants and how responsible their citizens are is not it. So look at Japan how you know technically they have controlled Fukushima you know what happened to Fukushima. So we have to be responsible citizens and enlightened citizens then only we can think of a better world better society and more developed society all we can have more than 100 smart cities is not it. Thank you sir thank you very much. Welcome. Why would environmental ethics work against pollution control? Of course it has to be pollution. Why would environmental ethics against pollution control? Okay now please listen environmental ethics is not against pollution control. Pollution control is an institution which advocates certain standards to regulate pollution that is damaging the environment. So how can an institution be without norms so pollution control has certain norms to regulate whatever damage that has already been caused and how to restrict those damages. So it is certainly that such an institution will maintain its regulation it norms so that the environment is protected. Environmental ethics related to theoretical as well as practical. Environmental ethics is related to theoretical and practical life of all of us. Now practically suppose I plant a tree today I participate in Bhanam Mahath now if I do that it is not necessary that I will personally gain okay suppose I plant a tree at the I got this awareness plant a tree at the age of 60 now I am not certainly directly benefited from it I will only have a satisfaction that I have planted a tree okay I have done something good for the environment now my future generation will earn that benefit is not it so similarly it has a practical it has a theoretical benefit as well the theoretical benefit is that the kind of satisfaction one earns for oneself the kind of you know well-being one develops okay about other that is a satisfaction that is a theoretical question what kind of person I am okay if I am a factory owner if I am owning an industry and I employ hundred child labor okay to reduce my cost of production then certainly my sense of well-being is lower than a person who is Eric Savala who is no earning in a broad daylight under the 47 degree temperature is it not so his well-being is much higher than my sense of well-being or my sense of self so that is the theoretical contribution that how I start respecting my own well-being respecting my own self compared to the others with that is the theoretical contribution which is an ethical engagement provides thank you welcome good evening we are from Paliar Mani Ammai our heartiest greetings to you that you are devoting so much of your time for just generating such an interest among our people I am also happy to see all of you there sitting presently yeah yeah I am very glad the session is going on very wonderfully and some of the interesting features were there in your presentation thank you the God has created the world or other things like that yes we differ from that you know that is a man because we believe on scientific principles scientific principles so that is why the Almoth God created by man in order to that exploit the people they have not yes yes yes this is what the system is to be witnessing there is some of the conference of questions I have got to pose before you one it is the ethics built up with the foundation of mutual respect equality from exploitation humanity harmony etc but at this era of globalization these things are at the stake it is is it possible to reverse the globalization to ensure environmental and human ethics one of our questions is one sir one one more component since the morning you have been discussing about one more interesting features you presented just a few minutes back that is on Karl Marx Marxism nature certification that was very nice it was actually when Karl Marx he wrote that does capital when he analyzed the system how the human evolution took place and how the people they utility concept everything came really whatever his assertion become more true now because now people we can say even the how the people rich exploits poor nations exploit developing nation yes yes so the ethics is being violated based on the material benefit yes so I think that also you would like to extend our gratefulness to you for conveying good news and only please kindly give your response to this one sir yes now see my response to your first question about globalization and how we cannot undo such a such a big project global project though it is primarily an economic project but there are certain underpinnings moral underpinnings which we need to look after which people have ignored the developed country have ignored like the care for the care aspect ok the care aspect has been ignored ok so the underdeveloped countries are not are only taken into now consideration from an economic point of view and they have ignored the ethical aspect of their engagement and that has to be reasserted now look at now India is a developing nation we as a nation have tried have tried very recently in reasserting ourselves is not in many many forums and many occasions so such a assertion is necessary so that we advocate that what is our need and what is the need of such nations who are the victim of globalization so that is I think one priority which will reduce the hierarchy ok not only the economic hierarchy but also the moral hierarchy which is existing in our society or in the world then the second question is about about developing a kind of a theoretical framework in which we treat everybody as equal one that is an attempt has to be initiated from an individual level each and every individual level I think that initiation is necessary we cannot say that no no it is not my job no it is somebody else job it is not somebody else job it is a job of all of us and that has to be initiated from each one of us by each one of us as well thank you very much and then we would like to hear something about the creation of God oh yes no no look at there are two concept of creation of God I gave if you you might recollect these two I talked about Sarvam Khalidam Brahman that Brahman is everywhere this is one concept of God God has been manifested in many ways in many forms and is existing in many forms and there is another concept which God has been created man and has given some kind of a power to enjoy the other properties so the other existing entities are conceptualized as the property of man so when we have a sense of property then that hierarchy you know gets into the restructure of our evaluation that I treat myself as higher or the owner of something that is wrong that in fact diminishes the earlier concept of God creation that is the difference Sir my question is that as per the ethics in an Indian culture mythology itself have a lot of best in various religions so what is your opinion about the Indian ethics should we follow or not I am not here to suggest what to follow and what not to follow I am here to only make a kind of a analysis before you that how we can have a disciplinary approach to understand environment that is my first thing point I think need to be dealt with little seriously the other point is that yes there are mythologies which help us in understanding environment much better so I am not sure that what kind of methodology you have taken into account but there are ample examples which we try to draw when we teach environmental ethics to children to clarify certain doubts yes thank you sir welcome ok thank you everyone for patiently listening to lectures and patiently asking questions it was indeed very great opportunity for me to talk to all of you thank you