Glossary of Ethical Values

Here is a glossary of various values Some of the human values explained as follows:

Truth

Truth is that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. Truth is independent of wish or will of persons and their opinions or desires. It is much harder to sustain a lie than to maintain the truth.

Appreciation

Taking a brief moment to say, “thank you,” or acknowledging the exceptional job of someone who served us in a restaurant or workplace. This is not only encouraging for the beneficiary to hear; it also fills our soul with more appreciation too.

Belief in others

Belief in others can be a value as well as an attitude. It can be our resolve that can lift someone up when they are down. Belief is contagious – the more we believe in others; the more we will continue to believe in ourselves.

Caring

Caring for others, as well as self-care, allows us to extend a helping hand and to pass along some unexpected grace. When we take the time to demonstrate we care; we demonstrate the fact there are still plenty of good people left in this world.

Commitment

Commitment shows loyalty and it can show bravery and tenacity as well. A commitment is a promise made and an expectation we have created. Honouring our commitments can make the difference between achieving what’s most important to us or feeling disappointed and defeated.

Compassion

A deep awareness of and sympathy for another’s suffering is compassion. No doubt we have different skin colors, religious preferences and political points-of-view, but at the end of the day, we still need to take care of one another.

Cooperation

Even the most complex tasks and assignments can be made simpler when we focus on the solutions – together.

Courtesy

Courtesy is a polite gesture. It can carry much lasting value.

Dedication

No matter how the circumstances may change, unless we are in a physically or emotionally abusive situation, we should stay the course and never give up. We would rather prefer to be called a failure than a loser. Losers give up when things become too difficult. Failures are folks who have just not found success. Failure implies that one has not stopped trying.

Devotion

Things can get unstable at times, but staying devoted to a cause or to a person through the uncertain times is our rock to grasp when our faith and our foundation is shaky.

Effort

No matter the outcome, there is always value in the effort when the effort is authentic and well-intended.

Forgiveness

The purpose of forgiveness is not to absolve someone of the sin(s) committed against us; but to free ourselves from the pain and the anger that is keeping us stuck. When we forgive, we are better able to let go of the past and keep moving forward with our life.

Friendship

Friends support us and they provide an unfiltered view of our actions when asked. Friends sustain us through difficult periods and join us for the events we celebrate.

Gratitude

It is with a grateful heart that helps me to see so much abundance in my life. My value of gratitude reminds me that what I have today can be taken away tomorrow.

Honesty

To live authentically; to live honesty, keeps our hearts and souls pure and our minds free of doubt or uncertainty. When we are honest, we know we are doing the right things.

Hope

Hope is the fuel that keeps us moving forward when we are the most tired. Hope reassures us that sometimes it’s not a matter of if but only when.

Integrity

What defines our character and our integrity is not measured by what happens to us; but rather by how we react and respond to what happens to us.

Listening

As a parent, one of the best gifts one can give his / her children is to listen; to really listen to what they are saying and to be fully present in the moment with them.

Love

The presence of love in our life, the love we have for our families, our friends, our faith and for ourselves, is the single most important source of light and energy we can tap into when we have the need to be filled-up; or when we see the need to fill someone else up with grace, hope and our love.

Optimism

When God hands you lemons, you make lemonade. The value of optimism is clear here – take what you have been given and make the best of it.

Patience

Patience is a value which can also improve productivity because it creates a better state of mind, a clearer state of mind, for better decision making.

Respect

We are all different, yet we are all the same in the sense we want to be respected for how we think and believe. When we show the proper respect we are not only validating the other person’s dignity, we are also enhancing our own.

Tolerance

There are people who make us angry and we just can’t seem to see eye-to-eye with  an issue. Rather than showing contempt, tolerance is a better alternative. It shows respects, patience and courtesy – all important values in their own right, too.

Unity

There is indeed strength in numbers. Working together to solve a common problem ensures a greater chance of success. Making the effort to bring people together will always be more effective than finding ways to pull people apart.

Justice

The democratic political systems have embraced justice as one of the highest human values. It is based on fairness, where the equality of every individual before the law is fundamental. As such it is a social value in that it aims to resolve and reduce conflict, guided by the principles of care and non-violence. As such, justice is a major human value that embraces most aspects of social life. This value finds its explicit expression in the Constitution of India. The Constitution through the aspects of its Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties talks about economic, political and social justice to all.

Dignity

In day-to-day inter-relationships, individuals are expected to behave in a dignified and honest manner with one another. This is another value that regulates the behaviour of individuals. Dignity is a relative term with regulatory nature; it prescribes the norms and ethical standards which need to be followed and adopted. This concept dictates that every one of us has to exercise due caution and care in our relations without undermining the capacities of other persons. Furthermore, it teaches us not to create a situation wherein others are made to undergo either emotional, psychological, physical, tense situations, or to harm their personality.

Since dignity plays a vital role, in regulating the human relations and for the furtherance of human rights, (especially, the basic rights of liberty, equality, and freedom), the UDHR has declared that all individuals are equal in the eye of law All human beings deserve to be treated with utmost respect without harming the dignity of others at all times. If people across the world follow the ethical norm of dignity without any deviance, the realisation of right would be easy. This fundamental norm applies to individuals and states to follow with strict adherence.

Liberty, Freedom

Liberty is one of the most important values for human beings. Freedom cannot have any expression and meaning without liberty. The Constitution of India thus enlists this value in its Preamble: Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. Liberty is an ancient concept, with its roots in political philosophy. A number of philosophers like Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau among many others have articulated liberty in different contexts. In simple terms, liberty means that human beings are free to regulate their relations and are able to govern their relations, behave at their own will, and be responsible for their acts. According to Hobbes, every individual is empowered to enjoy their freedoms freely without an interference of any other person. In his social contract theory, he argued that the divine will of kings to regulate the relations and to restrict the freedoms of individuals is antithesis to liberty of individuals. The enlightenment of liberty by various political and legal philosophers, led to a number of political revolutions across the world. This in turn led to establish democratic societies on the basis of liberty of individuals to choose their leaders.

Equality

Equality proposes to bring all the people into one category, and apply the principles of law, and justice without any distinction, whatsoever it may be among the individuals. Equality is a relative concept which may be distinguished basing on a number of factors, and the enjoyment of rights on an equal footing. The aim of the UDHR and the Constitutions of the various countries, including India, is to treat all the people on an equal footing without any kind of discrimination. As the Preamble to the Constitution of India states: Equality of Status and opportunities. The value of equality is also enshrined in the Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties of the Constitution and its various provisions.