Book Title: Mahavira and his Teaching
Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Previous | Next

Page 142
________________ RELEVANCE OF JAINA ETHICS IN THE PRESENT AGE 135 relationship of incompatibility between the two. In other words, this does not mean that either Science is unethical or that the ethics is unscientifict. These two statements are not mutually exclusive to each other. As a matter of fact, ethics can be benefited by scientific knowledge in the sense that it can be more realistic and practical if it takes into account studies made in the realm of science. To simplify this point, it may be observed that in this age of scientific advancements, no moral or religious sanction or command can afford to be unscientific and irrational. But science cannot boast or brag on this account. Ethical naturalism has its limitations and it cannot be defended in the unqualified sense of the term. John Dewey2 and R. B. Perry), are notable among those who advocate 'ethical naturalism' and try to unsuccessfully make ethics scientific. Even at the cost of repetition, it may be observed that this attempt on the part of Dewey and Perry is not only unjustified but also unwarranted. This is because science in the narrow sense) and ethics are different and distinct in their approach as well as in their contents. As a student of Indian Philosophy and religion, one must be conscious of limitations of rational approach. Rational approach is not omnicompetent in each and every sphere of life. Here, it will not be out of place to quote Niebuhr who has observed thus: “The world of history, particularly in man's collective behaviour, will never be conquered by reason, unless reason uses tools; and is itself driven by forces which are not rational.”4 But this does not mean advocating irrational approach in the domain of morality. That cannot be sane approach to things. But it must be reiterated 1. Vide article 'Ethics' in an age of Science' by William K. Frankena from World Perspectives in Philosophy Religion and Culture', pages (109 to 124) edited by Dr. R Singh (Bharati Bhavan, Patna, 1968). 'The Quest of Certainty' by John Dewey (New York, Minton Balch & Co., 1929) 'Realms of Value by Ralph Barton Perry (Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1954) Moral Man and Immoral Society, p. xxl, xx. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1932). Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509