Abstract

Throughout history, systems of ethics, which are part of both secular and religious philosophies, have been misunderstood as religious ideologies. There are several reasons for such misunderstanding: confusion between the concepts of morality and ethics, insufficient knowledge of the history of traditions, and linguistic and cultural evolution. This paper will examine India’s philosophies and analyze some of the principles of socio-cultural ethics, which are basic to societal organization, families and individual lives. The paper will focus on the usefulness of those ethical principles for resolving the 21st century problems caused by diversity arising from globalization, Westernization, and modernity.