This book presents a novel interpretation of major problems of Indian ethics from an applied
ethical perspective. It approaches prominent theories like Dharma Karma and Purusarthas from a
critical point of view so as to render them logically consistent and free from some standard
limitations. Ethical theories are meant to provide guidance for life but quite often many of
our celebrated theories appear to be inapplicable or difficult to apply in practical life.
Indian ethical theories are of special significance to this problem because they have in them
rich potentials of applicability as much as many of them typify inapplicable abstract theories
of morals. The book incorporates a wealth of research on ethical theories keeping in view the
spirit of ethics and the demands of the situations for a reasoned balance between the two is
the key to applied ethics. The book argues that ethical theories are objective but defeasible
in overriding circumstances where competing valuesdeserve preference. Such justified exceptions
are warranted by the very spirit of ethics which is to promote the good life. The argument
from defeasibility and justified violation in the book helps bridging the gap between ethics
and its application and makes Indian theories of value appear in fresh light- workable
practically applicable and effective as incentives for morality.With uncommon virtue of
contemporized presentation of Indian ethics this book should be of interest to scholars and
researchers working on Indian ethics and moral philosophy as well as to those interested in
Indian culture and value tradition.
