• ISBN13: 9788126917662
• Binding: Paperback
• Subject: Sociology and Anthropology
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: July 25, 2013
• Pages: 304
• Original Price: INR 295.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 260 grams
• BISAC Subject(s): Sociology / General

This book is about life—yours and mine. In the complex world we live, there are so many different areas of our life: internal, external, and personal life; family life, work life, professional life, and societal life. Each area of life brings its own concerns and problems. Similarly, we are not a single homogenous group. We belong to so many different groups and have so many identities: economic, political, social, religious, cultural, national, racial, etc. Amongst all these diversities and differences, we also have many things common to all of us. Most importantly, we are all humans. We have similar human sensitivities and sensibilities. We all can feel, think, experience and reflect. We all want to be happy. We all aspire to a more comfortable and enjoyable life. And we all want to grow, become better and make our lives better. It is this human quest for better and better that we are calling 'Pursuit of Human Excellence'. We all have the basic endowments to pursue excellence. However, they largely remain dormant. We need to make conscious efforts to actualize our potentials. The book explores how and where these efforts need to be made for this actualization. The book is the outcome of the author’s personal quest to be better and to live better. It is based on a wealth of ideas on this theme, evolved over centuries by the past cultures, both in the East and in the West. The ideas relevant to modern times have been selected and put together along with new observations and thoughts. It will immensely help the readers in their quest for excellence.

A.N. Tripathi is a distinguished Professor of the Banaras Hindu University. He has been contributing actively to the general area of ethics and human values for over two decades. He also helped establish the Malaviya Centre of Ethics and Human Values at BHU, and was its Coordinator from 1992 to 2004. The Centre organizes workshops and other academic activities for promoting ethics and human values amongst students, teachers and other interested professionals. Prof. Tripathy has published a book entitled, Human Values.

• Preface
• 1. The Idea of Human Excellence: A Holistic View
• 1.1 Different Views on Human Excellence
• 1.2 Human and Social Well-Being
• 1.3 A Holistic View of Human Excellence
• 2. Personal Excellence: The Good Life and the Good Person
• 2.1 Different Areas of Life
• 2.2 The Good Life: A Holistic View
• 2.3 The Good Person
• 3. Intellectual Competence
• 3.1 Acquisition of Knowledge
• 3.2 Creation of Knowledge
• 3.3 Application of Knowledge
• 3.3.1 Analytical Ability
• 3.3.2 Synthetic Ability
• 3.3.3 Judgemental and Evaluative Ability
• 3.4 Wisdom
• 3.4.1 Power of Observation
• 3.4.2 Intellectual Honesty
• 3.4.3 Open Mindedness
• 3.4.4 Humility
• 4. Emotional Competence
• 4.1 Emotional Intelligence
• 4.2 Emotional Competence
• 4.3 Anger
• 4.4 Love
• 4.4.1 Love as an Emotion
• 4.4.2 Love as a Human Value
• 4.5 Suffering
• 5. Morality and Moral Competence
• 5.1 Moral Sensitivity
• 5.2 Moral Virtues
• 5.2.1 Integrity
• 5.2.2 Concern for Others
• 5.2.3 Fairness
• 5.2.4 Conscientiousness
• 5.3 Moral Principles
• 5.3.1 Principle of Beneficence
• 5.3.2 Principle of Justice
• 5.3.3 The Golden Rule of Morality–
• 4 Moral Responsibility
• 5.5 Moral Decision-Making
• 5.6 Some Moral Needs of the Modern Life
• 5.6.1 Social Morality and Social Responsibility
• 5.6.2 Ethics and Human Values in Work Life and Professional Life
• 5.6.3 Institutional Morality
• 5.6.4 Need for Global Morality
• 6. Spirituality, Spiritual Values and Spiritual Competence
• 6.1 Traditional Spirituality
• 6.2 Humanistic Spirituality
• 6.3 A Humanistic Critique of Modernity
• 6.4 Spirituo-Human Values for the Modern Age
• 6.4.1 Human Freedom
• 6.4.2 Creativity
• 6.4.3 Love
• 6.4.4 Egolessness
• 6.5 Spiritual Competence
• 7. The Making of an Excellent Person
• 7.1 Some Inspiring Examples of Excellent Persons
• 7.2 Self-management for Self-development
• 7.2.1 Self-knowledge
• 7.2.2 Setting Life Goals
• 7.2.3 Self-discipline
• 7.2.4 Mind Management
• 7.2.5 Managing Our External Social Identities–
• .3 Cultivation of Right Attitudes and Work Habits
• 7.3.1 Taking Initiative for Change
• 7.3.2 Organised Way of Doing Things
• 7.3.3 Leadership Qualities
• 7.4 Developing a Holistic World View for Human Excellence
• 8. The Good Society
• 8.1 The General Contours of a Good Society
• 8.2 Ideas on Good Society in the Indian Cultural Tradition: The Paradigm of Dharma
• Nyaya and Niti
• 8.2.1 The Dharmic Society
• 8.2.2 Dharma in Personal Life
• 8.2.3 Indian Social Organisation: The Varnashrama Dharma
• 8.2.4 Dharmic Regulation of Political and Economic Life
• 8.2.5 Concluding Comments
• 8.3 The Modern Age and Its Ideas on Good Society: The Paradigm of Human Freedom
• Scientific Temper
• Social Justice and Techno-economic Progress
• 8.3.1 Search for a Better Political Order: The English
• American and French Revolutions
• 8.3.2 Pursuit of Economic Prosperity
• 8.3.3 The Welfare State
• 8.3.4 Nation-State, War and Peace
• Search for a Better World Order
• 8.4 A Humanistic Critique of Modern Ideas on Good Society
• 8.4.1 Modern Science, Technology and Pursuit of Material Prosperity
• 8.4.2 Modern Social Systems: Promotion of Social Justice
• 8.4.3 Paradigmatic Limitations of Modern Social Theory
• 8.5 Creating a Better Society