Day 7 – Section-B – Write any one of the following essays in 1000-1200 words.

Section-B (125 marks)

Write any one of the following essay in 1000-1200 words.                                                                                                               (125 marks)

Q1. It is not true that good can follow only from good and evil only from evil, but that often the opposite is true.

Objective of the Essay

• This topic challenges the simplistic view of moral cause and effect—i.e., that good actions always lead to good outcomes and bad actions always to harm. It asks students to explore moral paradoxes, historical contradictions, and the complex relationship between intention, action, and outcome.

1.Understanding the Topic: Before writing, students must ask:

• What is “good”? Is it the action, the intent, or the outcome?
• Can a morally wrong act lead to a beneficial result? (e.g., war for peace, censorship to prevent riots)
• Can morally right acts have harmful consequences? (e.g., free speech abused to spread hate)
• The topic invites critical engagement with real-world dilemmas where outcomes contradict moral intentions.

2.Introduction Techniques: Here are multiple methods to begin this essay:

A. Philosophical Introduction

• • Start with the ethical dilemma itself:
  • “In moral reasoning, the lines between right and wrong are often assumed to be clear. Yet, human experience shows that the outcomes of our actions can defy moral predictability.”

B. Real-World Example

• • Begin with a historic paradox:
  • “When the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the act was undeniably catastrophic. Yet, it hastened the end of World War II and arguably saved millions of lives.”

C. Literary or Mythological Reference

• • “The Mahabharata’s central war was fought for dharma, yet caused immense destruction. This tension between righteous intention and violent outcome underscores the complexity of ethical causality.”

D. Quotation : Use a reflective quote:

• • “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” – A powerful way to signal the essay’s theme.

3.Structuring the Body – Suggested Frameworks

• Option A: Thematic Exploration

1. 1. Good intentions, harmful consequences
      • Overregulation harming innovation
      • Charity reinforcing dependency
      • Unchecked freedom of speech fueling hate
   2. Evil or questionable actions, positive outcomes
      • Revolutions involving violence but leading to liberty
      • Surveillance preventing terrorism
      • Lies or deception to protect lives
   3. Context matters
      • Situational ethics: when intentions and outcomes are judged differently based on time, context, and culture
   4. Legal and moral complexities
      • Just War theory
      • Ethical utilitarianism (ends justify means) vs. deontology (means matter)

• Option B: Dialectical Method (Contradiction and Resolution)
  • Present the conventional belief: Good leads to good; evil to evil.
  • Present contradictions through examples.
  • Introduce ethical theories that explain these contradictions.
  • Conclude with a balanced view: Life is morally complex; rigid dualism fails.

4. Argument Development Prompts:

To help students develop ideas, ask them to reflect on:

• • Are intentions or outcomes more important in ethics?
  • Does society accept morally questionable acts if they lead to good results?
  • Can bad actions be justified in hindsight due to their outcomes?
  • Can a virtuous act still cause harm unintentionally?

Support should include:

• • Historical events (e.g., French Revolution, Hiroshima)
  • Indian epics (e.g., Ramayana, Mahabharata)
  • Ethical philosophy (e.g., utilitarianism, consequentialism, Kantian ethics)
  • Contemporary issues (e.g., digital surveillance, bioethics)

5. Conclusion Techniques

A. Philosophical Conclusion

• “Ethical judgment cannot rest solely on a formula of good producing good. Life’s moral terrain is uneven, and outcomes often defy intentions. Wisdom lies in acknowledging this ambiguity.”

B. Return-to-Intro

• If the essay began with an example or quote, return to it:
• “As the Mahabharata teaches us, even dharma may require difficult choices. What matters is clarity of purpose and readiness to accept consequences.”

c. Forward-Looking Vision

• “In an age of complex decisions—AI, geopolitics, climate change—our ethical compass must balance principle with prudence, not assume easy moral equations.”

Q.2. Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil.