UNIT I; PROSE TOLERANCE IS A MORAL VIRTUE RIVKA T.WITENBERG ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rivka T. Witenberg is a developmental and cognitive psychologist, and an Honorary Research Fellow in Psychology at the Australian Catholic University. Throughout human history, philosophers and teachers have identified and preached many moral virtues: courage, generosity, patience, humility, fairness, self-control, and soon. In this essay, Witenberg argues that tolerance should also be counted as a moral virtue. Tolerance is often seen simplistically as the opposite of prejudice, but Witenberg argues that it is much more than that. ‘Tolerance is a moral virtue Many recent philosophers have linked tolerance with respect, equality and liberty. Those such as Michael Dusche, John Rawls and Michael Walzer among others, argue that we should regard tolerance as a positive civie and moral duty between individuals, irrespective of color, creed or culture. Tolerance is a moral virtue best placed within the moral domain-but unfortunately it is often confounded with prejudice. Prejudice and tolerance are actually theoretically different concepts-and not the opposite of each other. In fact, they coexist in most of us. When tolerance is placed within the moral domain relating to fairness, justice and respect and avoiding causing harm to others, it can only be viewed as a positive moral virtue. Fairness and empathy are also very closely connected to moral development and reasoning. They are fundamental to any coherent moral philosophy. Psychologists such as Johnathan Haidt believe empathy is the most important motivator for moral behavior. Others such as ‘Martin Hoffman argue empathy is a motivator of pro-social and altruistic or unselfish behavior .Empathic people are sensitive to the thoughts, feelings and experiences of others. Research shows that people of all ages including children have a strong sense of fairness and empathy towards others different from them in colour, creed or culture. They reject prejudice and intolerance between 70% and 80% of the time affirming, i Moral values such as fairness, justice, empathy, tolerance and respect are shared, if not universal, values relevant to dealing with human diversity. Tolerance examined as separate concept could have unique implications for education and social policy. Education aimed at promoting a harmonious society could do well to focus more on the relationship between morality and tolerance.How happy is the little Stone ‘That rambles in the Road alone, And doesn’t care about Careers And Exigencies never fears — ‘Whose Coat of elemental Brown Apassing Universe put on, And independent as the Sun “Associates or glows alone, Fulfilling absolute Decree In casual simplicity — ABOUT THE POET Emily Dickinson (1830-86) was a major American poet who produced works of great originality. The daughter of a successful lawyer, she never married and lived as a recluse all her life, refusing to leave home or meet strangers. Her poems deal with basic human concerns like love, pain, fame, death and immortality, and reflect an intense inner struggle. In ‘How happy is the little Stone,’ the speaker addresses themes of happiness, peace, and the purpose of life. A representative stone stands in as a symbol for ideal happiness and a perfectly aligned life devoid of stressors. In the present poem ‘How happy is the little Stone’ Dickinson personifies a stone. She describes its rambling adventures, evoking joy in the reader. It states that people should be happy just being who they are and enjoy the time you have on this amazing world we call Earth. The existence and everything in the universe is not ours, it was not made for us. We are part of the universe but only a smalll part. Step outside yourself and see the world anew from the perspective of another animal or inanimate object.Weare all so blind that we just see what we want to see and not what's really there in front of our eyes the whole time. We are just temporary passersby in the grand and limitless and timeless expanse and passage of the universe. It's been here long before we ever came along and it will be here long after we are all dead and gone. ‘That's what Emily Dickinson tried to convey in this masterfully simple little episode that nobody would ever give a split second of thought to just walking down a road and kicking a rock. She thought about it for more than a split second. This stone enjoys being alone while fulfilling the dreams and goals as it rambles along happily. > The poem doesn’t talk about the day that a cow walked across the road and left a cow patty on top of the stone. Italso doesn’t talk about how cold the stone got when a foot of snow covered it all winter. Nor was there any mention of the stone being picked up by a bird and dropped unceremoniously into a garden far away from the original starting point. +ABOUT THE AUTHOR Harini Nagendra is an ecologist and Professor of Sustainability at Azim Premi University, Bengaluru. THEME: In Harini’s book Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future, she takes a deep dive into the ecological history of an Indian city, going way back in the past to the 6th century CE to the 21st century city. > Unfortunately, in today's urbanised India, we have lost all trace of this three- dimensional vision. + Declining sources of water + Citizens nurturing nature + Soaring temperatures and rising air pollution The central areas of Bangalore had 1960 open wells in 1885; today, there are fewer than 50. Bangalore also lost many of its lakes, which were considered to be filthy breeding grounds for malaria, and converted to bus stands, malls, housing, and other built spaces. The city’s central Sampangi lake, which supplied water to many parts of Bangalore in the 19th century, was transformed into a sports stadium by the 2oth century, leaving behind only a tiny pond for ceremonial religious purposes. By the end of the 19th century, wells and lakes began to be polluted with garbage, sewage, and even corpses during times of epidemics and disease. I} Citizens nurturing nature Thus resurgent citizen movements across Bangalore have begun to focus on protecting and restoring lakes in their neighborhoods, which will also recharge the water below ground. Early residents did not only focus on water, but also “greened”. Suecessive rulers from the 16th century onwards, and common planted millions of trees over centuries. A woodlot commonly planted with fruiting trees, jackfruit, mango and tamarind — which provided shade, fruits, firewood for cooking, grazing material for eattle, and occasionally timber as well. When one tree was chopped down, another was planted to ensure continuity. ‘This practice of greening continued during the British colonial period of governance, and later into the 20th century, after Indian independence ~ The city became a chosen location for the British army, and later as a science and industrial hub in south India. Tt is no accident that Bangalore, once called India’s lake city and garden city, became the country's IT capital.By the late 20th century, this relationship had begun to fray. With rapid growth, roads and other built infrastructure gained importance in the minds of planners. As a consequence, trees were disregarded, and felled in their thousands for development projects in Bangalore, Inevitably, with more private vehicles on the road, and fewer trees, the city became hotter, and the air severely polluted. Citizens soon realised this connection. In the early 21st century, the nonagerian Honnamma Govindayya has become an epitome of struggles to protect Bangalore's environment. She fought against real estate developers who wanted to convert a local park that her children played in, taking a case all the way to the Supreme Court of India. She won and saved a tiny but very important patch of green from destruction. CONCLUSION; Now, citizens are trying to preserve the lakes and trees that made Bengaluru India's garden city, "The world must follow the example of Bengaluru-in order to ensure a good quality of life for its citizens; cities must make space for nature.“Where the Mind Is Without Fear” is a thought-provoking poem by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian writer. Tagore is a poet, dramatist and often refers to as ‘the Bard of Bengal’ It is one the best poems in the anthology called “Gitaniali” which was published in 1912 and won the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. When Tagore composed this poem his mind was confined by the chains of slavery- like any other common citizens of India because India was under the clutch of the British Rule where freedom was like day-dreaming This poem is written in the form of prayer to God, the true bearer of freedom. He urges God throughout the poem with his mysterious concept of freedom from the struggle for awakening to his countrymen. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken uj By narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; into fragments The poet prays to God saying that his country should be free from the fear of oppression and each person should be able to hold his head high. There should be an atmosphere of fearlessness. The country should be a place where knowledge is available to everyone equally and free of cost without any discrimination on the basis of caste, gender or religion. He wishes for a country which is not ‘broken up into fragments’ by prejudices and superstitions and where people stand united: He wants a nation where people are truthful and words come out from the depth of. their hearts. He wishes for a nation where everyone is free to toil and work hard for anything they desire for their own or for the good of the nation. Everyone is encouraged is strive tirelessly till they attain full satisfaction in reaching their goals and perfection.Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way; Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee; Into ever-widening thought and action; Into that heaven of freedom, My Father, let my country awake The poet prays to God that Indians should be logical and progressive in thoughts and actions. He wants the power of reason to dominate the minds of his countrymen. He does not want the ‘stream of reason’ to be lost among outdated customs and traditions It should be a nation where blind superstitious habits of thought and action have not put out the light of reason. Where people’s mind should not dwell in the mistakes of the past nor be possessed by it, On the other hand, they should be led by the power of reasoning to be focussed on the future by applying logical thought and action. He wants the country to be led forward by God into the freedom of broadened attitude and mindset. He requests ‘The Father’ to awaken his country into such a ‘heaven of freedom’. It is only by the universality of outlook and an abiding passion for the realisation of great human ideals that India will achieve her true freedom. This way alone will she realise her destinyitris Xygalatas is an anthropologist and cognitive scientist. He studies some of the things that unite and divide people, focusing on religion and ritual, sports, and other aspects of culture that help people connect, cope with anxiety, and live meaningful lives The following essay discusses why we not only give importance to holiday rituals and traditions, but cherish them. Humans are social beings, and rituals bring us closer to each other. The sharing of meals and the exchange of gifts binds people families and communities together. Holiday traditions can affect us positively in other ways as well, such as by helping relieve the stress of everyday routine. Ritual marks some of the most important moments in our lives, from personal milestones like birthdays and weddings to seasonal celebrations like Thanksgiving and religious holidays like Christmas or Hanukkah, No holiday tradition would be complete without a festive meal. Since the first humans gathered around the fire to roast their hunt, cooking has been one of the defining characteristics of our species. Most cultures reserve their best and most elaborate dishes for the most important holidays. For example, in Mauritius, Tamil Hindus serve the colorful “seven curries the conclusion of the Thaipussam kavadi festival. at In Greece families get together to spit-roast an entire lamb on Easter Day. Jewish tradition dictates that all food must be chosen and prepared according to specific rules (Kosher). In parts of the Middle East and India, only the right hand must be used for eating. + Shavingis caring ‘The most important function of holiday rituals is their role in maintaining and strengthening family ties. In fact, for relatives who live far apart, holiday rituals may be the glue that holds the family together. Hivnanesonsenana mentFinal Year English (K.U)-SEM-V__ 19 Sonnets are Full of Love Christina Rossetti Summary: was an English poet Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894) known for ligiows and love poems. Her poetry is marked by d intense feeling. Her most well-known book of verse, Jarket and Other Poems, was published in 1862, The collection 1 Rossetti as a significant voice in Victorian poetry. The sent poem ‘Sonnets are Full of Love” demonstrates the poet's love to mother the poem is made the title for the untitled poem The poem was written in théhonourjof the 80 birthdayof the poets mother. It was written to, convey the affection and appreciation the poet The first line elt for her mother: The poet compares sonnets to heemother. She finds comfort and siness if! her mother's love. In the sameway, the poet finds comfort ond happiness in sonnets. ‘The poet tells that she has composed many ets on her mother andithe present is one among them. She speaks of tlie most selfless embodimentas well as ther as her first L a atdluring example of that emotion. They love each other heart heart and the loVe was unconditional and reciprocal. Rossetti says that She never feels difficulty in the service of her mother, and moreover it is an honour to look after her mother. Always her mother stands as guide and role model. The poet states that she compased poems to honour her and loves her beyond the limits Thus it is not a poem about some sort of desire oF nal, reciprocated love of a unconsummated longing, but the unconditi daughter for her mother, and vice versa. VOICE PUBLISHERS ~ BAACO CBBCS. SIBBE SA1ET a Ses Eee