This (17 page PDF)(also) is a clear and direct presentation of Malagasy ethics and in particular the principle of fihavanana. "As a first pass, we can say that fihavanana is a state of peace or harmony that people can achieve with others within their communities; it is modeled on the peace, harmony, solidarity, love, and closeness that is often seen in family ties." Source materials are Malagasy proverbs (ohabolana) that either directly use the term or talk about it without using its name. It's worth noting some of the distinction between this concept and the Western approach to ethics that many pundits say are 'universal': the allowance that "emotion and feelings have a role to play in deciding what one ought to do," the idea that "one should do good for others out of a feeling of love and not out of a sense of requirement," and some clear limitations of the scope of the moral community. Image: Pharos.
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