The essence of the concept of "ethics". Representing norms of humanity in relations between people, ethics appeared in ancient times. Ethics (derived from the Greek word "ethos" – tradition, morality) is the doctrine of morality. The word "ethics" as a term was used for the first time by Aristotle (384–322 BC) in the definitions of practical philosophy, including in the search for an answer to questions about what needs to be done so that people's actions are right and humane.

The history of ethics emerges from national and universal principles and dates back to distant past. Starting from the primitive communal way of life, moral relations between people were connected with the fulfillment of family, public, religious and traditional duty. In ancient Egypt, Greece, India, China, in medieval Europe, there were many literary, didactic works on ethics as a particularly important form of public consciousness, attitudes and behavior. For example, in the ancient Scandinavian book called "Eddes", special importance is attached to table manners, and in 1204 the Spaniard Petrus Alphonsi wrote the first manual on the behavior called "Disciplina Clericalis".

In the east, many treatises on ethics, behavior and morality were created. As an example, one can cite an ethics code called "Gardens of Manu" (II century BC) or "Science of Love" of Vatsyayana (where the contents of the house, cleanliness, body care and courtesy are described) that originated in Indian land and became the common heritage of the West and the East, as well as the works by physicians Chark and Sursirut on ethics and rules of decency (V-VIII centuries BC).

"A good character is half of human happiness," this statement reflects the spiritual heritage of the ancient Turkic people. It is especially important to note the eastern teaching Qabus-Nama (XI century) by the Persian writer Kabus (Kei Kavus Unsur Al-Malli) published in recent years in Kazakh and Uzbek languages and turned into the heritage of our peoples.

In the story written by the legendary sage Lukpan Hakim, there is a conversation between a tsar and his vizier, where the tsar asks, "What kind of people are always welcome everywhere?". "The polite ones," responded the vizier. Therefore, there is no more respectable quality than politeness, the roots of which have been deeply connected with the life of a person and his behavior from ancient times.

 According to al-Farabi's interpretation, the notion of "ethics", to which he attached special importance, implies the need to take care to pay attention to everything. In modern language, according to al-Farabi, attention is the first process of the algorithm of actions in ethics. Proceeding from his statements, it is possible to present the basis of human ethics as consisting of three components (see Figure 1):

1. Pure character;
2. Honest intention;
3. Clean soul.

Figure 1. The Al-Farabi Triangle

In this triangle, the notion of "honest intention" indicates that the inner appearance of the person must be interiorly crystalline-pure.

It is also possible to single out algorithmic structures that form the basis of human ethics in Abai Kunanbayev's works (see Figure 2).

As we can see, ethics is a priority form of being. Norms of ethics originate from ancient times, and this is not accidental. First of all, they are the conditions necessary for life and the emergence of society. Secondly, they are an indicator of people's ability to live in peace and unity. When meeting polite people, each of us usually says "a girl from a good family", "a polite child", a "disciplined person". 

Ethics is a set of ethical requirements for the human character. The main function of ethics in society is the regulation of the correspondence of personal relationships to the requirements of morality.

In this sense, ethics refers to an integral part of culture. During the formation of culture, the signs of humane behavior turned into ethical demands. Ethical measures are not announced by special regulations and are not the values of great people. The rules of ethics are selected from civilization and culture.

Figure 2. Abai Kunanbayev's Octagon

 

Therefore, ethics are created without a special law. For example, is there a need to issue a law on how to enter a cafe, how to hold a fork or knife? No. Those are all unwritten patterns, the norms formed as a result of the adaptation of a person to a certain environment and good-order rules. Thus, the rules of ethics once again prove its necessity in the daily life of any individual.

Ideas of ethics in the Kazakh folk pedagogy. To date, despite the process of globalization, each nation is different in its history, language and culture, as well as nationally-specific ethics. The ideas of great thinkers concerning ethics issues, beginning with the times of Alty Alash (the six Alash: the Huns, Sanbi, Zhuzhans, Oghuzes, Kipchaks, and Saks) and on to Kerei and Zhanibek's Khanate in the 14th century, are the methodological basis in the space of Kazakh folk pedagogy.

In the Kazakh steppe, ethics as a science was considered by the great philosopher, the universal scientist Abu Nasir Al-Farabi. He defined ethics as a science that deals with the questions of the good and evil. According to his vision, the human is the most noble creature in nature, therefore it is necessary to treat people with great respect. Al-Farabi in his treatise "Residents of the Magnanimous City" said that the head of the magnanimous city, the ruler of all peoples living on Earth, should be an ethical man with 12 moral qualities: "1) this person should have impeccable health in order to be able to finish what he has started, easily cope with any problems, think sensibly and clearly understand the essence of the matter; 2) he should never forget what he has mastered, seen, heard and noticed; 3) he should be able to grasp any knowledge on the fly, should be an orator and clearly express his thoughts; take a great interest in arts, knowledge, study science indefinitely and be able to achieve goals easily; 4) should be satisfied with food, drink and conversation, should refrain from gambling; 5) should love honest and hate deceitful and hypocritical people; 6) should be highly moral and with a sublime soul; should innately be above vile deeds and burn with the desire to do good things; 7) should be totally intolerant of everything that is false and bad; 8) should innately love justice and hate unjust people and violence; 9) should act fairly with relatives and strangers, protect the victims of injustice, demonstrate a humane attitude to all people; 10) should be honest, but not capricious; 11) should be ethical; 12) should be resolute, brave and strong-willed in his deeds, without knowing fear and uncertainty ... ".

The above-mentioned 12 moral qualities, which are the basis of ethics according to Al-Farabi, correspond to the ideas indicated in the program of the Head of the State N.A. Nazarbayev "Intellectual Nation – 2020" on the priority of development of students' thinking abilities in the process of formation of an intellectual nation. In particular: 1) acquisition of in-depth knowledge; 2) professional skills; 3) high qualification; 4) serving national interests; 5) relying on the concept of duty to the people; 6) not forgetting about the reward for good deeds; 7) using spiritual values in professional competence; 8) creativity; 9) use of modern advanced technologies; 10) information progress of industrial prosperity; 11) new philosophical reflections; 12) being moral and striving for excellence. The indicators of these 12 qualitative indices, that make it possible to become one of the 30 most developed countries in the world, are a source of functional literacy.

In the space of modernism, functional literacy that guides ethics is the result of the concepts of the scientific and educational sphere. Functional literacy is a pragmatic skill and the ability to demonstrate one's own knowledge relevant to a particular profession.

In the Х-ХІІ centuries, in the days of the Karakhanid state, the great genius Yusuf Balasaguni, who described the image of the leader of the people, made a significant contribution to the development of this thought. His work Kutadgu Bilig is the guide of a happy, rich and fertile life. The main idea of the dastan (poetic work) is the presence in each person of such moral quality as justice. This is the first doctrine that distinguishes between internal and external patterns. The internal pattern is the internal etiquette of each family, whereas the external pattern is a state etiquette. These two patterns must be in constant harmony and interaction. The second teaching is well-being. It is also divided into internal and external. The inner well-being of each person is a set of internal intellectual potential. External well-being is objective wealth as an indicator of the internal. The third teaching is sanity accumulated from inner knowledge. The fourth teaching is satisfaction, which can be internal and external. Internal satisfaction is contentment with intrafamily opportunities, and external satisfaction depends on the political, economic, cultural and social needs of society. This national idea, based on the teachings of Balasaguni, makes a great contribution to the process of education of modern youth in Kazakhstan. 

The great scholar of the Middle Ages Mahmud Kashkari played a prominent role in the construction of the lexical fund of ethics of the Kazakh people. In his works, he called for justice, honor, morality, kindness and etiquette. For example:

 

"Following his father's footsteps, even a hooligan will change,

If you are to become a ruler, share your knowledge with the people.

A hasty action is always only half-completed,

Haste in making a fire leads to a waste of firewood ...

If a cripple came to your house, treat him as a guest,

Do not turn your guests out of the house, but do not delay their way.

... Being kind, do not be proud ... "

 

Such thoughts direct people to ethical behavior in relationships.

A significant contribution to the development of ethical education on the Kazakh land was made by Akhmed Zhuineki (the 12th century). In his dastans, he said that the greatest value in the world is human life and associated it with ethical problems in the formation of a personality. Zhuineki believed that a man's morals are in his ethics and that by improving the character, one can change life.

One of the founders of the idea of ethics in pedagogy is Khoja Akhmet Yassawi. Seeing the injustice in the lives of contemporaries and the selfishness of people, realizing the importance of man's purity on the path to enlightenment, he left his covenant "It is an awfully hard time" as a legacy to the future generation. In his hikmetas, Yassaui said the following:

 

"Friends, the people do not have kindness,

There is no morality among people.

There is no shame left in women."

 

Thus, pointing to the decline in women of such qualities inherent in their nature as respect, modesty, shyness, he urged the future youth to ethics.

In their writings, the great thinkers of the East and the Kazakh people classified the ethics of a person who can both attract and repel family happiness and well-being. For example, in the works of Mashkhur-Zhusup Kopeyev "Do not Be a Slave to Craving" ("Napsindi Atka Mіngіzbe"), a philosophical idea prevails that can awaken ignoramuses:

 

"There are no thoughts left to think,

Wake up and get your thoughts together.

Listen to my revelations,

Having passed them through yourself."

 

The works by Mashkhur Zhusup are full of wise thoughts and can be named the driving force of sanity.

 

“Education and work are satellites,

To wealth and knowledge will open the way

If life has not taught ethics to a man,

Do not waste time teaching him!”

 

These lines represent the algorithm for enriching the human intellect to achieve ethical standards. Of course, if a person can not accumulate intellectual potential from sources of knowledge, then the whole nation will not be able to achieve intellectual status. To date, this work is of great importance in the education of the younger generation.

In the work written by Shakarim Kudaiberdiyev, the formulation of ethics is conveyed in a poetic form. For example, in the works "Aspiration and Mind", "What Is a Person?", "Unjustified Accusation or Unexpected Death" he describes a philosophical thought:

 

“Don't rely only on aspiration,

Your clear mind is the only foundation

That can tell you what's right and what's wrong.

It will guide you to your destination.”

 

From these lines it is noticeable that aspiration only is not enough for a man to achieve his goals. The predominant direction here is in ethics, towards cognition, rather than towards inner feelings. The poet devotes his poems to the personality aspiring to ethics, humanism.

Ethics are formed from the way of life of a person and the life path. "To form as a good person, it is not the nature but life lessons that play the decisive role," said the Greek philosopher Democritus. Therefore, through education, you can achieve ethical standards.

The most valuable person in any society is an ethical person. Ethical people are the invaluable wealth of society and its glory. If ethics is valued high in the society, its prestige and wealth will be high as well. Even the tactlessness of one person can harm entire society. People say about that, "A spoonful of tar will spoil a barrel of honey."

Ethics are based on the spiritual necessity of society and serve as a powerful means of uniting people in accordance with their features and characteristics. So, ethics is a social tool that connects people on the basis of morality. Therefore, the etiquette of a person manifests itself in relations with others, in a manner of behavior. There is a saying "Having said that he is good, you will see this when you turn to him." Kazakhs have many proverbs and sayings that are like precious pearls, such as: "It is an honour to have brought up a polite child", "Where there is no courtesy, there is no respect", "If you become great, be modest", all this is a systemic direction of ethical education, the great legacy left by our ancestors.

Principles and features of Kazakh ethics. In society, a person is recognized by his behavior. It is necessary to be able to formulate the principles of ethics in order to find a place in society. A real member of society is a person who has learned respect and ethicality. Ethicality are not transmitted genetically from fathers to children by blood, that is, a person can not be ethical just because he looks like his ancestors. Ethicality develops with the person.

Humanity is determined by such personal qualities as honor, respect and greatness. Ethics is the basis of all this. Thus, a person must base his way of life and life code on ethics. Ethics shape up the character of a person making it useful to society. From this perspective, the social life of people is linked to their humanity, and the sense of humanity begins with ethics.

In general, ethics make a person kind and merciful, and it affects society in such a way that it becomes merciful too. Once Luqman al-Hakeem was asked, "From whom did you learn etiquette?" He replied, "From the ignorant. I tried not to copy the rude behavior of the ignorant." Thus, each person can practice self-education and self-improvement, because everything is realized through education. Education in society is based on discipline. Therefore, ethics is the basis of order, since it is impossible to establish order in a society where there is no place for ethics. Moreover, society can not exist if there is no order in it. Therefore, when we say that "a person should be ethical" we imply that there shoud be order in society. Being decisive in this direction and having strengthened ethical principles in oneself, a person will become important for society, and if he or she is selfish and does not live by the principles of ethics, such a person will lose himself or herself.

As we all live in society, not in isolation, we have to learn to take into account the interests and behavior of other people. As Gabit Musrepov said, "Animals grow in flocks and herds, people grow in society and under the influence of it." Norms of ethics were formed as conditional principles of regulation of people's moral relations.

The people preserve their true nature owing to the foundation formed by national ethics. The unique code of the Kazakh people is based on the principles of ethics.

Kazakh ethics is a manifestation of good manners, principles and rules that guide every person.

Ethical principles of Kazakh people are considered to be valuable norms of ethics. For example:

1. Purity of the heart and thoughts (intentions) of a man. It is well known that not all human actions are effective. Even after careful planning of one's actions, one can get bad results, or having made an error, one can finish the job with bad consequences. Therefore, first of all, of great importance is the pure intent of a man. A person with good intentions will cope with any difficulties. Purity of intent is the main principle of the works by Yu. Balasaguni.

2 Ability to express oneself directly and fairly in relationships.

In the Kazakh ethic, sincerity and straightforwardness in relationships with people are valued highly. Bauyrzhan Momyshuly's famous quote, "A feat is the peak of ethics, which is a victory over one's own shortcomings," means that by defeating one's own fear, one will be able to resist the enemies.

3. Being discreet, well-balanced, and patient.

The ethics of patience is always treated as a model of ethics of reason, restraint, tolerance. People say "Patience is gold that leads to the goal." The triumph of patience is especially noticeable when a person finds himself or herself in a difficult situation. Haste harms, but patience protects. Abai Kunanbayev said, "Haste leads to regret, it is necessary to be patient", which serves as an exemplary teaching of morality. A patient man has reasonable sanity.

Mukhtar Auezov once said, "You can wait patiently, but time does not wait for you." When something requires an immediate decision, it is not appropriate to be restrained, such a person may be considered careless. A person should distinguish restraint from carelessness. Inappropriate restraint leads a person to regret.

4. Building good relations among people of different ethnic communities and social levels.

Any nation can be in unity with other nations as equal partners only if it preserves its spiritual and psychological image, as well as cultural values. In this regard, our people, while preserving their own peculiar way of life, are open to the opportunities of the global educational space and and ready to benefit from the interaction with the world.

Every member of society must comply with the norms of behavior set in social life. These norms are based on the following beliefs: be considerate to the society and compatriots, respect them; if you want others to treat you well, then you should treat others well.

5. Being polite and charitable.

The ability to maintain ethical relationships is called courtesy. "Treat seniors with respect, and youngsters with care", Kazakhs say.

Politeness arises from kind, bright, merciful, compassionate relationships. Politeness is not taught, politeness is instilled. Parents and wise people show an example to the younger generation with their courtesy to others. Therefore, there is a saying, "If you are friends with the good, you will achieve the goal."

Charity is a manifestation of care and kindness to people and nature. It begins with a family. Manifestation of charity to people with disabilities, children with disabilities and people in difficult living conditions implies providing direct help to them, including financial support. Of course, such help is always restricted by one's own financial situation.

Charitable assistance to orphans, single mothers, people with difficult living conditions is the human duty of every citizen. People say, "If you see an orphan, take care of him". Folk traditions, formed as moral values, have become the principles of humanity. If these principles are not followed, then social laws will be violated. Violation, non-fulfillment of these traditions shows unreasonableness, rootlessness, pettiness, and dishonesty of the person.

6. The ability to share the joy and pain of others.

The ability to share the joy and pain of others is one of the humane qualities of a person. It is not easy to share someone's grief, to be together in different difficult situations. Being a support in trouble is a moral act. Of course, all this must come from a pure heart. This is an indicator of the person's ethicality.

7. Upbringing based on spiritual values. For centuries, ethics, formed as a spiritual value, has been protecting the noble name "Man".

The economy, culture, education and social status will reach a high level only when concepts such as conscience and honor, justice and honesty, mercy and charity, ability to keep the word will find a firm place in the spiritual consciousness of the people.

Ethics are the spiritual core of human life. Its foundation is conscience. According to Sh. Kudaiberdiuly, conscience, shame and trust are the substances of ethics.

Etiquette tempers the character of a person and develops such qualities as shame, care, charity, contentment, courage, consideration, frugality, neatness, the ability to put oneself in the shoes of others, love for people and the desire to do them a favor, sincerity, and zero-tolerance to evil. Culture is the basis of the spiritual development of people.

8. The ability to fight with one's own bad qualities.

An ill-bred person is the one with bad habits, the one who likes to gossip, speak behind someone's back, scold, hate, tell a lie, envy, or display duplicity, and arrogance.

According to the life principle "Do not wish to another what you would not wish to yourself", a person should harm neither himself/herself nor others. At the same time, senseless struggle with an opponent or an enemy frightens off the person's good luck and happiness. In society, the task that is entrusted to one person is directly related to the tasks of other people. In this case, in order not to harm society, every person should try not to harm another person. That is, violation of the principles of ethics by one person will necessarily influence others. If this acquires a national scale, then society will be at a dead end, therefore, only by following the norms and requirements of ethics, a person can prove to be worthy of the public's trust. Our anscestors knowingly said: "If you can not do good, then stay away from the atrocity, because the atrocity will certainly find its owner."

Someone asked a wise man, "What is wider than the sky? What is colder than ice? What is closer to the heart than the Motherland? What is harder than iron? What is worse than an orphan?". Then the wise man replied, "Wider than the sky is honest work, heavier than the earth is blaming the innocent, colder than ice is concealing anger at everyone, hotter than fire is doing harm to a friend, harder than iron is the mood of a bad person, worse than an orphan is a gossip." Good deeds and atrocity, cruelty and kindness, piety and malice, modesty and arrogance, truth and lies, straightforwardness and envy, benevolence and greed, contentment and insatiability are the qualities peculiar to mankind. There is a constant struggle between two extremes in each of the pairs above. If the negative qualities prevail, they suppress kindness, honesty, goodwill, and justice. However, the bad qualities of a person can be corrected by the good ones, which will lead to wealth, happiness, prosperity and abundance.

9. Modesty, generosity and courage. Ethnic foundation and courtesy are among the main principles of upbringing for the Kazakhs. Observance of etiquette in all situations is a positive and disposable quality. Important examples of ethicality and modesty in our people are the honor and respect for the elders, and adding "eke" to their names as an ending. For example, Kazbek becomes Kazeke, Daulet – Dauke, Bauyrzhan – Bauke. Such an ending does not occur in other languages. Having noticed this, the famous Russian scholar L. Ballyuzek wrote at the beginning of the 20th century, "There is something special in the politeness and courtesy shown by the Kazakhs when they address their elderly."

Adressing one's seniors properly is also a sign of ethicality. According to the Kazakh traditions, women did not address their husbands by name. Instead, they used the word "Otaghasy" (father of the family) or "Akesy" (father). Women also did not call husband's relatives by name. Umbetey zhirau Tileuuly (1697-1786) described modesty in his works:

 

“You go out hunting,

You wear a fox fur coat.

The modest will not reveal a secret,

They will always move quietly.”

 

It is believed among Kazakhs that a student should never cross the road to his mentor and should always show respect when meeting him. When the head of the family is not in the house, it was forbidden for other men to stay in that house. Those were the strong laws of the Kazakh steppe.

All these principles are evidence of true ethicality, modesty in the Kazakh society. "Bow down to those who bow down, look down on those who look down", so the steppe people considered modesty a high sign of humanity.

In the public morality of Kazakh people, there is a clear indication of what relationship between people should be based on: equality and partnership, mutual respect and support of relatives. It is these requirements that form the basis of the rules of conduct.

10. Ability to forgive. It's not easy to forgive someone who has hurt you. Nevertheless, calling people to forgiveness is an important sign of spirituality among Kazakhs. Therefore, a person who wants to get along with the society must obey this principle.

The peculiarities of Kazakh people's behavior have been formed under the influence of the environment, wide and spacious steppes, geographical location and everyday life. Kazakh people have the following specific features of behavior, formed owing to a nomadic way of life:

First of all, Kazakhs believed that if there are no emergencies, one should be calm and take one's time. They believed that rush is sent by the devil (Shaitan). This was especially typical of Kazakh women.

Secondly, when talking to someone, Kazakhs are never in a hurry, they always try to understand the essence of the matter. The task is not to say much or little, but to speak with meaning. "Ninety words should have a brief essence". Otherwise, any conversation becomes meaningless.

Thirdly, in many cases, Kazakhs did not immediately answer the question posed. They behaved as if they did not understand or did not hear it. If the interlocutor did not know this, he or she might have thought that they had not heard him or her. In fact, this is not so. Before answering, Kazakhs analyze every word.

Fourthly, Kazakhs loved merriment.

Fifthly, Kazakhs did not go on foot. Kazakhs appreciated horses very highly. The horse served as a transport, kumis was made out of mare's milk, clothes were sewn from the skin. Kazakhs have long been improving the breed of horses. A horse, a good wife, a greyhound dog, and a hawkish golden eagle have always been the dream of any jigit.

Sixthly, the women of Kazakh people, in comparison with other sedentary peoples of Central Asia, participated in public gatherings, merriment and aityses. Kazakhs have never been inappropriately jealous of their wives.

Seventhly, Kazakhs were indulgent, good-natured, they were never in despair, they hoped for the good.

Eighthly, Kazakhs never avoided anyone, everyone was welcome. Whoever came into the house, became a guest. The Kazakhs treated everyone equally.

Ninthly, Kazakhs had neither widows nor orphans. They never wandered and did not beg for money. Kazakhs took care of their orphans and widows.

Tenthly, Kazakhs by nature are modest people. Their clothes, hem and sleeves were always free-cut, because it was comfortable for a nomadic way of life, because they had to mount and dismounted from the horses, sit cross-legged. They had a good-natured, open character, like vast steppes. Kazakhs never felt constrained. They attached importance to every word, and always adhered to the rules of etiquette.

Eleventhly, Kazakhs are not vindictive. If they were criticized publicly, pointed to the shortcomings of their character, if there was an insult to their families, they could always retaliate. If the arguments proved to be correct, then they were considered winners. If they lost, they did not bear any malice.

Twelfthly, Kazakhs did not look harsh, on the contrary, they looked friendly, their faces were always open, they never lowered the cap over their eyes. Their prudence and good nature were visible in the face. 

4. Types of Kazakh ethics. Kazakh people are very modest. They never showed a rude character, they knew how to show ethicality and delicacy in their actions, in communication, during meals, in treating guests. If a person did not comply with these customs, it is believed that such a person was considered impolite. The word imploite means rudeness, bad manners.

However, there were other types of upbringing. For example, grandmothers took their grandchildren with them to festive events so that they would listen to wise stories, get role models to follow and learn patterns of behavior.

Some ethical requirements are peculiar to Kazakhs only, nothing similar can be observed among members of other ethnic groups. 

Ethics of greeting. The ethics of greeting was formed over the centuries. Knowing how to greet properly an adult and a young man, a pedestrian and a rider, a man and a woman, etc. is an indicator of the spirituality, courtesy and culture of man. When meeting a person of respectable age, the younger must be the first to say the greetings, even if he or she has never met this person before. Upon arriving to the destination, a traveler should, first of all, greet the aksakals and famous people living there. This is the first thing to do, even if the traveller had a very long journey and is very tired. Mukhtar Auezov in his novel "Abai’s Way" describes the moment of Abai's friend's arrival. First, he greets the aksakals and Abai's relatives, and only then talks to all others. The elders who know the rules of etiquette, according to Kazakh customs, say the first words: "When a six-year-old child comes from a long way, a sixty-year old man greets him" (Alystan alty zhasar bala kelse, alpystaghy kariya salem beredi). Friendliness is the main condition of a polite greeting. A proper greeting is of great help in the formation of speech etiquette. When meeting the parents and relatives of the husband, the daughter-in-law always makes a bow, showing her respect to them. When entering the house, a young woman stands on the threshold looking to the side where the elderly are sitting bows by nodding her head bending her left knee. This greeting shows great respect. This is taken as a sign of ethicality.

According to Kazakh etiquette, a person riding on a horse past a yurt had to dismount and say hello to the owner of this house. The owner of the house, in turn, had to ask the traveler where he came from, where he was heading and, of course, offer a meal. To ride past without stopping was considered a display of disrespect and ill manners. Such a person could be taken for a thief or a robber. This is why the famous Kazakh poet Zhayau Musa, who lived in the nineteenth century, was called the Walking Musa. This name was given to him by one imperious administrator, who was angry at Zhayau because he rode past his house without stopping to say hello. The official punished him by taking his horse and his real name from him.

According to the Kazakh traditions, horsemen should stop and dismount to say hello when they meet an elderly man on their way. This tradition is still observed by many Kazakhs: when driving a car, they stop to talk to an elderly person and ask if this person needs any help.

When greeting strangers, traditional rules are also preserved. When a stranger approaches a yurt, people who sit near the house notice him and wait for him to greet them. People sitting near the house get up and stretch out their hands. Standing up is also one of the important parts of the greeting. In the Kazakh villages it was common to say hello to people whom you haven't met before, and that was considered a good thing to do. As a rule, when meeting old people, women say the following words: "Are you in good health?" The old people usually replied, "Thank you, ainalayin, I am all right." Men of the same age greet each other by shaking hands, and friends who have not seen each other for a long time greet each other by hugging. Young girls and women greet each other simply by saying "Hello."

Ethics of hospitality. Kazakh people have many proverbs and sayings related to hospitality, one of which reads "When a guest comes, he brings happiness into the house!" So the duty of the host and hostess was to welcome and feed the guest cordially. The guest shares the latest news and starts a pleasant conversation. If the guest is a creative person, then they play the dombra, sing songs, and if the guest is a poet or zhirshy, then the whole village comes to the house to see him or her. Therefore, Kazakhs do not ask anything from the guests except for "konak kade", which means a request to a guest to sing a song, to tell something interesting, or to play the dombra.

In the morning and evening, when the cattle was going to the pasture or coming back from there, the aksakals went up the hill near the house, looked around and talked to each other. If they noticed a traveler, they sent one of the younger guys to ride to him and ask who the traveler was, where he was going, and what news he could share. This situation is reflected in the proverb "A hill in the yard is the same as the saddled horse."

Hospitality, entertaining guests is the main feature of Kazakh culture and Kazakh customs. In the harsh steppe conditions, the traditions of hospitality were of great importance and contributed to the establishment of good relations between different clans, and also smoothed out existing conflicts and prevented new ones from happening. Some signs of this tradition were shown in Mahmud Kashkari's Dictionary of Turkic Languages. For example, "Your beautiful and rich chapan only gives pleasure to you, give tasty food to others, respect the guests and let the glory of you spread among the people."

In Yusuf Balasaguni's work Kutadgu Bilig ("The Wisdom which brings Happiness") special attention is paid to hospitality:

 

"If you want to invite guests to your house,

Call them without delay and prepare well."

 

"Everything should be ready: the house, utensils,

Seats, pillows, think through all the dishes."

 

"All food should be fresh and tasty,

So that the guests will eat everything."

 

"When they have finished eating, bring to your guests

Some dried and fresh fruits and sweets."

 

As a rule, a ram is slaughtered for meat when a guest comes. Boiled meat was usually served in a flat platter called "tabak". Serving tabak correctly is a complicated ceremony. Each tabak had to correspond to the age of the guests, their social status, and blood relationship. Tabaks with meat were divided into several types: the main, for the honoured person, for the son-in-law, for the daughter-in-law, for the youth, simple. On each tabak certain parts of the meat (mushe) were laid. A man of old age was given the head and the hip part (bas, zambas); the son-in-law got the humerus (tokpak zhilik), the brisket (tos), children got the ears, the shin, young women got the palate and the tongue.

Of course, not all guests are alike. Kazakhs categorized guests into the following groups: A) A casual guest. An unfamiliar traveler stops in any house. The host welcomes him, treats him and lets him stay for a night; B) An officially invited guest. This is a guest who was invited on purpose. Of course, such a guest was treated with great respect; C) A guest of honor. A respected person, usually an elderly; D) An uninvited guest. This is not a traveler, but a native of the village. He does not have any particular destination, he only walks from one aul to another, from house to house, eating in one and staying the night in another.

Before the Islamic religion, the idea that it is necessary to provide hospitality comes from Tengrism. It was believed that Kydyr was always traveling around and could be one of the guests at your house. Hence the proverb "One of the forty people". Kydyr was believed to be the legendary steppe prophet, a saint in the image of a man bringing happiness and wealth to the people who met him. Sometimes it was called "Forty Chiltans". Kazakhs said fairwells to their departing loved ones "Have a safe travel, may Kydyr Ata accompany you!" To follow the old Kazakh custom "Every guest comes with his share of bread" is considered as one of the signs of decency.

Ethics of charity. Man's manifestation of generosity to others is a sign of a pure heart and an important human value. A benevolent person is sensitive, he or she admires human values and the beauty of the nature, cares about it, makes good deeds. Parental affection shows their strength, happiness, principles, the desire to live. With the help of affectionate words "my golden mine", "my beloved", "my soul", "my sun", "my foal," "my lamb", "my light," etc., parents actively developed morality and feeling of love in their children. Parental care is boundless. Mother is ready for anything for her child, she is ready even to give her life, for "children are the most precious."

The caring nature of good people can be seen in their responsiveness. Goodness and kindness are valuable signs of good deeds. Kazakhs educate their children to be good people, inspire them to do good deeds.

The grandparents' love for the grandson is special. Traditions, vivid human feelings, spiritual harmony and boundless love show "exalted" care and love between grandparents and grandchildren. National traditions preserved this wonderful feeling. Charity is the credo of the delicacy of Kazakh people. The whole humanity knows about this feature of the merciful, hospitable people. "We've got art, music, crafts, skillful, eloquent, and brave people."

Ethics of humanity. Humanity is an excellent manifestation of the unconditional fulfillment of the principles of sincere respect for the sacred life laws. Only good intentions, kindness to people, care for nature, and belief in good are signs of humanity.

Do not show anger, do not gossip, do the right things so that people could benefit from your words and actions – these are the characteristics of a spiritually developed person.

The ability to preserve cleanness of the body and purity of the soul is a valuable quality of a person. Purity of thought, speech, action, clothing, bed, room, workplace, etc. – all this speaks about the moral image of a person.

Persistant and useful work in the life of a person is also a sign of humaneness. Attentiveness, responsibility, unanimity, diligence, purity, collectivism and unity in work, etc. – all this shows the conscious qualities of humanity.

Decency is a vivid image of national culture. When teaching humaneness to the younger generation, Kazakh people  insist that it is absolutely essential to unquestioningly obey laws, follow traditions and customs, fulfull one's tasks and duties. Humanity is a bright image of morality.

"Iman" in Arabic means "faith." Faith in the laws of life, in its magical power, the ability to follow the principles of faith in everyday life are a sign of humaneness. Teaching a child to be human is an ultimate goal of education and upbringing, the credo of the Kazakh folk pedagogy.

Ethics of a healthy lifestyle. Health is the first and most important human need determining his or her ability to work and ensuring the harmonious development of the individual. It is the most important prerequisite for exploring the  world around us, for self-affirmation and happiness. A healthy person does not say too much. The purity of language, clarity of speech, the meaning of eloquence is a bright ray of a healthy lifestyle. In this regard, each person selectively uses his or her lexical fund.

A healthy person does not drink alcohol, keeps away from gambling. "The key to all sins is drinking." A person who leads a healthy lifestyle refrains from any intoxicating substances. A healthy person has a clear mind, his or her actions are also clear, he or she is able to subordinate the body to the soul due to the presence of self-control. A healthy person does not gamble, he or she resists to any form of addiction. The folk pedagogy guides young people towards a healthy lifestyle, telling them that "Addiction demands payment", "Do not follow a spoiled person, do not yield to fun".

Kazakh people use the following sayings to keep their youth away from smoking and drug addiction: "Tobacco is alien to your descent", "Vodka is not peculiar to your ancestors", "Do not torture yourself, do not spoil the lungs", "The smoke that you breathe in brings death", "Smoking takes away everything", "Smoking takes away teeth, alcohol takes away strength", etc. The purity of the body is the result of the purity of the soul.

Ethics of patriotism. National features of Kazakh people, national traditions and culture are the guiding light for every Kazakh. Therefore, there is no Kazakh who does not love his or her own nation. A lot of proverbs prove the importance of patriotism: "May the wings fall off the one who does not love his people", "One's destiny is inseparable from one's people", "Be with your people through thick and thin", "A hero is born for the people and dies for the people". A person who loves his or her nation, first of all, appreciates the native language, loves national literature and culture. "Mother tongue is my wealth". Patriotism is close to nationalism, it does not mean, however, that a person who loves his or her own nation looks down on other nations. On the contrary, a patriot is a highly moral person.

The driving force of the patriotic personality is national pride. National pride is a national quality formed with the help of the centuries-old heroic struggle and hard work of the brave, merciful, benevolent, creative, eloquent Kazakh people. The high banner of a brave, victorious and universal people is a national honor, a great force destined for the soul of each individual.

Patriotism is the national sign of fulfilling the filial duty: if the son of any people does not love his nation, does not serve it, then he is not a patriot, that is, a traitor to his homeland. A person who grew up amongst members of a different nationality, who does not speak his native language and does not know his country, is not a representative of the nation. He can not serve his people, despite the unity of blood.

Ethics of skill. Kazakh people are very creative. Everyone who has a penchant for any kind of art, whether it be the art of needlework, singing, poetry, story telling, hunting, sports, dancing, musics (performing kyuis), etc., must develop his or her skill.

Arts and crafts are mastered by every girl. Old and modern types of jewelry art glorify the names of talented people. The art of knitting, carpet weaving, lace weaving, felting, patterns cutting, clothes sewing, embroidery were taught to every Kazakh girl. Kazakh people love singing. Academician Bartold said, "I can feel the Kazakh steppe singing." Abai Kunanbayev with his phrase, "A foolish song only hurts your ears,but a wise song may make you wiser", notes that the value of singing art depends on the song and its performance. The art of singing is a sacred art. The art of performing kyuis and dancing is in the nature of every person. The development of "prosperous" art is a national task. Being skilled in national arts or crafts is a prestigious sign of ethicality. 

Family ethics are the dominant of all cultures.

The family is the golden support of mankind, because from the moment of birth, each person develops in a family. For the same reason, the family is a golden school of essential and sacred ethic. It is impossible to compare the influence of the family with some other phenomenon in life, since nothing can replace parental care. The saying "Upbringing begins with a cradle" shows the importance of family in upbringing.

Despite the age difference, there is spiritual closeness between family members, the unity of purpose. The famous Kazakh poet Kasym Amanzholov wrote in one of the poems dedicated to his wife,

 

"The family is a small state,

I am the president, you are the prime minister."

 

Each family is indeed a small state. As such, it has its one own production, foreign and domestic policies, symbols, budget, leadership and management. For this reason, special importance was attached to the structure of the family, its importance in every person's life. Children were taught to protect the family and its honour, keep its secrets, and be honest to other members of the family. A unique sub-culture is formed in each family, it may include some laws and principles that are not found in other families. Therefore, when fathers make arrangements regarding their children's marriage while they are still in the cradle, it shows that the two families are especially close. Kazakhs say "Hearth begins with the family".

In each family, parents have a very important and responsible task of preparing children for the creation of their own families. The image of future family life is formed in every child during the life in the parents' house and largely depends on the upbringing received there. Wise people say, "When a bird leaves the family nest, it will be catching what it saw there", "A daughter can be judged by her mother".

After staying at the Khan's beautiful palace, Zhirenshe sheshen would always return to his dark cramped shack in the evening and say, "Oh, it's nice in my house, in my spacious palace." In this legend, there is a deep meaning and truth. For everyone, including children, there is no place on the Earth better than home. Caucasian people often say: "The best place for the sword is its sheath, the best place for the fire is its hearth, the best place for a good man is his home".

Truthfulness and charity, responsibility and forbearance in the family penetrate into the soul of the child. In a Kazakh family, the father is the first teacher, the mother is the second. The most important requirements from both the father and the mother is that their children grow up as "well-bred children". That's why always in Kazakh families, children were told, "Be ethical, do not play around, do not be ill-bred."

In Kazakh families, such qualities as charity and humanity were cultivated in children. As a result, a child brought up by such principles became truthful, obedient and honest. Parents who believed that the beginning of upbringing and education is ethics, first of all, instilled in the child respect for parents, to other people, especially to the elders, forbade mocking anyone. At the same time, they made it their children's duty to be worthy citizens and serve their people.

The basis, the core of the family, its soul is the woman. This female role is strengthened by the strong spirit of the man of the house, the children's love for their parents, care and the desire to be one with their mother's soul. Naturally, if a woman not only fulfills her maternal duty, but also lives with her husband in peace and harmony, then respect for her grows.

It must be remembered that the attitude of the wife to her husband determines the opinion of the children about the father. This is the source of courteous attitude in the family. Consequently, the children's opinion about their father is formed depending on the actions, manner of behavior, and attitude of their mother. For example, married people should not be rude or contradict each other in the presence of their children. Otherwise, they will lose their authority over children, in addition, they will frighten the hearts of children and may lead to the fact that in the future their children, having created their own families, can repeat their mistakes.

From this perspective, it is important for the mother to tell the children the edification words of our people, such as "consult your father", "the father knows best," "obey your father," etc. By the way, in the famous epic Abai's Way, there is an instructive episode. "... After studying for 3 years in the city of Semey, the 13-year-old Abai returned home. As soon as he got off his horse, he went to his mother to say hello. The clever and wise mother Ulzhan said, "Son, your father is over there, go, say hello to your father first!". As soon as he realized that he had made a mistake by giving in to his childish feelings, Abai turned sharply towards where his father Kunanbai was standing." Mukhtar Auezov showed this episode, not only to depict the fine custom of Kazakh people, but also because it has a high educational value.

Parents' mutual respect and support, their ability to stay calm in the presence of their children is one of the key ethical requirements.

The role of the family in spreading and introducing respectful attitude into society is great. Both pillars of any family, husband and wife, can contribute to the establishment of peaceful and united society for the next generations to come if they respect and follow the requirements of ethical and moral norms in relation to each other.

Ethics of parting. Traditions of parting with a man who is leaving with the intention of seeing each other again mean the wishes of a good and happy journey. Therefore, in the ethics of parting, the main emphasis is on blessings. In this regard, there are such words as "May the Creator give you power", "May the God add faith to you." At the present time, such words can be heard from the elders saying goodbye to their loved ones, e.g. sons or grandchildren. The words "May Allah bless your journey", "Come back healthy", "May all of us, both here and there, stay in good health" are dedicated to people departing on a long journey.

The ethics of farewell differ depending on whether a person is going for a long or shortly journey. In everyday ordinary farewell, familiar words are usually said, e.g. "Goodbye", "I hope to see you soon", and also not formal words like "Bye", "See you". A person who has a long way ahead of him hears the words like "Safe travels to you", "Come back healthy". Men say goodbye and shakeg hands, and women hug each other.

The parting ceremony usually turns into a whole celebration. This is called "Shygharyp Salu", that is, "Seeing off". Relatives, friends, and neighbors see the traveler off with the wishes of achieving the goal without disgracing the family, relatives and native land.

As a result, having certain similarities with the ethics of other peoples, the ethics of Kazakhs has some national features peculiar only to Kazakh people, which include good breeding, sincerity, good manners, honesty, fidelity, tolerance, etc. Such concepts as "Magilik El" and "Kazakh Eli" mean the unity of the people. In this regard, if the traditions of ethics live on in laws and rules, their meaning and content will unfold, new ideas will be built up upon their foundation, their essence will be preserved for future generations.

 

Questions for students’ knowledge assessment:

1. Importance and role of ethics in society.
2. Etiquette as a form of cultural relationship.
3. Connection of ethics with individual and public morality.
4. Ethics as a part of public culture.
5. Ethics in everyday relationships.
6. History of ethics development.
7. National ethics of Kazakhs.
8. Continuity of ethics and tradition.

 

Questions for students’ independent work:

1. The relationship between the concepts of "ethics", "morality", "traditions", and "behavior".
2. Ideas of scholars in the formation of ethical thinking.
3. Types of ethics in the formation of national behavior.
4. Relationship of ethics with other branches of science.
5. Principles of the formation of Kazakh ethics.

 

Literature:

1. Румановская Е.Ю. Кабус-наме. Избранное – Сп-б: Диля, 2002.
2. Әл-Фараби.Философиялық трактаттар. – Алматы: Ғылым, 1973.
3. Назарбаев Н.Ә. Интеллектуалды ұлт-2020. www.akorda.kz
4. Баласағұн Ж. Құтты білік. – Алматы: 1986.
5. Дербісалиев Ә. Қазақ даласының жұлдыздары. – Алматы: Рауан, 1995.
6. Қожа Ахмет Иасауи. Хикметтер. – Алматы:Атамұра, 1995.
7. Мәшһүр Жүсіп. Ит дүние. – Алматы: Халықаралық Абай клубы, 2008.
8. Құдайбердиев Ш. Шығармалары. – Алматы: Жазушы, 1990.
9. Мүсірепов Ғ. Таңдамалы шығармалар. – Алматы, 2012.
10. Бауыржан Момышұлы. Қанмен жазылған кітап.- Алматы: Полиграфкомбинат, 2010.
11. Қалиев С.К. XV-XIX ғасырлар ақын-жырауларының поэзиясындағы педагогикалық ой-пікірлер. – Алматы: Рауан, 1990.
12. Жүсіп Баласағұн. Рухнама. – Павлодар: «ЭКО» ҒӨФ, 2003.

 

Main sources:

1. Пралиев С.Ж. Ұлттық тәрбие. Сборник лекции. Алматы. КазНПУ имени Абая. Алматы 2011 г.
2. Пралиев С.Ж. Ұлттық тәрбие. Учебное пособие. Алматы. КазНПУ имени Абая. Алматы 2014 г.
3. Әдеп негіздері. Учебное пособие составленное коллективом кафедрой национального воспитания КазНПУ имени Абая. Алматы 2012 г.
4. 4. Нысанбаев Ә., Габитов Т. Қазақ этикасы мен эстетикасы. Алматы. 2010г.
5. Молдабеков Ж.Ж., Махамбетова А.Ә. Кәсіби этика. Астана. 2008г.

 

Additional sources:

1. Аль-Фараби. Әлеуметтік-этикалық трактаттар. Алматы. Ғылым, 1973г.
2. Аль-Фараби. Философиялық трактаттар. Алматы. Ғылым, 1973г.
3. Баласағұн Ж. Құтты білік. Алматы, 1986 г.
4. Қазақ халқының тәлім-тәрбие тарихынан. Гл. ред. Қалиев С. Алматы.

    1992г.

5. Дербісалиев Ә. Қазақ даласының жұлдыздары. Алматы, Рауан 1995г.
6. Қожа Ахмет Иасауи. Хикметтер Алматы, Атамұра 1995г.
7. Абай шығармалары. Алматы, 1994 г.
8. Абайдың дүниетанымы мен философиясы. Алматы. Ғылым 1995г.
9. Кішібеков Д. Қазақ менталитеті: кеше, бүгін, ертең Алматы. Ғылым.

    1999 г.

10. Кенжеахметұлы С. Жеті қазына. Алматы 1997 г.

 

Official documents:

1. «Интеллектуалды ұлт – 2020» Государственный проект. Айқын 2009г.
2. Концепция «Об формировании интеллектуальной нации в системе непрырывного образования Республики Казахстан» КазНПУ имени Абая. Алматы, «Ұлағат» 2012г.
3. Назарбаев Н.Ә. Стратегия-2050 «Мәңгілік ел» 2014 г. 14 февраля.