From Vishnu Sharma’s Panchatantra to Immanuel Kant’s Moral Philosophy (And their Resonance with Mathematics Education)

Introduction:

At the Intersection of Conversations and Curiosity

I recently found myself part of two different discussion forums where names such as Immanuel Kant and Vishnu Sharma (for his Panchatantra) emerged repeatedly—figures separated by centuries, cultures, and epistemic traditions.

Kant is often hailed as the father of modern ethics, while Vishnu Sharma, through his timeless work Panchatantra, laid down moral wisdom long before ethics became a formal philosophical discipline in the West.

As the conversations unfolded (in different spaces and times), I felt myself standing at an intersection of thoughts, wondering whether ideas born in such different worlds could speak to one another. More importantly, as a researcher in education (if I am allowed to call myself that after dropping from official course of pursuing the degree formally) with a core grounding in mathematics, I began to ask: Can ethical philosophies resonate with mathematical thinking? Can mathematics itself become a medium for ethical cultivation?

This curiosity, this act of connecting distant knowledge systems, is the very essence of discovery. It may not be new knowledge for the world, but it is undeniably new knowledge for me. And that, in itself, reflects the beauty of dialogue, reflection, and interdisciplinary exploration.

1. Historical and Educational Background

1.1 Vishnu Sharma and the Panchatantra

Vishnu Sharma is traditionally credited as the author of the Panchatantra, one of India’s most influential works on ethics, governance, and education. While precise historical dates are debated, scholars generally place the composition of the Panchatantra between 300 BCE and 300 CE.

The text was composed as a pedagogical tool that is a manual to educate and morally train young princes who lacked interest in formal learning. Vishnu Sharma chose storytelling as his method, embedding ethical principles within animal fables, dialogues, and real-life dilemmas.

The Panchatantra emphasises:

Practical wisdom (nīti)
Consequences of ethical and unethical actions
Social intelligence, diplomacy, cooperation, and foresight

Rather than prescribing rigid moral laws, it presents situational ethics, encouraging learners to think, evaluate, and act wisely.

“One who does not use intelligence even when it is available is like a man who owns a mirror but chooses to remain blind.”
— Panchatantra

1.2 Immanuel Kant and the Rise of Modern Ethics

Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), a German philosopher of the Enlightenment era, revolutionised moral philosophy through his works such as Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) and Critique of Practical Reason (1788).

Kant sought to ground ethics not in religion, emotion, or consequence, but in reason itself. His ethics emerged alongside the rise of modern science and mathematics, deeply influenced by the certainty and universality found in Newtonian physics and Euclidean geometry.

Central to Kant’s ethics is the Categorical Imperative, famously stated as:

“Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”
— Kant, 1785

For Kant:

Moral actions are judged by intent, not outcome
Ethics must be universal, rational, and unconditional
Human beings must always be treated as ends in themselves, never merely as means

2. Conceptualising Ethics: Two Worlds, Two Approaches

2.1 Ethics in the Panchatantra: Contextual and Consequential

The ethics of Vishnu Sharma are relational and pragmatic. Moral decisions are embedded in social contexts, power structures, and lived realities.

Key characteristics:

Ethics are learned through examples and consequences
Wisdom evolves through experience and reflection
Moral action may vary depending on circumstance

For example, a story in the Panchatantra may show how blind honesty can lead to ruin, while strategic silence or cooperation ensures survival. This does not promote immorality but highlights ethical intelligence.

2.2 Ethics in Kant: Universal and Deontological

Kant’s ethics are rule-based (deontological):

Actions are moral if they follow duty
Consequences are morally irrelevant
Rational consistency is paramount

Lying, for Kant, is always immoral, even if it saves a life, because it cannot be universalized without contradiction.

This rigidity has been both admired and critiqued. Yet, Kant’s contribution lies in offering a framework for moral certainty in an increasingly secular and rational world.

3. Similarities Between Vishnu Sharma and Immanuel Kant

Despite apparent contrasts, surprising resonances emerge:

3.1 Ethics as Education

Both thinkers see ethics as something that must be taught and cultivated.

Vishnu Sharma educates princes through stories
Kant educates rational citizens through moral reasoning

3.2 Emphasis on Rational Agency

Kant appeals to reason
Vishnu Sharma appeals to discernment (buddhi)

3.3 Moral Responsibility

Both assume that humans are capable of choosing wisely and must bear responsibility for their choices.

4. The Paths Diverge For —

5. Prisoner’s Dilemma: A Bridge to Mathematics and Ethics

The Prisoner’s Dilemma, a classic problem in game theory, perfectly illustrates the ethical tensions discussed by both philosophers.

5.1 The Scenario

Two prisoners must independently decide whether to cooperate or betray the other. Rational self-interest leads to betrayal, yet mutual cooperation produces a better collective outcome.

5.2 Kantian Interpretation

Cooperation aligns with a universal moral law
Betrayal fails the categorical imperative

5.3 Panchatantra Interpretation

Wisdom lies in understanding relationships and trust
Repeated interactions encourage cooperation

This dilemma demonstrates how ethical reasoning can be mathematically modelled, reinforcing the idea that ethics and mathematics are not separate domains.

6. Mathematics as a Medium for Ethical Education

6.1 Areas of Mathematics Relevant to Ethics

Game Theory – Cooperation, trust, fairness
Logic – Consistency, non-contradiction (Kantian reason)
Probability & Statistics – Risk, decision-making, social responsibility
Mathematical Modeling – Real-world consequences of choices

6.2 Teaching Ethics Through Mathematics

Mathematics classrooms can:

Encourage fairness in problem-solving
Promote intellectual honesty
Foster collaborative learning
Discuss the ethical implications of algorithms and data

For teachers, this means shifting from rote computation to reflective reasoning, where learners ask not only “Is this correct?” but also “Is this fair?”

7. Conclusion:

When Vishnu Sharma narrated stories to young princes, and when Kant wrote about universal moral laws, both were engaged in the same fundamental pursuit: shaping responsible human beings.

Their methods differ, their languages differ, yet their ethical concerns converge. Mathematics, often seen as value-neutral, emerges as a powerful bridge, offering structure, clarity, and models to understand ethical behaviour.

Perhaps this realization is not new to the world, but it is new to me. And in that personal discovery lies the true joy of scholarship.

References

Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals.
Kant, I. (1788). Critique of Practical Reason.
Olivelle, P. (1997). Panchatantra: The Book of India’s Folk Wisdom. Oxford University Press.
Radhakrishnan, S. (1951). Indian Philosophy. George Allen & Unwin.
Binmore, K. (2007). Playing for Real: A Text on Game Theory. Oxford University Press.
Sen, A. (2009). The Idea of Justice. Harvard University Press.
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/