The section 'Kutram Kadithal' (Chapter 44: The Avoiding of Flaws), which comes under the sub-section of Politics (Arasial) within the Book of Wealth (Porutpal) in the Thirukkural, offers unique principles and vital ethics to enhance human behavior, morality, and leadership skills for the world. This chapter elaborates on the ideal practices for a leader or ruler to eliminate their internal negative traits and flaws, and to carefully guard themselves so that those shortcomings do not return. The primary objective of this comprehensive research report is to analyze these noble ethical principles, formulated by Thiruvalluvar over two thousand years ago, against the backdrop of modern Neurology, Physiology, Neuroethics, and Cognitive Neuroscience.
This study extensively discusses how all ten couplets in this chapter align profoundly with the physiological laws governing various functional networks of the human brain, such as the Prefrontal Cortex, the emotional regulation center (Amygdala), the brain's Reward System, the Default Mode Network, and Cortical Midline Structures. The research thoroughly demonstrates how specific human behaviors and vulnerabilities—namely pride or hubris (Serukku), anger (Sinam), lust or baseness (Sirumai), greed (Peraasai), egotism (Tharperumai), inappropriate mirth (Poruhamatra Magizhchi), and secrecy (Iragasiyam Kaathal)—are determined by changes in neurotransmitters and the functioning of neural circuits. Furthermore, the brain's predictive capacity to anticipate future consequences (the prediction engine) and the core tenets of Preventive Neurology are cross-examined and explained in relation to Valluvar's tenets using the latest medical and scientific evidence.