A Minor Project On

“CHARACTER ETHICS”

Submitted By
MANISH VERMA
(0032101707)

Under The Guidance Of

 ANSHIKHA RAJVANSHI 

(In The Partial Fulfillment Of BBA Degree)

IDEAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY

(G. G. S. INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY, DELHI)

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CHARACTER
AND
ETHICS

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CERTIFICATE

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 PREFACE

Initial in the one module of the project, which is allotted to me,

“CHARACTER AND ETHICS” is covered in this project report.

The report contains very nice and well arranged topics related to the
subject “CHARACTER AND ETHICS”. The main contents of this project
describes that ‘CHARACTER, ETHICS, MORALS AND VALUES and
many other topics which is countable in the “CHARACTER AND
ETHICS”.

The project report also contains SIX PILLAR OF CHARACTER and

definitions of ETHICS and MORALS.

Overall this report may work like a guide for the subject
“CHARACTER AND ETHICS”.
Manish Verma

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Perseverance, inspiration and motivation have always played a key role in

the success of any venture. Working on this project was a challenge and
made us a bit filtery in the beginning.

At this level of understanding, it is often difficult to understand a wide

spectrum of knowledge without proper guidance and advice .hence, we take
this opportunity to express our heart felt gratitude to MR. XXXXXXXXX,
for his round o’clock enthusiastic support and commentaries which made
this project successful, we are thankful to him for making impossible look
easy for us.

We also extend our sincere gratitude to MR. XXXXXXXXXXX, for

his inspiration, encouragement and for the impetus obtained throughout the
course of our project.
Finally, we would to like to thanks XXXXXXXXXXX and all of
XXXXXXXXXXXXX department, for their motivation and encouragement
throughout our endeavor.

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 INDEX

1. CHARACTER AND ETHICS

a. How Do You Define Character?

2. CHARACTER, ETHICS, MORALS AND VALUES... DEFINED

a. What is Character?

b. Ethics:

c. Morals:

d. Values:

e. Definitions of character

f. Define Ethics

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PERSON

4. SEVEN PERSONAL QUALITIES FOUND IN A GOOD LEADER

5. THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER

a. TRUSTWORTHINESS

i. Honesty

ii. Truthfulness.

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 iii. Sincerity.

iv. Candor.

v. Integrity

vi. Reliability (Promise-Keeping)

vii. Loyalty

b. RESPECT

i. Civility, Courtesy and Decency

ii. Dignity and Autonomy

iii. Tolerance and Acceptance

c. RESPONSIBILITY

i. Accountability

ii. Pursuit of Excellence

iii. Diligence.

iv. Perseverance.

v. Continuous Improvement

vi. Self-Restraint

d. FAIRNESS

i. Process

ii. Impartiality

iii. Equity

e. CARING

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 f. CITIZENSHIP

g. Conclusion of six pillars

6. Ethics

a. Societal Standards

b. Ethics and the Individual

c. Ethics in Spiritual Living

7. THE DEFINITION OF MORALITY AND ETHICS

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CHARACTER AND ETHICS

Character is the combination of personal qualities that make each

person unique. Teachers, parents, and community members help children
build positive character qualities. For example, the six pillars of character
are trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and
citizenship.

Ethics is the study of human actions. It deals with issues such as

defining "right and wrong" as well as the gray area in between. Ethics
seeks answers to questions like what is "good behavior" and what should
be valued?

Character deals with how people think and behave related to issues
such as right and wrong, justice and equity, and other areas of human
conduct.

Schools often have character education programs that focus on the

qualities of character that are honored by most cultures and traditions.
Character education is the development of knowledge, skills, and abilities
that encourage children and young adults to make informed and
responsible choices.

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 Ethics are a philosophical reflection of moral beliefs and practices.
The Greek and Roman philosophers were particularly interested in
discussions related to ethics. Religions and faiths each have their own
ethical systems to guide their people. Ethical decision making involves
the process of making informed decisions when faced with difficult
dilemmas with many alternative solutions.

How Do You Define Character?

“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is
what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”

--Abraham Lincoln--

“The character of every act depends upon the circumstances in which it is

done.”

--Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.--

“People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a
confession of their character.”

--Ralph Waldo Emerson--

“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and

courageously. This is how character is built.”

--Eleanor Roosevelt--

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CHARACTER, ETHICS, MORALS AND
VALUES... DEFINED
What is Character?

• The action you take to carry out the values, ethics and morals that
you believe in.

• Consistency between what you say you will do and what you
actually do.

• Putting the ethics into action.

• Defines, builds, or breaks your reputation.

• Moral strength. It takes moral courage to do what is right when it

may cost more than you are willing to pay.

• Who you are and what you do when no one is looking.

"What is wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it. Right is still

right, even if no one else is doing it." - William Penn

Ethics:

• Define moral rights and wrongs.

• Transcend culture, ethnicity, and are relevant to all socioeconomic

conditions.

• Are the should and ought of life.

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Morals:

• Are ethical principles

• Founded on fundamental principles of right conduct rather than

legalities.

• Morals are always the same. Immorality varies from generation to

generation.

Values:

• Refer to all important beliefs.

• Not all are ethical, some are neutral or non-ethical.

• Stated; what we say, and Operational; what we do.

"Character is not reflected by what we say, or even by what we intend, it

is a reflection of what we do." - Anonymous

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 Definitions of character
• fictional character: an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction
(play or film or story); "she is the main character in the novel"

• quality: a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual

nature of something; "each town has a quality all its own"; "the radical
character of our demands"

• the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and

ethical actions and reactions; "education has for its object the formation of
character"- Herbert Spencer

• an actor's portrayal of someone in a play; "she played the part of

Desdemona"

• a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); "a real

character"; "a strange character"; "a friendly eccentric"; "the capable
type"; "a mental case"

• good repute; "he is a man of character"

• a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future

employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability;
"requests for character references are all too often answered evasively"

• a written symbol that is used to represent speech; "the Greek alphabet has
24 characters"

• (genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a

gene or group of genes

• engrave or inscribe characters on

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Define Ethics

Ethics are considered the moral standards by which people judge

behavior. However, the definition of what constitutes having “good”
ethics in today’s society is often debated.

Ethics are often summed up in what is considered the “golden

rule”—do unto others as you would have them do unto you. While this
makes sense as a general rule of thumb, it does not truly offer much in
terms of helping one to make moral decisions in daily life.

Society often places certain standards of conduct upon the people

which are governed together. Groups of people who agree about what
constitutes major unethical acts, such as stealing or murder, work to have
their viewpoint written into laws that govern the entire body of people.
However, not all ethical areas are governed by law, such as lying to a
parent or friend. Other areas of law, such as the debate on abortion or stem
cell research, are considered ethical judgments made by governments on
behalf of the people for the greater good.

Religious and political groups have often been criticized for trying to
impose their own ethics and morals upon the larger society. Companies
and professional societies such as the American Medical Association will
also have ethical standards, often referred to as a code of conduct or rules

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 of conduct, by which they and their employees abide. Each group
determines their ethical stance based upon different guidelines, whether it
is established principals, religious book, or group agreement. While
members of the group may follow the ethical guidelines as a principle by
which they believe everyone should act, they might also have a set of
personal ethics which also governs their own behaviors.

Areas that ethical codes often address, compiled by the NIEHS

branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health include:
• Honesty
• Objectivity
• Integrity
• Carefulness
• Openness
• Respect for intellectual property
• Confidentiality
• Responsible publication
• Responsible mentoring
• Respect for colleagues
• Social responsibility
• Non-discrimination
• Competence
• Legality
• Human subjects protection

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 The branch of philosophy that defines what is good for the
individual and for society and establishes the nature of obligations, or
duties, that people owe themselves and one another. In modern society,
ethics define how individuals, professionals, and corporations choose to
interact with one another.

The word ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means
"character," and from the Latin word mores, which means "customs."
Aristotle was one of the first great philosophers to study ethics. To him,
ethics was more than a moral, religious, or legal concept. He believed that
the most important element in ethical behavior is knowledge that actions
are accomplished for the betterment of the common good. He asked
whether actions performed by individuals or groups are good both for an
individual or a group and for society. To determine what is ethically good
for the individual and for society, Aristotle said, it is necessary to possess
three virtues of practical wisdom: temperance, courage, and justice.

The field of ethics, also called moral philosophy, involves

systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong
behavior. Philosophers today usually divide ethical theories into three
general subject areas: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.
Metaethics investigates where our ethical principles come from, and what
they mean. Are they merely social inventions? Do they involve more than
expressions of our individual emotions? Metaethical answers to these
questions focus on the issues of universal truths, the will of God, the role
of reason in ethical judgments, and the meaning of ethical terms

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themselves. Normative ethics takes on a more practical task, which is to
arrive at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. This may
involve articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that
we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others. Finally,
applied ethics involves examining specific controversial issues, such as
abortion, infanticide, animal rights, environmental concerns,
homosexuality, capital punishment, or nuclear war. By using the
conceptual tools of metaethics and normative ethics, discussions in
applied ethics try to resolve these controversial issues. The lines of
distinction between metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics are
often blurry. For example, the issue of abortion is an applied ethical topic
since it involves a specific type of controversial behavior. But it also
depends on more general normative principles, such as the right of self-
rule and the right to life, which are litmus tests for determining the
morality of that procedure. The issue also rests on metaethical issues such
as, "where do rights come from?" and "what kind of beings have rights?"

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PERSON

We've all known good people, some have even been great. But what
exactly makes such a good person

First and most important is their ability to not only listen but actively
listen. By this I mean they maintain eye contact while you're talking. They
listen empathetically. They use facial expressions that show they are not
only listening actively, but in their thoughts they are processing their own
experiences in similar situations.

Secondly they are very caring. They tend to be empathetic to you

and your feelings. They don't sympathize and feel what you feel. They
empathize with your feelings by sensing how they would react in a similar
situation, but do not get emotional about it as though they were there.

Thirdly and perhaps one of the most important things attributed to a

wonderful character is the ability to befriend everyone they meet. They
seldom if ever meet people they do not make friends with instantly. They
seem to just have a personality that exudes good feelings and warmth.

Combine this with a kind person and you have an amazing character
that everyone likes. But being kind alone is not enough. The attributes of

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a good character do not stop with the fee I mentioned here. There are
countless other smaller factors. I will try to describe some of them here.

Have you ever met a good person who wasn't a hard worker? Or who
wasn't a good parent? A kind neighbor who never asked if you would like
him to mow your lawn, he just did it. Good men and women don't wait for
something nice to do for someone; they rarely ask permission to do a kind
or generous act. They just are kind and good, they act for the benefit of
others, not for themselves.

Not one of these wonderful attributes can stand alone to make a good
person with a wonderful character. Each one needs to be combined with
the others and in proportion that it seems; only the better people seem to
have found. Everyone is kind. Everyone listens to some degree, but only
the best people seem to be able to put everything in their proper
proportion.

With luck you know such a person. It might be mom or dad; it might
be the kindly old neighbor. No matter who this person is or how you know
them it's good to know them. Better to be like them. Working with or near
them often elevates you to their level as well.

These good characters are all over the world and now I hope you
have a decent way of finding them according to some of their attributes. If

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not, then I hope you have a list to start from so you too can build your
own character and become one of those amazing people we all know.

How often have you heard the comment, "He or she is a born
leader?" There are certain characteristics found in some people that seem
to naturally put them in a position where they're looked up to as a leader.

Whether in fact a person is born a leader or develops skills and

abilities to become a leader is open for debate. There are some clear
characteristics that are found in good leaders. These qualities can be
developed or may be naturally part of their personality. Let us explore
them further.

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SEVEN PERSONAL QUALITIES FOUND IN A
GOOD LEADER

1. A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance

that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and
be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader
“walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for
others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and
trustworthiness of the person who leads.

2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about
their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of
passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of
inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause.
Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the
leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal.
This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

3. A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader

needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a
person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best
efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys
confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from
team members.

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4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in
situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of
uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the
leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.

5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and
steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go
and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.

6. A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to

think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a
whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection.
While keeping the goal in view, a good leader can break it down into
manageable steps and make progress towards it.

7. A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to

success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is
proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.

These seven personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership.

Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a
leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and
strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities
or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in
their leadership role.

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THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER

Trustworthiness. Respect. Responsibility. Fairness. Caring.

Citizenship. The Six Pillars of Character are ethical values to guide our
choices. The standards of conduct that arise out of those values constitute
the ground rules of ethics, and therefore of ethical decision-making.

There is nothing sacrosanct about the number six. We might

reasonably have eight or 10, or more. But most universal virtues fold
easily into these six. The number is not unwieldy and the Six Pillars of
Character can provide a common lexicon. Why is a common lexicon
necessary? So that people can see what unites our diverse and fractured
society. So we can communicate more easily about core values. So we can
understand ethical decisions better, our own and those of others.

The Six Pillars act as a multi-level filter through which to process

decisions. So, being trustworthy is not enough — we must also be caring.
Adhering to the letter of the law is not enough — we must accept
responsibility for our action or inaction.

The Pillars can help us detect situations where we focus so hard on

upholding one moral principle that we sacrifice another — where, intent
on holding others accountable, we ignore the duty to be compassionate;
where, intent on getting a job done, we ignore how.

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In short, the Six Pillars can dramatically improve the ethical quality of our
decisions, and thus our character and lives.

1. TRUSTWORTHINESS

When others trust us, they give us greater leeway because they feel
we don’t need monitoring to assure that we’ll meet our obligations. They
believe in us and hold us in higher esteem. That’s satisfying. At the same
time, we must constantly live up to the expectations of others and refrain
from even small lies or self-serving behavior that can quickly destroy our
relationships.

Simply refraining from deception is not enough. Trustworthiness is

the most complicated of the six core ethical values and concerns a variety
of qualities like honesty, integrity, reliability and loyalty.

Honesty

There is no more fundamental ethical value than honesty. We

associate honesty with people of honor, and we admire and rely on those
who are honest. But honesty is a broader concept than many may realize.
It involves both communications and conduct.

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Honesty in communications is expressing the truth as best we know it and
not conveying it in a way likely to mislead or deceive. There are three
dimensions:

Truthfulness.

Truthfulness is presenting the facts to the best of our knowledge.

Intent is the crucial distinction between truthfulness and truth itself. Being
wrong is not the same thing as lying, although honest mistakes can still
damage trust insofar as they may show sloppy judgment.

Sincerity.

Sincerity is genuineness, being without trickery or duplicity. It

precludes all acts, including half-truths, out-of-context statements, and
even silence, that are intended to create beliefs or leave impressions that
are untrue or misleading.

Candor.

In relationships involving legitimate expectations of trust, honesty

may also require candor, forthrightness and frankness, imposing the
obligation to volunteer information that another person needs to know.

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Honesty in conduct is playing by the rules, without stealing, cheating,
fraud, subterfuge and other trickery. Cheating is a particularly foul form
of dishonesty because one not only seeks to deceive but to take advantage
of those who are not cheating. It’s a two-fer: a violation of both trust and
fairness.

Not all lies are unethical, even though all lies are dishonest. Huh?
That’s right, honesty is not an inviolate principle. Occasionally,
dishonesty is ethically justifiable, as when the police lie in undercover
operations or when one lies to criminals or terrorists to save lives. But
don’t kid yourself: occasions for ethically sanctioned lying are rare and
require serving a very high purpose indeed, such as saving a life — not
hitting a management-pleasing sales target or winning a game or avoiding
a confrontation.

Integrity

The word integrity comes from the same Latin root as "integer," or
whole number. Like a whole number, a person of integrity is undivided
and complete. This means that the ethical person acts according to her
beliefs, not according to expediency. She is also consistent. There is no
difference in the way she makes decisions from situation to situation, her
principles don’t vary at work or at home, in public or alone.

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 Because she must know who she is and what she values, the person
of integrity takes time for self-reflection, so that the events, crises and
seeming necessities of the day do not determine the course of her moral
life. She stays in control. She may be courteous, even charming, but she is
never duplicitous. She never demeans herself with obsequious behavior
toward those she thinks might do her some good. She is trusted because
you know who she is: what you see is what you get.

People without integrity are called "hypocrites" or "two-faced."

Reliability (Promise-Keeping)

When we make promises or other commitments that create a

legitimate basis for another person to rely upon us, we undertake special
moral duties. We accept the responsibility of making all reasonable efforts
to fulfill our commitments. Because promise-keeping is such an important
aspect of trustworthiness, it is important to:

Avoid bad-faith excuses. Interpret your promises fairly and honestly.

Don’t try to rationalize noncompliance.

Avoid unwise commitments. Before making a promise consider carefully

whether you are willing and likely to keep it. Think about unknown or
future events that could make it difficult, undesirable or impossible.
Sometimes, all we can promise is to do our best.

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Avoid unclear commitments. Be sure that, when you make a promise, the
other person understands what you are committing to do.

Loyalty

Some relationships — husband-wife, employer-employee, citizen-

country — create an expectation of allegiance, fidelity and devotion.
Loyalty is a responsibility to promote the interests of certain people,
organizations or affiliations. This duty goes beyond the normal obligation
we all share to care for others.

Limitations to loyalty. Loyalty is a tricky thing. Friends, employers, co-

workers and others may demand that we rank their interests above ethical
considerations. But no one has the right to ask another to sacrifice ethical
principles in the name of a special relationship. Indeed, one forfeits a
claim of loyalty when he or she asks so high a price for maintaining the
relationship.

Prioritizing loyalties. So many individuals and groups make loyalty

claims on us that we must rank our loyalty obligations in some rational
fashion. For example, it’s perfectly reasonable, and ethical, to look out for
the interests of our children, parents and spouses even if we have to
subordinate our obligations to other children, neighbors or co-workers in
doing so.

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Safeguarding confidential information. Loyalty requires us to keep some
information confidential. When keeping a secret breaks the law or
threatens others, however, we may have a responsibility to "blow the
whistle."

Avoiding conflicting interests. Employees and public servants have a duty

to make all professional decisions on merit, unimpeded by conflicting
personal interests. They owe ultimate loyalty to the public.

2. RESPECT

People are not things, and everyone has a right to be treated with
dignity. We certainly have no ethical duty to hold all people in high
esteem, but we should treat everyone with respect, regardless of who they
are and what they have done. We have a responsibility to be the best we
can be in all situations, even when dealing with unpleasant people.

The Golden Rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto
you — nicely illustrates the Pillar of respect. Respect prohibits violence,
humiliation, manipulation and exploitation. It reflects notions such as
civility, courtesy, decency, dignity, autonomy, tolerance and acceptance.

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Civility, Courtesy and Decency

A respectful person is an attentive listener, although his patience with

the boorish need not be endless (respect works both ways). Nevertheless,
the respectful person treats others with consideration, and doesn’t resort to
intimidation, coercion or violence except in extraordinary and limited
situations to defend others, teach discipline, maintain order or achieve
social justice. Punishment is used in moderation and only to advance
important social goals and purposes.

Dignity and Autonomy

People need to make informed decisions about their own lives. Don’t
withhold the information they need to do so. Allow all individuals,
including maturing children, to have a say in the decisions that affect
them.

Tolerance and Acceptance

Accept individual differences and beliefs without prejudice. Judge

others only on their character, abilities and conduct.

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3. RESPONSIBILITY

Life is full of choices. Being responsible means being in charge of

our choices and, thus, our lives. It means being accountable for what we
do and who we are. It also means recognizing that our actions matter and
we are morally on the hook for the consequences. Our capacity to reason
and our freedom to choose make us morally autonomous and, therefore,
answerable for whether we honor or degrade the ethical principles that
give life meaning and purpose.

Ethical people show responsibility by being accountable, pursuing

excellence and exercising self-restraint. They exhibit the ability to
respond to expectations.

Accountability

An accountable person is not a victim and doesn’t shift blame or

claim credit for the work of others. He considers the likely consequences
of his behavior and associations. He recognizes the common complicity in
the triumph of evil when nothing is done to stop it. He leads by example.

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Pursuit of Excellence

The pursuit of excellence has an ethical dimension when others rely

upon our knowledge, ability or willingness to perform tasks safely and
effectively.

Diligence. It is hardly unethical to make mistakes or to be less than

"excellent," but there is a moral obligation to do one’s best, to be diligent,
reliable, careful, prepared and informed.

Perseverance. Responsible people finish what they start, overcoming

rather than surrendering to obstacles. They avoid excuses such as, "That’s
just the way I am," or "It’s not my job," or "It was legal."

Continuous Improvement. Responsible people always look for ways to do

their work better.

Self-Restraint

Responsible people exercise self-control, restraining passions and

appetites (such as lust, hatred, gluttony, greed and fear) for the sake of
longer-term vision and better judgment. They delay gratification if
necessary and never feel it’s necessary to "win at any cost." They realize
they are as they choose to be, every day.

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4. FAIRNESS

What is fairness? Most would agree it involves issues of equality,

impartiality, proportionality, openness and due process. Most would agree
that it is unfair to handle similar matters inconsistently. Most would agree
that it is unfair to impose punishment that is not commensurate with the
offense. The basic concept seems simple, even intuitive, yet applying it in
daily life can be surprisingly difficult. Fairness is another tricky concept,
probably more subject to legitimate debate and interpretation than any
other ethical value. Disagreeing parties tend to maintain that there is only
one fair position (their own, naturally). But essentially fairness implies
adherence to a balanced standard of justice without relevance to one’s
own feelings or inclinations.

Process

Process is crucial in settling disputes, both to reach the fairest results

and to minimize complaints. A fair person scrupulously employs open and
impartial processes for gathering and evaluating information necessary to
make decisions. Fair people do not wait for the truth to come to them;
they seek out relevant information and conflicting perspectives before
making important judgments.

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Impartiality

Decisions should be made without favoritism or prejudice.

Equity

An individual, company or society should correct mistakes, promptly

and voluntarily. It is improper to take advantage of the weakness or
ignorance of others.

5. CARING

If you existed alone in the universe, there would be no need for

ethics and your heart could be a cold, hard stone. Caring is the heart of
ethics, and ethical decision-making. It is scarcely possible to be truly
ethical and yet unconcerned with the welfare of others. That is because
ethics is ultimately about good relations with other people.

It is easier to love "humanity" than to love people. People who

consider themselves ethical and yet lack a caring attitude toward
individuals tend to treat others as instruments of their will. They rarely
feel an obligation to be honest, loyal, fair or respectful except insofar as it
is prudent for them to do so, a disposition which itself hints at duplicity

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and a lack of integrity. A person who really cares feels an emotional
response to both the pain and pleasure of others.

Of course, sometimes we must hurt those we truly care for, and some
decisions, while quite ethical, do cause pain. But one should consciously
cause no more harm than is reasonably necessary to perform one’s duties.

The highest form of caring is the honest expression of benevolence,

or altruism. This is not to be confused with strategic charity. Gifts to
charities to advance personal interests are a fraud. That is, they aren’t gifts
at all. They’re investments or tax write-offs.

6. CITIZENSHIP

Citizenship includes civic virtues and duties that prescribe how we

ought to behave as part of a community. The good citizen knows the laws
and obeys them, yes, but that’s not all. She volunteers and stays informed
on the issues of the day, the better to execute her duties and privileges as a
member of a self-governing democratic society. She does more than her
"fair" share to make society work, now and for future generations. Such a
commitment to the public sphere can have many expressions, such as
conserving resources, recycling, using public transportation and cleaning
up litter. The good citizen gives more than she takes.

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Conclusion of six pillars

Trustworthiness

Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say

you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good
reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country

Respect

Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of

differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the
feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully
with anger, insults and disagreements

Responsibility

Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do

your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act —
consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices

Fairness

Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others
• Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly

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Caring

Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude •

Forgive others • Help people in need

Citizenship

Do your share to make your school and community better •

Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be
a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the
environment

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Ethics

In our daily lives, certain words carry the same meaning across all
social, economic, racial and spiritual boundaries. We know a dog when
we see one, and we know what a spoon is and how to use it. These are
words for physical items.

But then there are words that carry individual definitions developed
by life experiences. "Ethics" and its companion, "morals," are example of
these types of words. The dictionary definitions are ambiguous at best,
stating that ethics are a set of values defining right from wrong. The
dictionaries further define ethics as a guide to decisions relating to moral
duty and obligations.

Societal Standards

Ethics are generally perceived as a set of societal standards that

encompass the norms of the community. For many in Western societies,
ethical and moral behavior is based upon Christian teachings, the primary
principles being the 10 commandments. This standard then becomes the
established guideline by which all action is judged.

But even under such strict criteria, ethical behavior is not black or
white, right or wrong. Examples of this are shown daily as society

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struggles with issues pertaining to abortion, religious tolerance,
homosexuality, and population growth. Then there are the technology
driven issues of cloning, gene therapy and manipulation, and nuclear
energy.

The fanatics at either end of the spectrum of a single issue claim that
their viewpoint is the only correct one. They can usually spew forth
biblical passages to support their stance. So, who is right in such cases?
Do societal values supersede individual values, especially when both
sides claim moral superiority?

And what about the buzz phrase, "situational ethics?" Is this merely
a concept used to justify behavior when actions don’t fit neatly into the
established norms?

For all the hue and cry about acceptable behavior of right and wrong,
it is applicable only if the individual is in full agreement with societal
moral standards. But that is not to say that such standards do not have
their place. They most certainly do!

Moral standards developed by a community are useful to the extent

that they define a set of acceptable rules as they apply to the majority.
These standards are usually found in the form of laws. Laws are
necessary to help guide a community as a whole. Laws strive to ensure

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fairness and to assess guilt (and punishment) based upon generally
accepted principles of behavior.

Societal standards are useful in helping communities determine the

way in which people will live together as part of a collective group. As
the group grows and changes, moral standards may also change.

These standards come from the group mindset of the majority. As

such, the majority has an obligation to allow for rational actions taken on
the part of members of the minority. The rights of the majority are to be
enforced only to the extent that they do not infringe upon the rights of the
minority.

But societal standards vary. Impacts upon such standards include :

community, language, religion, economics, politics, stability, government,
education, culture, history, race, and gender.

And societal standards also reflect the cultural consciousness. And

when those values are at odds with neighbors, the resulting strife can be
reflected in ethnic cleansing, religious wars, or extremist views of
religious doctrine.

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Ethics and the Individual

So what, then, are ethics? Ethics are a personal set of values used by
an individual to guide their actions, and to recognize any obligation.
Ethics are not objective, but are subjective to the individual. Ethics are a
continuously evolving code of conduct dependent upon circumstances and
the life experiences of the individual.

The Individual. There, then, is the most important component to be

used when discussing ethics and morals!

On a whole, ethics are relative to our perception of reality, and are

based upon a specific point of view. As such, ethics are not a natural set
of values. If this were true, except in the cases of abhorrent behavior, we
as human beings would operate on a more animalistic level. For example,
wolves instinctively care for their young and injured. They work as a
cooperative group for the good of the pack. If one wolf acts in a manner
detrimental to the pack, it is driven away by the others. For the wolves,
their moral code is a fundamental part of their nature.

But as human beings, moral order is defined by the individual. It

begins when children are taught acceptable behaviors based upon societal
norms and parental values. These norms and values are used to provide a
framework for the development of individual values.

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 No one viewpoint can seek to define ethics. It is impossible for any
one individual to claim total universal awareness and objectivity. Humans
are not omnipotent and infallible. Some may strive for perfection, but our
very humanness will ensure that perfection is not obtained.

Given that ethics are an individual set of values, they should not be
used to make broad statements of right or wrong without allowing for
dissension and discussion. Ethics should be used to help each of us define
our life so that we live according to the highest ideals that we, as
individuals, prescribe to. Ethics, and an adherence to our ideals, are the
guidelines we use to judge our actions. It is a form of self-measurement
of growth, of commitment to the ideals we strive towards.

Though factors in our life may justify some action, or mitigate its
severity, we are still responsible for our choices. Options should be
explored before an informed choice is made.

Ethics are re-interpreted usually at times of crisis or an internalized

change. This happens because a viewpoint has been shown to be
inaccurate or when the belief fails to take into consideration a very
specific set of circumstances. At such times, the individual should
rationally view their beliefs, and make internal inquiries as to the
experiences that produced them. Reflection is needed to determine if a
new set of values is necessary, or if existing values need only be modified
to reflect the situation.

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 Ethics should not be used to pit one set of dogmatic beliefs against
another. The divide created by such practices becomes one of rigid
adherence to a set of specific values, and teaches intolerance for
differences in another’s set of values.

Ethics should not be followed blindly. Nor should societal morals

dictate the ethical norms for all individuals. In instances where this has
happened, the masses have blindly followed like sheep, following the
rigid viewpoints of a select few. Recent examples were demonstrated in
Nazi Germany, communist countries, and even religious zealots who seek
to dictate the values for the whole. But ethics should not intrude upon the
private lives of other individuals who are not harming anyone.

Ethics in Spiritual Living

"An it harm none, do what ye will." If Wicca has a commandment,

this is it. Notice, however, it is not of the "thou shalt not" variety. It does
not prohibit behavior that can cause harm. What is implied is the
responsibility of personal choice and free will. The Rede is the ideal that
we strive towards.

Wicca recognizes that each of us has three aspects to our lives. Our
physical life, driven by the need to meet physical wants and desires. Our
mental life, which seeks to interact and understand our surroundings. And
our spiritual life in which we seek to connect with the divine and the life

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forces around us. All three aspects should be in harmony and present in
our daily lives. True, at any one given moment one aspect will be
dominant, but that doesn’t mean that the other aspects aren’t there as well.

Unfortunately, there are more than just of few people who think that
the Rede applies only in ritual or when doing magick. But ethics should
not be something that you turn off and on like a light switch. Make a
decision - either stumble in the dark, or turn the light on and leave it on.
Spirituality should be part of your daily life, and not something you do for
an hour on a Sunday morning. If that’s what you want to do, watch
football or some other program that gets you excited. Because obviously
you’ll be more involved there than you are in your spiritual development.

So, back to the Rede. Some define the term "harm none" to mean only
conscious living things. However, Wicca (and most pagan belief systems)
are based upon animism. This requires that we do not prejudge or dismiss
parts of creation based upon recognition of what is alive, what is
conscious and aware. All of creation is life itself. This view should affect
our actions and perceptions.

And then there is the phrase "do what ye will." Some see this as an
excuse to do whatever they want. They fail to ask if they should do
something just because they can. They don’t take the personal
responsibility to judge the cause and effect before they act.

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 But ethics, in most cases, requires forethought before action. We are
free to act so long as we don’t interfere with the freedoms of others. And
while we may not, personally, agree with the choice made by an
individual, it is not our right to determine the ethical impact of such
action. Ultimately, it is not the action that causes harm, but the will, the
intent, behind the action.

So, what is harm? I’ve seen more than one writer deciding that an
individual cannot take any action if it interferes with the will of another or
if it will harm someone else. But sometimes you need to act, and harm
another, since not acting will allow greater harm to occur.

Some of these same writers advocate that you can’t do anything that
would harm a living thing. For them, this is justification for their point of
view as to why we should all be vegetarians, heavily into recycling, and
living as simply as possible without the conveniences of electricity, motor
vehicles, etc. Excuse me?

If you hold to that extreme, than you’d better not eat! Science has
shown that plants react to light, sound, and death. The act of breathing
kills micro-organisms too small for human eyes to see. And don’t even
wonder about what you harm by walking barefoot on the grass!

Living is a cycle of birth, life, and death. We are part of that cycle,
and it is for each individual to determine what is meant by harm.

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 Ethics can be defined as the "Conscience" of an individual, the
keeper of the moral standards by which the individual reacts to the world
around. Ultimately, it is YOU, the individual, who will chart your ethical
course. It is you who must determine right from wrong. It is you who
must decide if you’ll follow a group mindset or strive towards a value
system based upon your experiences and beliefs.

Whatever you decide, may the Lord and Lady guide your in your
journey in this life.

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THE DEFINITION OF MORALITY AND
ETHICS

Most people think they understand morality and ethics. For instance,
if you ask a common person to define morals and ethical behavior, they
will most likely define these terms as being right and good versus being
evil and bad. Well, this response is basically circular logic, because these
terms mean identically the same thing without any added explanation of
what constitutes good or moral behavior. When asked for further details of
these definitions, the common man is typically unable to specify exactly
WHAT is good, right, moral, and ethical. However, this will most likely
result in a discussion of examples of both ethical and unethical behavior
without specifically defining these terms.

This is because ethics and morality is not something that the

common person thinks about often. So, morality and ethics are vague for
most people. Furthermore, morality and ethics are subjective for each
person too. As a result, morality and ethics have a very wide range of
possible definitions and examples.

I think that most people and dictionaries would probably agree with
my personal definition of morality and ethics. I believe that morality is
defined as the principles of ethical behavior deemed by society, culture,
family, education, and religion. Yes, this definition is still somewhat

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vague, yet it is less vague than all of the definitions I've heard of so far.

My definition brings out two interesting facts about morality and ethics.
First as I once wrote in a previous article, "since each person is raised
differently with very diverse experiences, each person has a unique
definition of morality and ethical beliefs." Additionally, since society is
continuously changing their viewpoints and technological capabilities, I
think ethics and morality are also changing accordingly, even if
organizations such as religions try to make people believe that morality is
constant. Basically, society changes whether we want it to or not. This is
further proof that ethics and morality are and will always be imprecise,
thus not truly definable.

Western philosophy has been debating ethics and morality for

thousands of years and still has not formalized a definition for them, so
how can anyone truly understand them? Furthermore, if the greatest
philosophers throughout history have been debating ethics and morality,
how can the common man truly understand it? Therefore, I don't think we
regular folks have a chance at truly understanding ethics and morals.

Yet, the common man still believes that they understand morality.
Even those people who think they are very ethical are actually deceiving
themselves, because no one can truly know what ethical really is. Thus,
they can not possibly be ethical, at least in everyone's opinions. Even
people from any groups, such as Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims,
atheists, politicians, judges, common man, etc., can not know what is

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really ethical and moral. Therefore, it is only logical that no group of
people, whether religious, atheist, political, or common, can lay claim of
understanding morality completely, because it is so not well understood
and unknown.

On the other hand, people believe they are ethical according to

their personal/internal definitions of morality instead of a shared
common definition. This may sound like playing with the syntax of
words, but I think it has a much deeper meaning.

The main problem with this belief is that religious folks justify their
morality from religious books and teaching, while non-religious folks
justify their morality on logic and/or the beliefs that they were raised and
educated with. As long as people continue justifying their morals on
differing standards, there will always be conflict and strife. And where
strife exists, humanity’s problems will exist too.

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