Integrity is capital
In the good person correct thought, feelings and desires are interdependent, with none taking precedence over the others.
Discussion
Ancient integrity.
"Plato famously makes psychological unity the keystone of his account of justice in the Republic. Aristotle follows by granting his phronimos unqualified consistency between practical appreciation of right and wrong, and the affects supporting and surrounding action and practical judgement."
Integrity as a shelling point.
"Together, they bring together the cluster of characteristics typical of integrity: integratedness; wholeness; consistency in beliefs and between beliefs and actions; steadfastness in appreciation and pursuit of the good; a commitment to virtue that recognizes no countervailing considerations."
"We get a picture here of integrity as perhaps not itself a virtue, because it is the precondition of virtues or the superordinate principle coordinating the virtues."
"Plato points beyond philosophy to the personal and the political. The psychological unity he articulates is meant to explain the powerful and uncanny character that Socrates displayed so conspicuously. Psychological unity is presented as inseparable from social conditions and political institutions. The Hellenistic philosophers pick up on all of these themes, both in theory and in practice."
Aiming at the Good.
"Aristotle distinguished between two intellectual virtues: sophia (philosophical wisdom) and phronesis (intelligent action), and described the relationship between them and other intellectual virtues–because of its practical character. It implies both good judgment and excellence of character and habits. The traditional Latin translation is prudentia, which is the source of the English word "prudence". Modern interpretations such as "mindfulness" are also proposed."
"Phronesis involves not only the ability to decide how to achieve a certain end, but also the ability to reflect upon and determine good ends consistent with the aim of living well overall. Aristotle points out that although sophia is higher and more serious than phronesis, the highest pursuit of wisdom and happiness requires both, because phronesis facilitates sophia. He also associates phronesis with political ability."
Gaining phronesis requires experience.
"Although the young may be experts in geometry and mathematics and similar branches of knowledge [sophoi], we do not consider that a young man can have Prudence [phronimos]. The reason is that Prudence [phronesis] includes a knowledge of particular facts, and this is derived from experience, which a young man does not possess; for experience is the fruit of years."
"Phronesis is concerned with particulars, because it is concerned with how to act in particular situations. One can learn the principles of action, but applying them in the real world, in situations one could not have foreseen, requires experience of the world. For example, if one knows that one should be honest, one might act in certain situations in ways that cause pain and offense; knowing how to apply honesty in balance with other considerations and in specific contexts requires experience."
The middle path. An archetype?
Ancient Greek did not have a word for integrity – using concerns with unity and consistency, articulated in specific ways, to do the work of conveying the phenomenon. Likewise classical Sanskrit and classical Chinese have no direct correlates to our English term ‘integrity’. Yet concern with the phenomenon, and illuminating explorations of it, can still be found.
The Indian Buddhist articulation of the Path, as coordinated and progressive, and as constituting a complete and radical transformation of consciousness can be considered in this light.
