Ed Ethics Neww Rks Hp 2008

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Ethical Character Developmentand Personal and Academic Excellence

© Thomas Lombardo, Ph.D.

Education

“The process of developing the knowledge,mind, skill, and character of a person.”

Introduction

Welcome to the online workshop on ethical character development and itsimportance in the pursuit of personal, academic, and professional excellence.

There is one key idea behind this workshop:

The development of ethical character virtues is the e! to personal,academic, and professional success in life. "ou #ill reali$e happiness andself%fulfillment in life, achieve !our hi&hest potential in school and #or,benefit those around !ou, and contribute to human societ! as a #hole, if !ou pursue a life of virtue. Ethics is &ood for !ou.

We are going to take a balanced approach to ethics with an emphasis on thepositive benefits of ethics, and we are going to take a character developmentapproach to education.

• There are positive consequences to being ethical and negative

consequences to being unethical; we will identify both. ut we are going tohighlight the positive conse'uences, instead of !ust focusing on thenegative.

• "nstead of assuming that the primary purpose of education is simply

learning theories, facts, and skills, we propose that the central goal of education is the development of people of character who will use their

knowledge to benefit themselves and others.

Academic Ethics and Inte&rit!

Academic ethics is a big and growing concern at colleges and universitiesaround the country. #umerous schools have developed $Academic Inte&rit!%statements, policies, and campus wide programs to highlight, communicate, andenforce with faculty, staff, and students the importance of academic ethics.

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"ncluded at the end of this workshop are a number of website links for thoseinterested in what colleges and universities are doing around the country. Therehas also been a considerable amount of research on the topic and whatmeasures seem most effective in improving ethical behavior within academicsettings.

(orshop )uestions

Throughout this workshop you are asked a number of questions. &ou shouldattempt to answer these questions. &ou can write down your answers or simplytry to answer them in your mind. The questions are to get you thinking aboutethics.

*utline of (orshop

Introduction +

(hat is Ethics and (h! is Ethics Important -

(hat are alues and irtues /

(h! are Character irtues so Important in Life 0

Educational alues and irtues +1

Essential Academic alues and Character irtues +-

2ummar! and Conclusion /3

Academic Inte&rit! (ebsites and 4eferences //

End 5otes 6 4eferences /7

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(hat is Ethics and (h! is Ethics Important

Ethics can be defined asa set of principles of conduct or a system of moral values.

Ethics is a topic often taught in philosophy classes, although there are coursesin business ethics, professional ethics, medical ethics, research ethics,environmental ethics, and even bio'ethics offered as well at various colleges anduniversities. "n fact, ethics comes up in almost every course offered in college (ethics is important across the entire academic curriculum.

"n essence, ethics is the study and practice of what is good ( what is moral (

what is best. )

There are many ways to come at the question of ethics. There are many theoriesof what makes something right or wrong:

• *erhaps you believe that ethics is determined by some hard and fast

rules, which should never be questioned or broken, such as, $+o notsteal%, $+o not lie%, and $+o not murder.% This is an absolutist theory of ethics.

• *erhaps you think that such absolute rules should be followed by

everyone. or example, many people -across all human cultures believein some version of the /olden 0ule, $+o unto others as you would havethem do unto you.% elieving that everyone should follow the same ethicalrules or principles is a universalist approach to ethics.

• *erhaps you think that you should consider the specific consequences of

different actions in a given situation in determining what is right and whatis wrong. Which choice leads to the best results or consequences1 This isa conse'uentialist theor! of ethics.

•

*erhaps you think that instead of following some set of absolute rules, youshould rationally think about ethics and what is the right thing to do. 2thicsshould be thoughtful rather than simply obeying rules. This is a rationalapproach of ethics. 3r maybe you believe that feelings -emotions shoulddetermine ethics. This is an emotive approach to ethics.

• *erhaps you think that love, care, and concern for fellow human beings

should be the foundation of ethics. This is a care theory of ethics.

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• 4nd finally, perhaps you think that ethics is entirely relative and sub!ective

( either relative to each person who individually determines what is rightor wrong for him or her ( or relative to a specific culture. This is therelativist theory ( either personal relativism or cultural relativism.

2ven though there are many different approaches to ethics, everyone has sometheory of ethics. 2veryone has their do5s and don5ts ( everyone has there ifs,ands, and maybe5s. 4 person5s ethics may be clear, strong, and thoughtful, or half'baked, self'serving, vague and muddled, or some hodge'podge combinationof different ideas, but everyone has some set of beliefs and principles for determining what is right and wrong. 4nd everyone, to some degree or another,attempts to follow whatever ethics they believe in ( sometimes moresuccessfully, sometimes less successfully. -6aybe that is part of a person5sethics ( to be flexible about breaking their own ethical rules.

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)uestions

What is the ethics you believe in and attempt to practice in life?

ow well do you practice the ethics you state that you believe in?

e honest ( in fact, ruthlessly honest on this second question. We all have a

tendency to excuse our behaviors, to view ourselves in the best light possible.ut here, it is important to be critical of oneself ( to admit to one5s failings ( toshow honest! and inte&rit! ( two key ethical principles described below. 8owcan one improve unless one acknowledges one5s shortcomings1

!e"t, why do you believe what you believe? What reasons can you give for theethics that you believe in?

3n this question, you could ask yourself why it is important for you to be ethical (as you understand ethics. What good ( what value ( what beneficialconsequences ' come from being ethical1 This question is philosophical, but it is

also very practical and psychological. "t is important to remind yourself of whatvalue -or values you see in being ethical.

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(hat is a alue (hat is a irtue

Every life is a march from innocence, through temptation, to virtue or vice.

#yman $bbott

$ value is “$ person%s principles or standards of behavior&one%s 'udgment of what is important in life.”

(irtues are personal character traits that embody and e"press values that are 'udged desirable or admirable. $ virtue is a good value lived.

4 way to get clear about our personal ethics is to consider what we value.

What we do ( what we think ( what we want ( reflect what we value. 4ll humanshave values and express them through how they behave and what they think andfeel.

9alues are the ideals or standards that people use to direct their behavior;values are what people strive to realie in their lives. 9alues are the standardswe use in making !udgments about what is important in life and what is right or wrong in human behavior. We !udge ourselves and others in terms of our values.

We may not agree with another person5s values, but everyone lives by values (everyone makes !udgments about what is important in life through their values.

irtues are character traits or dispositions in a person that embody and expressvalues that are !udged desirable or admirable. 4 person5s virtues define theethical character of a person. 9irtues are values that have become intrinsic tothe personal identity and way of life of a person. "f a value is practiced enough, itbecomes part of the personality ( the character ( of a person. &ou become whatyou do ( what you value and aspire toward.

#ot all values lead to virtues; some values lead to vices. "f one values money

above all else, or power over others regardless of how we affect them,developing character traits that embody these values would not be seen by mostpeople as examples of ethical character virtues. +o we see greed as a virtue1 +owe see a domineering or manipulative personality as virtuous1 +o we see apsychopath as virtuous, that is, someone who cares about his or her ownhappiness and personal gains -the psychopath5s central values but not at allabout others1

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8ence, not all values are good. There are values that lead to unethical behaviors."f " value being rich ( regardless of whether " need to steal from others or manipulate them with false promises and lies to get rich ( then " will develop awhole set of character traits that are vices, rather than virtues.

o, to review this key point:

Even thou&h ever!one possesses values, not ever!thin& that is a value, if practiced, turns into a virtue. There are thin&s that people value that lead tovices rather than virtues.

There are though values that if pursued and practiced lead to recogniablevirtues. 9aluing truth leads to honesty, integrity, and courage; valuing !usticeleads to fair'mindedness; valuing freedom and self'determination leads to self'responsibility and autonomy; valuing others leads to respectfulness, compassion,and kindness. These character traits are generally valued around the world and

have positive effects on one5s life.

o as a general question: 8ow are we going to determine what are good valuesto live by1 8ow are we going to determine what character traits to develop withinourselves ( traits that can be called virtues1

*art of the answer is that we should look at what values and character traits leadto positive results in life and which lead to ne&ative results. This is -to recallthe ethical theories introduced above a consequentialist approach to ethics.6ore generally, we should thin about our values ( adopting a rationalapproach to ethics. 4nd we should think about which values and practices seem

to provide a solid foundation for everyone in creating success for themselves andbenefiting others ( the universalist idea.

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Thinin& About 8"our9 Ethics: 3ne can simply present a set of rules or valuesand state that these rules and values are the right ones and must be followed.This is an absolutist approach to ethics. "n this workshop we are not adopting thisapproach. 0ather, we will always ask $Why it is a good thing to adopt and followa value or rule of ethics1% We will ask you to think about this question repeatedlyas well. That is, we will approach ethics thoughtfully and rationally. What reasonsor evidence can be provided that a certain ethical principle or character trait isindeed a good thing1 "f we follow this approach and you do the same, then webelieve it will become apparent to you that the values and virtues we identifybelow are good principles to follow.

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"t is a goal of this workshop to get you thinking about ethics ( to get you thinkingabout ethics in real life situations. When faced with a choice, you will think aboutwhat is the ethical thing to do, and you will act accordingly.

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)uestion

What are your five most important values? Why these values and not others?

4gain, try to be honest. "n answering this question, don5t !ust go on what you tellyourself ( or what you like to tell yourself or others ( go on what shows up inyour behavior. The way you lead your life ( the goals that are actively pursued (reflect your real values. "f you look at what you do, what does it tell you aboutwhat you value1 #ow reflect on these values. +o you consider them good valuesor not1 What do you think about your most important values1

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(h! are Character irtues so Important in Life

“appiness is not the reward of virtue, but virtue itself.”

“$ll things e"cellent are as difficult as they are rare.”

)aruch *pino+a

There are certain values that are positive and constructive and lead tocharacter traits that are ethical virtues. These values and correspondin&

virtues #ill, in fact, be the e! to creatin& a &ood life 6 a successful andhapp! life 6 academicall!, personall!, and professionall!.

<et5s start at a very general level and begin with happiness ( somethingeveryone presumably wants to pursue and realie. 8ow does one achievehappiness in life1

3ne of the most interesting surveys of human values was conducted by thecontemporary positive psychologist 6artin eligman and his associates,summaried in his book $uthentic appiness=. What is particularly importantabout his research is that it surveyed key values not !ust across cultures but

across human history. 4 large selection of influential writings from differentcultures and different historical periods was identified and presented to a groupof investigators for review and summation. 4ccording to eligman, sixfundamental virtues across all cultures and historical time periods emerged fromthis review. The six virtues and subcategories are:

• (isdom ->uriosity, love of learning, !udgment, ingenuity, social

intelligence, and perspective

• Coura&e -9alor, perseverance, and integrity

• Love and ;umanit! -?indness, generosity, nurturance, and the capacity

to love and be loved

• Temperance -6odesty, humility, self'control, prudence, and caution• <ustice -/ood citienship, fairness, loyalty, teamwork, and humane

leadership

• Transcendence -4ppreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, spirituality,

forgiveness, humor, and est

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eligman5s central psychological argument is that $authentic happiness% is builtupon the exercise and development of these character virtues and this basicformula seems to be universal for all human beings.

triking a resonant chord with the /reek philosopher 4ristotle and his virtue

based theor! of ethics, eligman believes that authentic happiness is arelatively enduring quality and is not necessarily associated with short termpleasure at all. 6omentary pleasures tend to diminish quickly and people adaptto the frequent experience of a repeatable pleasure. >haracter virtues, on theother hand, require effort for their development and when practiced and pursuedlead to long term benefits in the overall quality of life. 8ence, authentic happinessis something that must be worked at and the pathway involves ethical growth inthe individual through the development of virtues. or 4ristotle $happiness% (which is the ultimate goal of life ' is not the same as pleasure. *leasure is a goodfeeling; happiness is an accomplishment, a form of excellence, and a way of life.8appiness is a sense of well being about one5s life. 8appiness is not achieved

through the practice of a hedonism of the present -pleasure for the moment (it is achieved through lon& term effort.

or eligman, meanin& and purpose in life involve the development of character virtues and in particular the identification with some reality or goalbeyond oneself. 3ur lives should serve a transcendent reality -/od, country,spouse, family, community, etc. rather than !ust being self'serving.$Transcendence%, in fact, is one of the primary character virtues in eligman5slist. "n many ways, transcendence contradicts our modern emphasis on the ego,self'gratification, and sub!ectivism ( transcendence means realiing that there issomething beyond our private reality that needs to become our center of gravity

and our standard of truth and value. >onsequently, extreme individualism or self'centeredness works against finding meaning and purpose. >onsider the value of $me first@"5m number one@etc% ( this value generates the character traits of selfishness, self'centeredness, and narcissism ( clearly these are vices rather than virtues. They do not lead to a sense of self'fulfillment in life.

3ne can connect this point with education: 4lthough it is important to strive for self'improvement through education and it is also important to pursue educationto realie professional goals and advancement ( these goals are one'sided andself'centered; one should also pursue education so that one can contributesomething to the world ( to humanity ( to something beyond oneself.

4side from the pursuit and development of virtues being the avenue to authentichappiness and purpose and meaning in life, virtues are also the foundation for the pursuit of excellence in all spheres of life. "n fact, virtues are forms of character excellence ( they define what we mean by excellence in many spheresof human life. oth the philosophers 4ristotle and pinoa made this connectionbetween excellence and virtue. pecifically, for 4ristotle, a virtue is an area of excellence in character. urther, 4ristotle equates ethics with virtue; to be an

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ethically good person means that the person possesses character virtues and isa person of excellence. or pinoa, a life of virtue is a challenge, and though arare achievement, it is the path to excellence.

Taking the next step, a central hypothesis in this workshop is that academic

excellence is based upon the development and practice of a key set of educational character virtues. ut also, these educational character virtuessupport authentic happiness, meaning, and purpose in the educationalexperience. These key educational character virtues are identified and describedlater in this workshop; also, why they are important, in fact, critical to academicsuccess and a positive educational experience, is explained. To go back to amain point introduced earlier about ethics: What reasons can be given for aparticular ethics ( for a particular set of moral values1 *lenty of reasons areprovided why the pursuit of the set of ethical virtues listed below will not only leadto happiness and fulfillment, but to academic success as well.

3ne final reason why the virtues listed below are so important, in both life andeducation, is that exercising them will benefit those people around !ou andhumanit! as a #hole. #ot only does ethical behavior benefit you, it benefitsothers; conversely, behaving unethically not only hurts you but hurts others. "nfact, one of the main reasons for behaving ethically has to do with the well beingand happiness of others. 6any ethical principles and values -such as the /olden0ule, respect for fellow humans and their lives, and the prohibitions againststealing, murder, assault, and adultery specifically focus on how we treat others.#ow it may not always seem obvious how our behavior and values invariablyimpact others, but as a general principle, we benefit others in numerous ways bybeing good people and we harm or hurt others in numerous ways by being

unethical. $#o man -or woman is an island.% To be honest ( to be fair ( to showrespect ( send positive ripples out into the world around you; to lie, to cheat, tosteal send out negative effects into the human sphere. >onsequently by beingconcerned over your own ethics and values and pursuing a virtuous life you willpractice the virtue of transcendence ( you will demonstrate care and concern for others.

3ur social reality can be significantly improved through the focused exercise anddevelopment of character virtues. The idea that the $good life% for all can beachieved through the internaliation of character virtues in each of us goes backat least as far as 4ristotle. or 4ristotle, a life of virtue not only creates happinessin the individual but equally contributes to the well being of the community. Thevirtues listed below are not simply self'centered or self'serving ( they benefiteverybody.

4pplying this idea to the present, contemporary society is beset with a variety of significant problems and challenges ' environmental, economic, inter'cultural,and politicalA, but it could argued that many of these problems and challengescan be constructively addressed through the exercise and development of ethical

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virtues. 6any, if not most of our problems are due to a lack of ethical virtues (that is vices, such as, greed, discrimination, human suppression, selfishness,thoughtlessness, and the need for power over others. 8ence, the solutions to our modern difficulties frequently are not technological or economical, but ethical (that is, through changes in the character of our behavior and the values we

aspire to.

"n conclusion, as a final factor to consider regarding virtues, the pursuit of virtueswill help individuals make more valuable and positive contributions to theimprovement of human society. This indeed should be a goal in education: Tofacilitate the development of individuals who will positively contribute to society.>ontributing to the evolution of humanity is a form of transcendence and giveslife purpose and meaning.

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)uestions

ow would you describe your own vision of the good life for yourself? What doyou think you need to do to reali+e it? What values do you need to pursue and embrace? What character traits do you need to develop?

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Educational alues and irtues

#ow let us focus on education. There are a key set of values and virtuesconnected with education, for example, learning, thinking, integrity, honesty,growth, and excellence. These values and virtues reflect the general goals andstandards of behavior among educators and educational institutions. Thesevalues and virtues define what is !udged as important in the educational processand what types of character traits are seen as reflecting these values.

8igher education, in numerous ways, attempts to model and teach those key

character virtues which embody these central values. eyond learning specificfacts and skills, higher education highlights these virtues.

4nd further, educators invariably encourage their students to pursue these valuesand develop these character virtues as well.

The reason is simple: 6odeling and teaching these values and virtues, andhelping students to embrace and practice them, enhances their overall academicperformance, serving as the necessary foundation for the acquisition of factualknowledge and intellectual skills. or example, the love of learning and thinkingand the pursuit of excellence, enhances student performance in all academic

disciplines. 4nd further, it helps to create educated individuals who will benefitothers and society as a whole.

Althou&h it is fre'uentl! assumed that natural intelli&ence, or bein& fromthe upper socio%economic class, or havin& educated parents is the e! todoin& #ell in school, the number one factor determinin& success is thepractice of ethical character virtues 6 nothin& else #ill help !ou as much.

-The development of just one positive character trait ( personal responsibilityand control ( wipes out the combined statistical advantage of both higher social'economic class and educated parents.B

8ence, the primary focus of education should be teaching these character virtues. urther, becoming an educated person ( a life long learner ( involvesliving these virtues throughout one5s life. "t is often said that a main goal ineducation, in this fast paced, highly evolving world is facilitating the developmentof life long learners. ince things keep changing so quickly and knowledge isgrowing exponentially, everyone needs to keep learning throughout their lives.

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>haracter virtues are the key to developing this capacity and desire. 4cademicethics is therefore necessary for one5s survival in the future.

Essential Academic alues and Character irtues

What are the key academic values and associated virtues that if pursued andpracticed, produce academic excellence and success1 4fter introducing the list,each item is described in some depth.

The Pursuit of Excellence 6 The alue of alues +3

2elf%4esponsibilit! and Accountabilit! +0

Truth, ;onest!, Inte&rit!, and Authenticit! 11

<ustice and =airness 17

Love of Learnin& and >no#led&e 6 -?

Curiosit!, (onder, and *pen%@indedness

Love of Thinin& -/

Discipline and Determination -

Bro#th and *ptimism 3-

2ocial Conscience and @utual 4espect 3

(isdom and the Ethical Application 3

of >no#led&e to Life

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assume that there is a better way to do things than we presently do, only thencan we say that we have grown when and if we realie this better way.

The first step toward developing character virtues and pursuing constructivevalues is the realiation that there are better ways to do things and worse ways;

one can not believe that all actions are equal in quality and value, and alsobelieve in excellence.

4ristotle, in fact, equated being virtuous with the pursuit of excellence; virtuesare areas of excellence within one5s character. >onsequently, a vice would be anarea of weakness, deficiency, or failing in one5s character.

The belief in, and pursuit of excellence, will give purpose and direction to theeducational experience ( it brings with it goals and standards relative to whichwe aspire and evaluate ourselves ' and it generates, when realied, a sense of authentic happiness in the educational experience. The achievement of

excellence feels good.

• *ursuing excellence motivates us and generates discipline and

determination -another set of virtues.

• *ursuing excellence keeps us &ro#in&.

• *ursuing excellence reflects optimism -another virtue.

• *ursuing excellence requires coura&e -another virtue.

• *ursuing excellence requires honest! in admitting mistakes and failings

such that we will learn -another virtue.

• 0ealiing excellence produces authentic self%esteem and real

confidence.

"t is critically important that teachers and students support the idea that there aregeneral standards and values of excellence. 3ur standards should always beopen to further refinement and development, but we need to stand for somethingand practice and aspire toward standards in our behavior. "n general, ethicalleaders across the world agree on this basic point.

The noted futurist and sociologist, Wendell ell, would describe it as believing inthe $value of values% ' the belief in evaluating behavior and performance relativeto the best standards we can articulate amongst ourselves.D

"n this era of ethical relativism, it is often argued that all human values arerelative to culture, personality, and time, and that somehow this relativism impliesthat one belief system or mode of behavior is no better or no worse than thenext.E

This workshop is based on the idea that there are critical values and virtuespertaining to education ( that is principles of excellence ' that make sense, thatare important, if not essential, for success in education -as well as life in general,

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and even if we are not totally certain that these are the best values, they areclearly better than either holding other values in approaching an education, or believing that all values are equal.

These core academic values give teachers and students standards of 'ualit!

and a sense of direction and purpose, which could not be achieved or obtained if these values were thrown out the window. These values generate excellence. 4llvalues are not equal.

irst consider that there is in fact strong support and evidence that fundamentalhuman values show a strong degree of constancy and universalit! across allcultures around the world. There are values that are critically important to humanlife and define the $&ood life%. 4ccording to Wendell ell, despite culturaldiversity, all human societies share the common values of human life and health,knowledge, truth, and evaluation itself. -4s noted above, all cultures believe inthe value of values. 4ccording to ell, there are many other almost universal

values, including !ustice, peace, loyalty, courage, friendliness, trust, self'realiation, and autonomy.

0ushworth ?idder, another social researcher, also suggests that there is asignificant degree of &lobal consensus on human values. "nterviewing anumber of culturally diverse people, each of whom has been acknowledged bytheir peers for their ethical thinking and behavior, the following eight commonvalues emerged from the interviews.F

Love

Truthfulness

=airness =reedom

nit!

Tolerance

4esponsibilit!

4espect for Life

4s noted above, 6artin eligman identified six fundamental character virtuesthat generally all cultures throughout recorded history have esteemed asadmirable human traits: (isdom, Coura&e, Love and ;umanit!, Temperance,<ustice, and Transcendence.

"n a more general vein, the anthropologist +onald rown has compiled a vast list,numbering into the hundreds, of $human universals% across all cultures. This listincludes social conventions, modes of behavior, conceptual distinctions, andvalues.G The contemporary emphasis on cultural relativism appears clearlycontradicted by rown5s research. We seem to have been misled by thepropaganda of extreme individualism. 4s a species, we think and behave in verysimilar ways, and part of this commonality is in our values. "t is simply not true

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that most of us believe or practice a philosophy of $anything goes% or that onething is as good as the next.

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The 2pecial Circumstances Ar&ument

This discussion of ethical relativism is very important at a practical level. 3ne of the most common problems associated with unethical behavior is that people willexcuse or rationalie unethical behavior due to situational, personal, or specialcircumstances. 4 person might acknowledge as a general principle that stealingor lying is wrong, but engage in such actions in particular situations, believingthat in this special case it is 3? to do so. There, in fact, may be cases wherebreaking an ethical rule is warranted ( but these are very special cases. Whathappens though in the real world is that people too frequently invoke the $special

case% -or it5s relative to the circumstances excuse@rationaliation for their unethical behavior; in so doing, it becomes a slippery slope and a habit of behavior.

Individuals #ho pursue excellence 6 #ho have hi&h standards andconstructive values re&ardin& their behavior 6 #ho expect the best out of themselves % as a rule do not mae excuses for behavin& unethicall! or belo# their standards. A&ain, the! expect the best out of themselves anddo not slip into the habit of doin& less than the best.

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2ummar! 6 The alue and the irtue

The value is the principle of excellence itself ( the belief that what is superlative,superb, or very good can be defined and demonstrated in action, and that it isthrough believing in and pursuing excellence, that life is given meaning andpurpose. "n this case, the virtue associated with this value is the general qualityof $bein& virtuous% -or believing in and pursuing virtue ( being principled or possessing $character % ( the virtue is the practicing belief in and pursuit of excellence in all spheres of life.

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)uestions

/n what ways do you practice the pursuit of e"cellence? What benefits come fromthis area of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you pursue e"cellence? What

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adverse effects come from this? /n what ways can you improve yourself on thisvirtue?

2elf%4esponsibilit! and Accountabilit!

“/rresponsibility cancels out every ethical precept as soon as it entersconsciousness. The self without a feeling of responsibility would no longer be

the self&”

$rthur *chnit+ler

“#et everyone sweep in front of his or her own door,and the whole world will be clean.”

0ohann Wolfgang von 1oethe

Definitions:

4esponsibilit! ( eing the cause or explanation of somethingCable to answer for one5s conduct or obligations.

Accountabilit! ( ynonym of responsibilityCsub!ect to giving an account.

Within education -and within life it is important to take responsibility for one5sactions rather than to blame or explain away one5s behavior through situationsand the influence of other people. 0esponsibility assumes that each individualacts according to choices he or she makes. $We make our own beds and thenwe sleep in them.%

Hntil one accepts responsibility for one5s actions and one5s present reality one isdisempowered to change things. 3ne becomes empo#ered through acceptingresponsibility. "f a person can not see or accept how their present situation is of

their own doing, they can not see what they can do to change it ( they remain avictim of circumstances in their own eyes and disempowered.

4chieving authentic happiness and developing character virtues are first andforemost accomplishments. "t requires effort, rather than being something thatcan be purchased, or something that can be realied through momentarypleasures. 9irtues can not be bestowed upon you ( these qualities require self'initiative, action, and work. +eveloping character virtues requires self%effort and

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produces a sense of personal achievement. 8ence, a prime virtue that isrequired for the exercise and development of all other virtues is self'responsibility. 3ne needs to take responsibility for realiing a good life andbecoming a good person. What is good in life is achieved rather than given to us.3ne must see this and take responsibility for realiing it. #othing of value is easy.

A e! implication to education: ecomin& educated is somethin&accomplished or achievedF it is not somethin& purchased or &iven to us.(e earn it. A second e'uall! important implication: (henever problems or difficulties arise in doin& #ell in school or in particular classes, the first'uestion that should be ased is, #hat !ou can do to improve thin&s 6never #hat someone else can do.

4gain, it is important to empower yourself regarding difficulties or challenges; tosee how you can correct the problem, or else you remain a victim.

Through the accomplishment of goals, one strengthens one5s sense of self%efficac!. Without self'accomplishment there is no sense of self'efficacy.*erceived self'efficacy is the degree to which one sees oneself as capable of accomplishing goals ( that is, the degree to which ones feels a sense of personalpower. *eople show different degrees of $self'efficacy%. 4 person with low self'efficacy believes he is relatively powerless with respect to the future, whereas aperson with high self'efficacy believes he has a high level of control or influenceon the future. 8igh self'efficacy is the opposite of perceived helplessness andcounter'acts the feelings of depression and defeatism. *eople who don5t takeresponsibility for their life have a low sense of self'efficacy.

4 critical belief connected with the idea of self'efficacy is that you can transformyour life for the better. ehind this belief are a set of key assumptions.

• &ou are assuming that the future is not determined by uncontrollable

forces.

• &ou are also assuming that you are not trapped by the past.

• 4dditionally, you are assuming that you have the power through self'

initiative and the exercise of various capacities to significantly influencethe future.

&our future is not a result of causes that affect you but of choices and effort torealie your ideals. What is it that you hope to achieve1 What can you achieve1

9alues and choices based on these values, rather than external causes, willdetermine your future.

+eveloping and maintaining a sense of responsibility is one of the biggestchallenges facing everyone today. 4lthough our Western culture emphasiesindividualism, there are several factors that work against nurturing a sense of responsibility in our society:

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• *sychology is used by people to explain away their behavior, e.g.,

upbringing, personality type, childhood environment, and geneticdisposition are all used by people to $excuse% their behavior.

• 4lso people expect $quick fixes% that don5t require any personal effort.

*eople expect that problems can be solved through pills or more efficient

customer service. *eople expect that problems can be solved throughtechnology. *eople expect problems can be solved quickly.

• 4lthough we espouse individualism, we are all influenced by social

pressures and norms of behavior. "f everyone cheats, then so can ".

• 2thical relativism is excessively used as a way to !ustify all types of

questionable behaviors.

To review, self'responsibility involves first off accepting responsibility for thepresent situation ( with it problems and short'comings ( and second, believingthat it is through one5s own efforts that the present problems can be solved. 2venif it seems totally clear and obvious to you that someone or something else is to

blame for your present problems ( even if this were true ' it does the individualno good to focus on these external causes. "t dis%empo#ers you to change.2ven if someone or something else got you into this mess, it is up to you to getout of it. -4nd of course, chances are you have something to do with the problemanyhow.

Within psychology there is a distinction made between people who act and thinkfrom a perceived internal locus of control versus those people who act andthink from a perspective of external locus of control. That is, some people seethemselves as in control of their life ( other people see themselves as beingcontrolled from the outside ( as victims.I +eveloping a sense of responsibility

involves developing more of a sense of internal locus of control. "t means givingup the role of the victim.

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4esponsibilit! and Accountabilit!

3ne of the most common reactions of students -or people in general whenunethical behavior is pointed out to them, is to deny or rationalie awayresponsibility for the action. 4 person can say that he or she didn5t know theaction was wrong, or that there were external factors or special circumstances

that strongly influenced their behavior. That is, people at times won5t acceptresponsibility for their actions. ut avoiding responsibility can lead to other unethical actions, such as being dishonest about the facts, and again, it dis'empowers the individual to change his or her behavior. urther, it interferes withlearning; one can5t learn if one doesn5t acknowledge one5s mistakes.0esponsibility entails accountabilit!. We should be able to explain why we dowhat we do, openly admit that we committed the action -own up to it, and weshould be able to accept the consequences.

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4lthough self'responsibility refers to an individual character trait and virtue,without individuals accepting responsibility, social cooperation and collaboration

can not form. 3ne can count on and trust people who are responsible ( one cannot count on irresponsible people. Irresponsibilit! undermines cooperation,collaboration, and constructive social relationships. ince education is a socialreality -as well as life in general, education cannot function well if those involvedare irresponsible. Teachers trust that students will do their assignments; studentstrust that teachers will grade the assignments. Without self'responsibility on thepart of both teachers and students, this condition of trust could not be realied.

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;appiness, @ental ;ealth, and 2elf%4esponsibilit!

everal of the key character traits associated with mental health and humanhappiness are directly connected with the trait of self'responsibility. 4utonomy,purpose and direction, and environmental mastery are all central to happinessand psychological well'being;)J without these qualities people feel depressed,pessimistic, hopeless, aimless, and impotent@helpless. 4gain, to drive home themessage: 2thical behavior ( the pursuit and practice of character virtues ( isgood for you.

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The value behind self'responsibility is nothing short of the belief that eachindividual can and should determine -chose their own life and make their owndestiny. The value is individual freedom and self%determination. The generalvirtue is self'responsibility; specific character traits -or subsidiary virtuesconnected with self'responsibility include being trustworthy, dependable, self'initiating, conscientious, and autonomous.

The opposites of being responsible include negligence, undependability,unreliability, untrustworthiness, passivity, and self'victimiation ( carried to theextreme these are all vices.

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)uestions

/n what ways do you practice self2responsibility? What benefits come from thisarea of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you accept or practice self2

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responsibility? /n what way do you make e"cuses for your behavior or lifeconditions? What adverse effects come from this? /n what ways can you improveyourself on this virtue? /n what ways can you take more responsibility for your life?

Truth, ;onest!, Inte&rit!, and Authenticit!

“onesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”

Thomas 0efferson

“The best mind2altering drug is truth.”

#ily Tomlin

“)y a lie a man throws away and, as it were,annihilates his dignity as a man.”

/mmanuel 3ant

45en occasionally stumble over the truth,but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.”

*ir Winston 6hurchill

“)elieve those who are seeking the truth7doubt those who find it.”

$ndre 1ide

Definitions:

Truth ( The state of being the caseCwhat really is.;onest! ' 4dherence to the truthCrefusal to lie, cheat, or deceive.Trust ( >onfidenceCa reliance on the integrity, veracity, !usticeCof another

person or thing.Coura&e ( The ability to do something that frightens one.Inte&rit! ( The quality or state of being complete or undividedCfirm adherenceto a code or set of valuesCsynonym of being honest.Authenticit! ( TrustworthyCgenuine.

4cademic disciplines value truth. "t is the ultimate goal of all academic inquiry (the assumption underlying all statements of belief. -"f you believe in something

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you think it is -at least probably or tentatively true. cience searches for anaccurate and true understanding of nature ( when scientists report their findings,it is always expected that they are reporting the truth regarding their findings. Themost damaging flaw one can uncover in a scientific paper is that the scientistsdid not report the truth of what they discovered. To intentionally lie or deceive,

and be caught at it, is often the end of a scientist5s career. The same would betrue for any researcher in education.

2ducators value truth. "t is expected that teachers should always strive to presentthe truth of what they know as best as they can. Kust as in science, without theintent of being truthful, there can be no trust ( in this case between teacher andstudent ' no credibility in anything said. Truth is a basic value of critical thinking."n thinking we strive to get at the truth ( again, as best as we can. The oppositesof truth are falsity and deceit -presenting something as true while knowing that itisn5t.

The ideas of learning, information and knowledge all assume the concept of truth. 4cquiring false beliefs or information is not learning; false information ismisinformation; mistaken beliefs do not constitute knowledge. Truth may come indegrees and truth may be complex, but there is still a difference between beingcorrect and being mistaken. Truth is an ideal that we strive for. We can never know for certain if what webelieve is true but we should make every effort to find the truth, to assess thetruthfulness of our beliefs, and to check on the truth of statements of others. "nfact, the end of the quest for truth ( of truth itself ' comes when we think wepossess the final definitive answer and stop thinking, questioning, and checking

our beliefs. The ideal of truth is served through openness, dialogue, and criticalthinking.

"n general, the road to knowledge and learning in general requires that wedili&entl! and activel! pursue the truth as best as we can. Truth does notalways come easy. We should pursue it with a passion. The active critical thinker -discussed below realies that truth is something that needs to be pursued. "f truth is an important value for us, it stands to reason that we would search it outwith energy and diligence. 3ne can5t be lay about the truth.

Truth and honesty are critical in life and in education. 2ducation could function if educators were dishonest or falsified information. 4lthough politicians are oftenstereotyped as manipulators of the truth, if not downright dishonest, without somelevel of truthfulness among human beings, society could not function. Withoutan effort among humans to be truthful, there can be no trust. Truth is auniversal human value and a universal human distinction across all humancultures. 4nd trust, which involves the pre'conditions of both self'responsibilityand honesty, ranks high as a universal human value as well as being one of thecentral values identified in college 4cademic "ntegrity programs.

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When people present ideas or statements to others that they know are not true,they engage in deception and lies. When people omit facts or information that isrelevant or important to an issue or question they also engage in deception anddishonest!. "n both cases such behaviors, across human cultures, are seen as

vices.

When a student presents work on an assignment that the student didn5t do (when the student copies the work of another ( this is deceit and it is a breach of trust. 4nd if one considers the consequences that follow from such deceitfulbehavior, the situation gets even worse.

4ssume a person is getting educated in a particular profession -such as nursing,accounting, or auto mechanics. 4ssume assessments are required to test if theperson has actually learned the relevant knowledge and skills to competentlypractice the profession. ut the person presents the work of others as evidence

of their own knowledge and passes the assignment. 8ence the person goes outinto the world never having really demonstrated that he or she learned what isnecessary to be competent in their profession. #o one would want to be treatedby a doctor who cheated on his or her final medical exams ( who did not reallydemonstrate sufficient knowledge of medicine. Therefore, the degree andprofessional credentials are a deception which is now perpetrated on thoseindividuals who trust and depend upon the competence of the presumedprofessional. This is a breach of public trust. 4nd the deceiver knowingly puts in

!eopardy the well being of those he or she serves by practicing the professionwithout authentic qualifications. "t is the responsibilit! of all professionals toreally learn the necessary knowledge and skills required to demonstrate their

professional competence.

The effects of unethical behavior ripple out. 6istakes compound upon mistakes;vices, gone unchecked, provoke other unethical behaviors.

3ften either speaking the truth or admitting the truth requires coura&e ( another important character virtue ( one of eligman5s key virtues. We may be afraid tospeak the truth because it would upset someone or !eopardie ourselves; wemay be afraid to admit the truth because it would be admitting a mistake or someunethical behavior. 3f course, one has to practice good !udgment regarding whatto say or admit, but people often start to engage in deceitful or dishonestbehavior simply because they lack the courage to be honest.

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2elf% ;onest! and 2elf%nderstandin&

3ne of the ma!or goals of education is to foster increased self'awareness andself'understanding. Kust as one should become knowledgeable about the world,

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one should strive toward increasing self'understanding. ?nowing oneself is a keyingredient to success: What do you really want in life1 What do you believe1What are your key values1 What are your feelings and thoughts about yourself1What are your weaknesses and what are your strengths1 4nswering thesequestions is essential to determining what direction and goals you should pursue.

8onesty is a key element in the development of self%understandin& . 3necannot become self'aware without self'honesty. elf'honesty involves developinga fair and accurate self'assessment, admitting one5s mistakes, and thereforetaking responsibility for correcting them. Hnless one is honest with oneself onecannot grow and learn ( you can5t fix a mistake or failing unless you admit to it.

&ou can5t believe in the reality of mistakes ( of errors ( unless you believe in theconcept of truth. &ou can5t be wrong unless you can be right.

>ourage is often necessary in order to be honest with oneself ( we may not want

to admit to ourselves things we do not like about ourselves.

"ntellectual performance and intellectual growth is enhanced though throughactive and honest self'assessment. 2valuating one5s beliefs and one5sunderstanding turns the individual into an active learner and a thinker, and thisfacilitates the process of learning.

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Coura&e

Coura&e is one of the key virtues identified by eligman. >ourage comes intoplay in many ways in life. "t takes courage to accept self'responsibility for one5slife; it takes courage to be honest and admit to one5s mistakes; it takes courageto face the challenges and uncertainties of the future; it takes courage totenaciously pursue one5s goals; it even takes courage to love. "ntegrity requirescourage, as does hope. *essimism and depression probably involve a lack of courage.

4cademic "ntegrity programs in colleges around the country often state that oneneeds to be committed to its values and ethical principles $Ceven in the face of adversityC% "t is much easier to be ethical if one doesn5t have to deal with reallife challenges, problems, and pressures. "t requires courage -among other things to be ethical in the face of adversity.

The vice usually associated with a lack of courage is being a coward, but it isimportant to keep in mind that courage does not entail a lack of fear ( rather courage is the capacity to act even with the fear. >owardly behavior involvesbeing ruled by fear.

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Inte&rit! refers to consistency in thinking and behavior. "t means practicing whatone preaches. "t means expressing the same beliefs to different people insteadof saying one thing to one person and another thing to someone else simply to

please each person. 3f course, people modify their behavior depending on socialcontext, but when one carries this behavior to an extreme one loses integrity. Theopposites of integrity include h!pocris!, deceptiveness, being a coward, lack of conviction, and insincerity.

eing authentic is connected to integrity, for people often sacrifice integritythrough lies and distortions of what they believe and think. 4uthenticity is similar to being honest, presenting oneself without distortion or deception.

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8onesty and truthfulness are the character virtues associated with the value of truth. 8onesty pertains to both what we tell other people and how truthful andopen we are to ourselves about ourselves. >ourage, as another importantcharacter virtue, is often necessary in order to be honest. 4n atmosphere of trustdepends on honesty and truth.

"ntegrity and authenticity are other character virtues associated with honesty andtruth. 3ne can5t learn and grow without being honest. 4nd open'mindedness, aquality discussed below under the love of learning and thinking, can5t be realied

without being honest and possessing a real concern for the truth.

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)uestions

/n what ways do you practice honesty and integrity? /n what important ways doyou value truth? /n what important ways do you demonstrate courage? ow doyou pursue increasing self2understanding? What benefits come from these areasof strength in you? /n what ways don%t you practice or pursue these ualities?What adverse effects come from this? /n what ways can you improve yourself onthis virtue?

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<ustice and =airness

“&moderation in the pursuit of 'ustice is no virtue.”

5arcus Tullius 6icero

“0ustice is that which is most primitive in the human soul, most fundamental in society, most sacred among ideas, and what the massesdemand today with most ardour. /t is the essence of religions and at the

same time the form of reason, the secret ob'ect of faith, and thebeginning, middle, and end of knowledge. What can be imagined more

universal, more strong, more complete than 'ustice?

-ierre20oseph -roundhon

“0ustice is the first virtue of social institutions,as truth is of systems of thought.”

0ohn 8awls

Definitions:

=airness ( 6arked of impartiality and honestyCfree from self'interest, pre!udice,or favoritism.<ustice ( >onforming to a standard of correctnessCimpartialCsynonym withfairnessCequity

3ne of the key intellectual values connected with critical thinking is fair%mindedness. eing fair is weighing both sides of an issue ( listening to bothsides of a debate ( basically attempting to be unbiased. 8ence being fair isconnected with being open'minded and non'egocentric.

<ustice is a central value within all functional social organiations. Without !ustice, social systems deteriorate and fall. 4ll human societies around the worldhave systems of !ustice. 2veryone expects !ustice where rewards andpunishments are equal and commensurate with actions and deeds. Kustice cannot be achieved without being fair.))

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airness and !ustice come up as values within education in several ways.tudents expect to be treated fairly -without bias. Where unethical behaviors areexhibited within education, there should be !ustice. Wrongs should not betolerated ( wrongs should be righted. 2veryone expects to be rewardedappropriately for their accomplishments and efforts.

This last point deserves special attention. 0eceiving a reward for something onehasn5t earned is not !ustice. 0eceiving a reward for something one hasn5t earnedwhen others had to earn the same reward is not !ustice. When one receives apassing grade on an assignment, where the work on the assignment was copiedor plagiaried off of another student or another source, this isn5t !ustice.

Kustice implies that one receives a reward commensurate with the quality of one5s work. 2ach person should be treated equally in this manner ( each personshould receive rewards commensurate with the relative quality of their work. "nphilosophy, this is referred to as distributive Gustice. 8ence, an individual who

wants a reward for presenting the work of someone else as their own, is actuallycommitting an in!ustice against his or her fellow students. /etting a passinggrade for work not done is unfair relative to those students who received apassing grade for work they actually did. 4 person plagiariing or cheating maythink that he or she is only trying to fool the teacher or the system, but in fact, theperson in question is behaving in an unfair and un!ust fashion relative to his or her fellow students. rom a student5s perspective who did not cheat to earn his or her grade, it seems totally unfair and unethical -which indeed it is that someonewho did not do their own work receives the same reward.

4etributive Gustice refers to incurring negative consequences for unethical

behaviors. "f a student receives a ero on an assignment for plagiariing or cheating, this is retributive !ustice. "n our general social systems, we expect thatindividuals who commit unethical actions get punished for them. "f nothing else,society sets up deterrents -potential negative consequences against unethicalbehaviors, in the hope that these deterrents will reduce the amount of unethicalbehavior. 4lmost all systems of !ustice have both distributive and retributivedimensions. oth types need to be diligently enforced if the system is going towork. We should accept the negative consequences of our ethicaltransgressions; we should expect the positive consequences associated with our positive efforts. "n both cases, we are valuing the importance of !ustice.

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The values associated with this standard are !ustice and fairness. /enerally, thesame terms or similar ones are used to describe the virtues ( a fair -or fair'minded person or a !ust person. The vices associated with this standard includebias, favoritism, and greed, or being unfair, self'centered, and inconsiderate.

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)uestion

/n what ways do you practice 'ustice and fairness? What benefits come from thisarea of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you pursue 'ustice and fairness?What adverse effects come from this, both on yourself and others? /n what wayscan you improve yourself on this virtue?

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Love of Learnin& and >no#led&e 6Curiosit!, (onder, and *pen%@indedness

“/ know of no disease of the soul but ignorance.”

)en 0onson

“The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning. /t should produce not learned but learning people.

The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together.

/n a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future.The learned usually find themselves euipped

to live in a world that no longer e"ists.”

Eric offer

“/ wonder why, / wonder why./ wonder why / wonder.

/ wonder why / wonder why

/ wonder why / wonder9”

8ichard -. :eynman

“The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can e"perience is thesensation of the mystical. /t is the dower of all true science. e to whom thisemotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as

good as dead.”

$lbert Einstein

“/t is good to be open2minded but not so open that your brains fall out.”

0acob !eedleman

Definitions:

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Learnin& ( The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, practice,or study, or by being taught.>no#led&e ( acts, information, or skills acquired through experience or educationC true !ustified beliefCawareness or familiarity.Love ( 4n intense feeling of deep affectionCa great interest or pleasure in

something.(onder ' 4 cause of astonishment, amaement, or marvel CamaedadmirationCto feel doubt, uncertainty, curiosity*pen ( 8aving no enclosing or confining barrierC not shut or lockedC free fromconcealment.

Learnin& can be seen as having value in itself or can be seen as having valueas a means to an end. "f learning is valued in itself it has intrinsic #orth ( if learning has value as a means to an end it has instrumental or secondaryworth. 2ducation values learning in both ways.

Though not to discount instrumental learning, if learning is not intrinsically valued,a person will approach education as simply the procurement of a degree, anecessary step for !ob advancement, or as a way to satisfy the expectations or hopes of significant others. >onsequently they will see no problem in gettinggrades or degrees without having learned anything. "f learning has no intrinsicworth, learning is nothing but a means to an end. The lack of valuing learning for its own sake opens the door to a variety of unethical behaviors in education.

What does it mean to value learning for its own sake1 "t means that a personpossesses the $love of learnin&% ( that the person emulates the spirit of philosophy ( the love of wisdom and knowledge. "t means that understanding

something new is an en!oyable experience ( without having to ask what it is goodfor. 3f course, a person who en!oys learning will probably be able to give variousreasons why learning is a good thing and has an instrumental value, butfundamentally learning is its own reward. Kust as pinoa5s said that $virtue is itsown reward%, learning is its own reward as well.

4 person who values learning for its own sake possesses the virtue of in'uisitiveness. *sychologists have studied the drive to know ' the curiosity or exploratory motive ' and they have found that there seems to be in both animalsand humans a motive to learn that is independent of satisfying any other primaryor biological drive.)= This natural drive or tendency needs to be nurtured andreinforced; it can5t wither on the vine. tudies in critical thinking reveal that theideal critical thinker possesses a strong trait of inquisitiveness -an active wantingto learn about things that is essential for good critical thinking skills.

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The alue of Deep Learnin&

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The love of learning in connected with what psychologists and educators refer toas deep learnin&. Without a positive experience of learning, the result isfrequently only surface learnin&. ome of the main differences between deeplearning and surface learning are:

+eep learning involves getting the bi& picture ' a synthesied andcomprehensive understanding of a domain of study, rather than simple surfacelearning of a set of disconnected facts. Whereas surface learning never penetrates to the core ideas of a learner, deep learning penetrates and affectsthe learner5s fundamental values and beliefs. +eep learning involves conceptualre'organiation; in surface learning nothing of importance in the learner5s mindchanges. +eep learning is carried into the future and affects decisions andproblem solving; deep learning transfers from the original learning situation tonew situations. urface learning is the opposite ( it doesn5t transfer. +eeplearning empo#ers the individual. +eep learning is achieved through thinin&about the sub!ect matter; surface learning involves rote memoriation. "n fact,

deep learning means that a person can think about the new ideas learned andcan think with these ideas ( the new knowledge becomes operational ' it is activeand useable no#led&e. urface learning is inert, floating on the surface of themind, and a person5s thinking processes and problem solving do not incorporatethe new knowledge. 8ence, deep learning creates practical knowledge (knowledge that can be used ( whereas surface learning is the accumulation of trivia. +eep learning also connects with self%a#areness, reflection, and meta'cognition; when individuals engage in deep learning, they think about their ownthinking processes and beliefs. urface learning occurs without self'reflection.inally, deep learning is usually associated with an intrinsic motivation to learnand the associated emotional affect is positive. urface learning is extrinsically

motivated -e.g., to pass a test and the associated emotional affect is frequentlynegative, involving anxiety, fear, and stress. +eep learning is an active andexhilarating process; surface learning is more passive and often felt as meredrudgery. 4ll these qualities of deep learning apply to the type of knowledgepossessed by wise individuals.)A

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or teachers, it is important to demonstrate a love of learning ( a love of understanding and wisdom ' to evince fascination ( to show a desire to $figurethings out% ( to explore and inquire ( to question and ponder. "t is also importantto reinforce and stimulate this value and virtue in student behavior andperformance. 4s a student, it is important to cultivate the love of learning and topractice deep learning. "t is important to question, to think about, to activelyengage the sub!ect matter.

*erhaps all real learning ( all meaningful understanding ( begins with a state of #onder . 4ll thinking begins with the question. The love of learning begins ininquisitiveness. Hntil we wonder we are basically unconscious.

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The unknown is not something to fear ( it is something to revel in ( something toapproach. tudents are often afraid or closed off to the mystery of it all. Wonder requires coura&e -another example of the importance of this virtue in education.Without wonder there is no drive for learning.

Without wonder, as 2instein notes, the mind and the human spirit is as good asdead. "n fact, the mind is dead. "gniting or re'igniting wonder in your mind is inessence bringing your brain back to life. Wonder is the breath of life of the mind.

<earning various skills or techniques may not involve any sense of wonder.Working toward a degree may not involve any sense of marvel or astonishment.<ooking up at the stars and feeling overpowered by the immensity of it all is thebeginning of true learning and wisdom.

Wonder is, in part, an emotion. 2ducation consequently is more than developing

cognitive or intellectual skills ( it is more holistic. The capacity to feel wonder is avirtuous emotion. Teachers often comment that many students seem apathetic or indifferent ( such students lack a sense of wonder.

2ducation should astonish through what it reveals to the student5s mind.

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*pen%mindedness

*pen%mindedness as a character trait applies to both the love of learning andthe love of thinking as well. The human mind needs to be open in order to learn.3ne can not learn if one5s mind is closed. 4s noted above, the person who loveslearning is inquisitive. 8aving a closed mind destroys inquisitiveness. eing openmeans being receptive and thoughtfully considering new information or ideas.3ne cannot be honest and self'aware without being open; defensiveness closesoff self'examination.

Through exchange with others, one5s ideas can be tested and one can learn newperspectives on various topics. The desire to dialogue and discuss demonstratessocial openness. +ialogue is not simply exposition of one5s own views, but anexchange of ideas. +ialogue is both listening and talking. +ialogue in fact is acooperative activity where all parties allow for a give and take in the discussion.

+ialogue opens the mind to other points of view. The opposite of critical thinkingis egocentric thinking ( only being able to see things from one5s own point of view. To move out of biased or one'sided perspectives one should consider adiversity of points of view. 8ence, the virtue of being open'minded connects withthe virtue of being a thoughtful person ( a good critical thinker.

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eing open, listening to, and considering other points of view does not meansimply accepting or believing whatever someone else says. The ideas of othersneed to be assessed through the principles of critical thinking and other intellectual standards.

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2ducation values knowledge and learning -the acquisition of knowledge. Thecorresponding virtues include inquisitiveness, wonder, curiosity, open'mindedness, or simply the love of learning. The vices or deficiencies associatedwith this standard include apathy, disinterest, close'mindedness, arrogance,defensiveness, anti'intellectualism, or simply a lack of fascination with life.

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)uestion

/n what ways do you demonstrate a love of learning, curiosity, and open2mindedness? What benefits come from this area of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you demonstrate these virtues? What adverse effects come fromthis? /n what ways can you improve yourself on this virtue?

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Love of Thinin&

“#earning without thought is labor lost7and thought without learning is perilous.”

6onfucius

“8eading furnishes the mind only with materials for knowledge7it is thinking ;that< makes what we read ours.”

0ohn #ocke

“Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established

institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free,

the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.”

)ertrand 8ussell

“The une"amined life is not worth living.”

*ocrates

Definitions:

4ational ( 0elating to, based on, or agreeable to reason.Thinin& ( The process of using one5s mind to consider or reason aboutsomething.Critical Thinin& ' The art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinkingin order to make your thinking betterC

4ccording to the 4merican *hilosophical 4ssociation,

$The ideal critical thiner is habitually inquisitive, well'informed, trustfulof reason, open'minded, flexible, fair'minded in evaluation, honest infacing personal biases, prudent in making !udgments, willing to reconsider,clear about issues, orderly in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevantinformation, reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and

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persistent in seeking results which are as precise as the sub!ect and thecircumstances of inquiry permit.%

2ducation values thinking. 4ccording to *eter acione L2ducation is nothingmore nor less than learning to think.L "t is not enough to simply memorie

information ( one must be able to think about the information ( to evaluate,question, and think through the meaning of what is being learned. Thinking alsoinvolves going beyond simple belief ( having a belief is not thinking. Thinkinginvolves the active examination and evaluation of information and beliefs.Thinking may involve bringing into serious question what one believes. Thecapacit! and #illin&ness to 'uestion ( especially one5s own beliefs ( is avirtue ( it is openness, humility, and courage.

Thinking improves the quality of learning ( it facilitates deep learning. Mualitylearning is an active process and the mind becomes active in thinking. When aperson begins to think about some topic, the person becomes mentally active

and alive ( thinking is the active use of one5s mind. Thinking is empo#erment.

Thinking is also a sill. 4lthough all normal adults think, the capacity and abilityto think varies among people.

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The alues of Critical Thinin&

There are standards and principles of skillful thinking. These standards andprinciples provide a set of criteria for assessing the level of skill or quality in

thinking. These standards define excellence in thinin&. These standards asdescribed by the 6ritical Thinking 6onsortium)B are:

Clarit! means that the meaning of a term, expression, or statement is

understandable. The opposite of being clear is being vague, confusing,and ambiguous.

Accurac! means that a statement is true. The opposite of being accurate

is being false or wrong. Precision means that a statement provides sufficient detail. The opposite

of being precise is being too general. 4elevance means that a statement is meaningfully connected with the

topic being described or addressed. The opposite of being relevant isbeing disconnected or without significance to the topic.

Depth means sufficient examination of the richness and complexity of a

topic. The opposite of depth is superficiality. reath means how broad a perspective one takes on a topic. 4re other

viewpoints considered1 The opposite of breath is being narrow andsingular in viewpoint.

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Lo&ic means being rational ( drawing conclusions that follow from

premises ( being consistent in one5s thinking. The opposite of logical isbeing contradictory, disconnected, or opinionated without any reasons tosupport one5s views.

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The irtues of Critical Thinin&

"n the study of critical thinking, according to 0ichard *aul and <inda 2lder, thereare a set of intellectual virtues or universal standards that are essential to goodthinking. Bood thinin& necessaril! involves &ood solid character virtues .The virtues are listed below together with their opposites -intellectual vices.

"ntellectual ;umilit! vs. "ntellectual Arro&ance

"ntellectual Coura&e vs. "ntellectual Co#ardice

"ntellectual Empath! vs. "ntellectual Close%mindedness

"ntellectual Autonom! vs. "ntellectual Conformit!

"ntellectual Inte&rit! 8;onest!9 vs. "ntellectual ;!pocris!

"ntellectual Perseverance vs. "ntellectual La$iness

Confidence in 4eason vs. Distrust of 4eason and Evidence

=air%mindedness vs. "ntellectual nfairness

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2ducational and psychological research reveals that the skill of thinking can besignificantly improved and developed through the learning and practicing of these

standards and principles.

"mprovement in the skill of thinking will help you in all aspects of life, but inparticular, improvement in thinking skills will educationally benefit you in thelearning and understanding of information and the acquisition of knowledge. Thedevelopment and active use of thinking skills improves academic performance.

4gain, this skill can be improved or developed with practice and effort; it isimportant to take self'responsibility for the level of one5s thinking.

"mprovement in thinking skills will also support the development of active, life%lon& learnin&. /iven the rapid and continuous changes in our world, it is

important to keep learning throughout one5s life. urther, it is important to be self%motivated and self'responsible in this pursuit of knowledge. *eople are muchmore likely to persist in activities if they are self'motivated. The development of thinking skills empowers the individual to become a self'motivated, proactive,and life'long learner.

The skills involved in thinking include logical reasoning and critical thinking.2ducators value the capacities to think rationally -or logically and to think

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critically. Teaching and reinforcing these skills is one of the most important andcentral values that educators try to instill in their students.

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"t is important to emphasie that in the case of thinking the value involvesstandards and principles. There are normative criteria that define the value, e.g.,clarity, precision, relevance, and consistency. There are rules for good thinking.The virtues pertaining to good thinking include being rational, reflective, andthou&htful ( which refer to specific intellectual virtues associated with criticalthinking. The vices connected with this standard include mental lainess,impulsiveness, presentism@a narrow range of consciousness -not considering thepast or the future, narrow'mindedness, foolishness, immaturity, dogmaticism,

and authoritarianism.

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)uestions

/n what ways do you demonstrate a love of thinking? What benefits come fromthis area of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you? What adverse effects comefrom this? /n what ways can you improve yourself on this virtue?

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Discipline and Determination

“#earning is not attained by chance,it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

$bigail $dams

“1enius is one per cent inspiration and ninety2nine per cent perspiration.”

Thomas Edison

L!othing in the world can take the place of -ersistence. Talent will not7 nothing ismore common than unsuccessful men with talent. 1enius will not7 unrewarded

genius is almost a proverb. Education will not7 the world is full of educated derelicts. -ersistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan

=-ress >n= has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. L

6alvin 6oolidge

Definitions:

(or 6 4ctivity involving mental or physical effort, done in order to achieve apurpose or result. Effort 6 4 vigorous or determined attemptCstrenuous physical or mentalexertion.Determination 6 irmness of purposeCresolutenessDisciplined 6 howing a controlled form of behavior or way of working.

3ne variable, that seems to have more to do with success and learning thanalmost anything else, is effort. 4ll gimmicks and learning techniques aside, themore time and energy a person puts into study, the better the person does. Thisprinciple applies to life in general. 4gain, as a general truism, nothing of realvalue in life is easy. The character virtue is being a $hard'working% person; thevices are lainess, sloth, and self'entitlement.

The virtues of discipline and determination connect to the general virtue of self'responsibility. *racticing self'discipline and tenacious determination reflect asense of self'responsibility in the realiation of what one wants. 4 person takes

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to experience in the process of growth and evolution. +erive pleasure fromaccomplishments that involve great effort and some level of distress. That whichopposes you or challenges you strengthens you.

Taken together, this point and the last one describe some essential features of

what the psychologist, 6ihalyi >siksentmihalyi, refers to as $flo#% ( theexperience of immersion and exertion in a challenging task. )D >ultivate flow (realie it everyday; it will create and amplify purpose and direction in you. "t willcharge you. "t will open the future. low is not something you walk into; it issomething you must seek out and nourish.

"dentify an over'arching goal or direction in the future. ee what you are doingtoday in the present in the context of the future. &ou are on a !ourney throughtime ( the time of your life ' and the light ahead of you ( the light you imagineand build off of in the future will give meaning and coherence to what you aredoing today. ut you must set the light burning and keep it burning ( you must

feed the future. =uture &oals give order to things, define a sense of progress,and combat the influence of chaos, distraction, confusion, and apathy that caneasily come into one5s life. 0egularity comes through having a goal set in thefuture. 8aving purpose and direction in life is another one of the key factorssupporting psychological well'being and happiness.

Tenacit! -or persistence also comes through having a goal and you mustcultivate tenacity, above all else. *eople who possess talent frequently fall by thewayside because they give up. &ou can waiver in the moment and avoid doingwhat you intended to do today, or you can waiver in the long run and not staywith something long enough to bring the endeavor to fruition and completion. "t is

a fundamental truism that there are ups and downs in everything ( there arechallenges, defeats, sometimes even disasters. There is no such thing as asmooth and steady ascent upward ( roads are rocky, filled with holes andcrevices, and we frequently stumble, fall, and slide backwards along the way.Tenacity is maintaining forward determination and continual action through theseinterludes of chaos and momentary failures. 8aving long'term goals or aspirations gives you tenacity ( it keeps you going when you want to give up-and everyone at one time or another wants to give up ( it picks you up after youhave fallen down. "t defines the value of what you are doing ( of the meaning anddirection you are taking. 4s the psychologist 4braham 6aslow pointed out, evenself'actualiing people feel anxiety, fear, frustration, anger, and depression ( butthey pass through it and keep growing and living.)E

4e&ularit!, focus, stru&&le, flo#, &oals for the future, and tenacit! ( theseare some of the key factors behind success, accomplishment, and the realiationof one5s dreams. These are some of the key factors that go into discipline anddetermination.

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The key values associated with this standard are excellence, success, andpersonal accomplishment. The virtues include discipline, self'determination and

self'motivation, focus and purpose in life, persistence and tenacity, andenthusiasm. The vices include lainess, sloth, passivity, and defeatism.

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)uestion

/n what ways do you practice discipline and determination? *pecifically, how doyou practice discipline and determination within your educational activities? What benefits come from this area of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you? What adverse effects come from this? /n what ways can you improve yourself on this

virtue?

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Bro#th and *ptimism

“>ur only security is our ability to change.”

$nnonymous

“-erfection would be the end of evolution,the end of freedom, the end of creativity.”

Eli+abet *ahtouris

4The sages do not consider that making no mistake is a blessing. They believe,rather, that the great virtue of a person lies in their ability to correct their mistakes

and continually to make a new person of themselves.4

Wang ang2ming

Definitions:

Bro#th ( The process of developing physically, mentally, or spirituallyCtheprocess of increasing in amount, value, or importance.*ptimism ( 8opefulness and confidence about the future or the successfuloutcome of something.

2ducators emphasie the importance of &ro#th and pro&ress; teachers look for improvement rather than perfection in their students. #o one is perfect inanything ( in fact, it is impossible to even define what perfection could meanregarding human beings. The belief in perfection, in fact, interferes with continuallearning and critical thinking. "f one is perfect, what is there new to know1

*erfection would set a limit on things and there is no limit to how much peoplecan learn, how much they can grow, and what they can be. 4we, wonder,curiosity, and humility, all would be undermined if one believes one is perfect.2veryone can always be better at whatever they do. eek growth andimprovement ( seek excellence ( but give up the idea of perfection.

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/rowth is a value; it is a value that if pursued leads to positive psychological well'being. "f a person believes they are growing or improving, they are happier than if they believe they are stagnant or without direction.)F

elieving in the possibility and desirability of growth reflects an openness and

willingness to change and an appreciation of the value of chan&e. 9aluinggrowth is therefore connected with valuing openness ( a character qualitydescribed either under the love of learning. 4nd of course one won5t see thevalue in growth and learning if one believes that one is perfect or that onepossesses the absolute truth about things. 9aluing growth reflects humilit! ( anopenness to one5s limitations and being willing to admit to mistakes ' arrogance,close'mindedness, and egocentric thinking -the opposite of critical thinking resistgrowth. "f one is perfect, one won5t admit to mistakes.

*eople may believe that things can -or will get better in the future, especiallyregarding their own life, or people may believe that their situation is hopeless and

going from bad to worse. *eople may believe in the possibility of growth or theymay not. The former are optimists; the latter are pessimists. elieving in thepossibility of growth and improvement is one way to define the character trait of optimism.

"f a person believes that they can improve themselves ( that they can grow andachieve progress in their lives ( they stand a much better chance of success.elieving that one can not improve ( that one can not learn ( maximies thechances of failure and stagnation. oth optimism and pessimism are self%fulfillin& prophecies. 2ach way of thinking gets reinforced in life since eachtends to produce the very results it anticipates ' either constructive -optimistic or

defeatist -pessimistic behaviors. $"t may not be true that where there5s a willthere5s a way, but if there ain5t no will, there ain5t no way.%

eligman, who has studied the attitudes of optimism and pessimism extensively,argues that the belief that one can positively affect the future is critical tooptimistic thinking. 3ptimism involves a strong sense of self%efficac!. 8ence,optimists have a strong sense of self'responsibility ( a positive sense ( regardingthe creation of their future.

eligman defines optimism as a way of thinking involving the beliefs thatmisfortunes are relatively short'lived, limited in their effect, and due to externalcircumstances.

*essimists, on the other hand, not only have negative images about the future,they believe that they cannot positively affect any change in what is to come.They believe that they are doomed to failure. They feel hopeless and helpless.eligman defines pessimism as involving the beliefs that misfortunes have long'term and pervasive effects and are the fault of the individual. eligman contendsthat depression is primarily due to pessimistic thinking. )G

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eligman sees optimism and pessimism as $habits of thou&ht%, which obey thelaws of reinforcement. 8e believes, based on considerable research, that thesehabits of thought can be changed through re'learning, education, and training.

*sychological studies reveal that optimism is always better than pessimism.3ptimists tackle problems ( they approach life. *essimists, because theyanticipate failure, run from problems ( they avoid life. ecause optimists look atlife5s challenges in the eye, they are more realistic; because pessimists run andavoid, their perceptions of reality are impoverished. 3ptimists have more positivefeelings about life; pessimists more negative feelings. *ositive feelings contributeto increased performance and creativity. 3ptimists experience hope toward thefuture; pessimists feel despair.)I

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*ptimism, 2elf%Efficac!, and nethical ehavior

3ptimists believe that they are capable of positively affecting their future.*essimists do not believe that through their efforts they can create a positivefuture. 3ptimists believe they can do it and tackling life challenges, figure outhow to do it. ecause a pessimist is a defeatist about life and has a low level of confidence in his or her abilities, a pessimist may resort to dishonest or unethicalbehaviors to achieve their goals.

elieve that you can achieve your goals through your own personal efforts andfigure out how to do it. 4dopting this mindset will make one much less

susceptible to trying to find disingenuous or easy ways around life5s challenges.

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The values are growth, development, and improvement. The associated virtuesare optimism, hopefulness, courage, flexibility and a willingness to change,humility, hopefulness, and self'confidence. The vices include pessimism,perceived helplessness, nihilism, defeatism, inferiority, and arrogance.

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)uestion

/n what ways do you demonstrate optimism in life? What benefits come from thisarea of strength in you? /n what ways don%t you in fact, are pessimistic? What

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adverse effects come from this? /n what ways can you improve yourself on thisvirtue?

2ocial Conscience and @utual 4espect

“!o man is an island entire of itself7 every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main&any man=s death diminishes me, because / am involved inmankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls7 it tolls for

thee.”

0ohn @onne

Ts+e23ung asked, saying, 4/s there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one=s life?4 The 5aster said, 4/s not =reciprocity= sucha word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.4

$nalects of 6onfucius

Definitions:

2ocial Conscience ( 4n inner sense of concern for other human beingsCfor

humanity4espect ( 8igh or special regardCesteem.@utual ( 2xperienced or done by each of two or more parties toward the other or othersChaving the same specified relationship to each other.4eciprocit! ( The practice of exchanging things with each other for mutualbenefit.

2mphasiing in education the importance of this value is critical in counter'actingcertain negative trends in both popular culture and higher education today. 4sidefrom education being increasingly seen as simply a means to an end, the endsthat education serves are increasingly defined as self'serving. inancial and

professional advancement are important considerations in life to be sure, butsuch goals are self'centered. 2ven personal enlightenment and enrichment areself'centered. We would hope that education also serves the purpose of instillingin students the desire to contribute to human society and the betterment of thehuman condition. We need to counter'balance the $cult of individualism% thatpervades our culture. "n an age of increasing globaliation and globalconsciousness, this value is all the more important. =J

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tudents need to consider in their own career choices and educationaldevelopment the contributions they can potentially make to the welfare of humanity. What can they do to make the world a better place1

3ne of the central driving forces in history is the human desire for recognition

and respect.=)

2veryone wants to be respected. 2veryone wants to be treatedwith value. tudent performance improves when students are given attention,respect, encouragement, and recognition for their efforts to learn. aculty andteachers want to be acknowledged by students for their education, position,wisdom, and the numerous ways in which they attempt to help students.

@utual respect generates a climate for cooperation and collaboration. Withoutmutual respect, or as rancis ukuyama states, $reciprocal recognition%, societyfalls apart and education does as well. "t is important in this regard to understandthat although we have the right to expect respect from others, we have theresponsibility to show it to others; one can5t expect what one doesn5t give. This is

a principle of social !ustice. "t is amaing how much respect one gets once onestarts to show it to others.

Civilit! is a key feature of respectful relations between students and teachers.8ostility, personal insults and attacks, vulgarity, rudeness, and demeaninglanguage all undermine an atmosphere of mutual respect. 6ost academicinstitutions have rules for civility between teachers and students, and this issuehas become an increasing concern with the emergence of online education werepeople can express critical comments and negative feelings toward otherswithout having to face them in person. "f nothing else, such behavior is anexpression of cowardliness ( an indication of lack of courage. "t is important to

always ask oneself, how one might improve a social interaction or relationshipwhere tension or bad feelings are rising. >an we look at the situation from theother person5s point of view before going on the attack1 +id we at least make aneffort to move toward a peaceful and constructive interaction1 This demonstratesopen'mindedness and the transcendence of ego'centricity. #o one is suggestingthat a person shouldn5t defend his or her self, if unfairly criticied or attacked. utit is important to consider how best to deal with such situations and to make surethat you are being wronged or attacked.

6any concepts of !ustice and fairness derive from the idea of reciprocit!. Theexpressions $4n eye for an eyeCdo unto othersC and you scratch my back and"5ll scratch yours% all describe social reciprocities. 0eciprocity is a key principleunderlying the idea of partnerships.== 0eciprocity ( developing mutually beneficialrelationships and forms of exchange ' is a key factor in driving the evolution of human societies.=A >ultivating #in%#in relations is an expression of reciprocity;viewing life as win'lose encounters reinforces competition and excessiveindividualism. 0eciprocity highlights the essential dimensions of cooperation andinterdependency within human life.

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0eciprocity is also behind the 2astern principle of karma ( a form of cosmic !ustice ' $What goes round, comes round.%

4t the most basic level, integrating the idea of reciprocity into one5s philosophyand behavior means acknowledging one5s interdependency with the rest of

humanity, with nature, and even with the cosmos. "t means giving up themistaken notion of extreme individualism ( that each of us is a separate self'contained entity. #o one truly does anything alone; everyone depends on others."n our emerging global society, it is critical to see our interdependency with eachother. 0eciprocity as an ethical duty means giving to others knowing full well thatothers -and society as a whole have given to you.

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The values are the betterment of human society, reciprocity and !ustice, andmutual respect. The virtues are social conscience, a sense of responsibility anddesire to contribute to society, empathy, care and concern for humankind, andrespect for others. The vices are disrespectfulness, narcissism and self'centeredness, entitlement, and insensitivity to others.

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)uestion

/n what ways do you demonstrate social conscience and respect for others?What benefits come from this area of strength in you? /n what ways don%t youdemonstrate these ualities? What adverse effects come from this? /n what ways can you improve yourself on this virtue?

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(isdom and the Ethical Application of >no#led&e to Life

“3nowledge is power&”

:rancis )acon

Wisdom is the highest e"pression of self2development and future consciousness./t is the continually evolving understanding of and fascination with the big pictureof life, of what is important, ethical, and meaningful, and the desire and ability to

apply this understanding to enhance the well being of life,both for oneself and others.

Tom #ombardo

Definitions:

Application 6 The action of putting something into operation or action.

"nformation obtained in school can be perceived as relevant or irrelevant to life."ndividuals can learn information and never consider how that information could

be applied to life. 3n the other hand, a person can view new knowledge ascontributing to the improvement of their own life, if not relevant to helping othersas well. 4s rancis acon said, $?nowledge is powerC%

urther, people can take classes and learn information that relates to and issignificant regarding their pre'existing beliefs, yet they may or may not apply thisnew knowledge to their personal beliefs. *ersonal beliefs may grow and changeas a consequence of information or knowledge learned in school (a person maychange their mind about their previous beliefs ( a person may even besignificantly transformed as a consequence of what he or she learns in school 'or on the other hand, personal beliefs may stay the same ( the person may stay

the same, impervious to whatever information is acquired in school. The former case typifies what happens in deep learning; the latter what happens in surfacelearning.

2ducators value the relevance and applicabilit! of learnin& and no#led&e tolife. 4lthough educators intrinsically en!oy the processes of learning andteaching, they also believe that the acquisition of knowledge improves the quality

49



of life, enhances and enriches consciousness, and can even transform aperson5s character.

9aluing learning and knowledge for its relevance and applicability to life is not thesame thing as valuing a degree because it will improve one5s professional and

financial situation. "n the former case the knowledge is applied to real lifesituations and to improving one5s beliefs and practices. "n the latter case, theinformation acquired in gaining a degree may not even be applied to one5sprofession ( the only thing that matters is that the degree leads to a better !ob.8as the knowledge been applied to life, or is the degree simply a means to someend1

"n order for information to be retained and to really have a value in improving thequality of life, it is important that students actively work at connecting theknowledge learned in school to life and to pre'existing beliefs and values.

4lthough teachers should strive toward helping students to see the connections

between knowledge and life, to a significant degree it is the responsibility of students to go look for the connections. This is part of active learning.

oth $the love of learning% and striving to see $the relevance and applicability of knowledge to life% enhance the process of learning and the growth of knowledgein the human mind. The more a person en!oys learning and the more a personattempts to apply new ideas and information to life the better the learning.

4 person who applies knowledge to life acquires the virtue of educated or informed competence. 4 person who applies what they learn to life in an ethicaland broad, holistic fashion acquires the virtue of wisdom.

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A 2pecial =ocus on (isdom

The virtue of wisdom is often identified as the highest potential level of humandevelopment.=B Wisdom though should be seen as a !ourney or process rather than some fixed end; people grow in wisdom throughout their lives and it isnever'ending. 4gain, there is no perfection.

The study of wisdom has a long history, beginning with ancient philosophy,religion, and spirituality. Through the ages cultures around the world haveattempted to define what it is and there are many definitions of wisdom. >learly ithas been revered and it is one of eligman5s six universal character virtues.6ore recently, there has been a renaissance of interest and study in the nature of wisdom; philosophers, psychologists, spiritual thinkers, and educators haveattempted to delineate its basic features.

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"t can be argued that wisdom should be the central or over'riding goal of allhigher education ( what students should aspire toward above all else, and whateducators should model and practice in their profession. The pursuit and practiceof wisdom should be the main focus of education. "t is the highest form of

knowledge and human development, integrating heart and mind, and ethics andpractice. This conclusion aligns with the idea that that the development of character virtues and ethical values, rather than simply the accumulation of knowledge and skills, should be at the core of education and academic inquiry.=D

"t can also be argued that wisdom is exactly what we need more of ( a lot moreof ( in successfully addressing the challenges and problems facing society today.We have plenty of money ( we have plenty of technologies ( we have plenty of creativity ' but we are lacking in ethics and wisdom in using these resources andcapacities.

*utting these two points together, education should focus on developing instudents the capacity for wisdom, for this is exactly what is needed to create apositive personal future and contribute the improvement of humanity as a whole.

6any contemporary educators argue that the teaching and cultivation of wisdomwould greatly benefit both modern society and educational practice. =E "f the virtueof wisdom more strongly influenced problem solving and decision making in our modern world, we would make great progress in solving the social problems of today and creating a better world for tomorrow.

The question then is what is wisdom1 4nd the answer, in fact, is not that

complicated.

irst wisdom is something acquired through ongoing deep learning and

critical thinking throughout one5s life; the foundation of wisdom is in thelove of learning and thinking. >onsequently wisdom is associated withopenness, humility, curiosity, wonder, and awe.

econd, the pursuit of wisdom involves trying to figure out what is really

important in life; that is, wisdom involves thinking about values andevaluating different values.

Third, wisdom involves applying this knowledge to life ( wisdom is highlyinformed practical knowledge. Wisdom, in fact, grows through dealing withthe challenges and problems of life. Wisdom pulls together the knowledgeacquired in the past and applies it to making the best possible decisionsfor the future. Wisdom involves seeing the consequences of things.

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ourth, various studies have demonstrated that the pursuit and

development of wisdom leads to happiness in life; wise people en!oy thepursuit and practice of wisdom. Wisdom is the pursuit of the good life.

ifth, wisdom transforms the human personality; there are an identifiable

set of personality traits connected with wisdom. Wise people show greatintegrity and self'awareness, and engage reality with enthusiasm andoptimism -the belief that they can positively affect the future through their actions.

4nd finally, and critically so, wisdom is not !ust an intellectual or practical

ability or repository of knowledge, but an ethical concept ( in fact a virtue.Wisdom involves the ethical and constructive application of knowledge tolife. Wisdom involves compassion and empathy for others ( wise peopleuse their knowledge, not only to bring themselves happiness, but to helpothers realie it as well. urther, wisdom subsumes many other character

virtues ( that is, in order to become wise one needs to develop a wholeset of virtues, including courage, honesty, self'understanding, optimism,self'responsibility, and respect for others.

Wisdom has been placed as the last ethical character virtue in this workshopbecause it pulls together most of the other virtues discussed already andbecause it can serve as the central or all'encompassing virtue to pursue andpractice in becoming an educated person ( in living a life of excellence andachieving success.

"n summary, the main features of wisdom include:

+eep learning and understanding about life and reality

The capacity to see the big picture ' understanding of the connectivity of

things 4 synthesis of past and future ' seeing long'term consequences of actions

8ighly developed practical ability ( applying knowledge to concrete

problems in life 2xcellent thinking skills

>apacity to see multiple points of view ( open'mindedness

4 self'stimulating, evolving, and open system of knowledge balanced and

driven by questions, doubt, and a degree of uncertainty >uriosity, inquisitiveness, wonder, engagement with reality ' a love of

learning and thinking >ompassion and empathy for others

4 sense of happiness and well'being associated with the pursuit and use

of wisdom. The application of knowledge, guided by ethics, to the well'being of both

oneself and others ( ethics in thinking

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>ourage, integrity, fair'mindedness, humility, and reverence

4 sense of connection between the self and other people, human society

as a whole, nature, and the cosmos 2xceptional self'awareness and the capacity for self'reflection ' self'

transcendence and a widening of the egocentric

elf'accomplishment and an act of will that requires continual effort=F

4s can be seen from the above list, wisdom as a character virtue, synthesiesalmost all of the other character virtues described in this workshop. This is why itis the most central and important character virtue to pursue in education.

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The first value identified in this final section is the practical relevance of knowledge to life, based on the belief that the acquisition and application of knowledge will improve the quality of life and improve the character of theperson. The virtue connected with this value is informed competence.

0egarding wisdom, there are numerous values associated with it. 4side frombelieving in the practical utility of knowledge, there is the love of learning andthinking, and a particular fascination with understanding the big picture andasking big questions. Wise people value growth and personal development,purpose and meaning in life, excellence and living well, the happiness and wellbeing of others and the desire to help them, and the application of ethics to life.

4s noted above, almost all the virtues discussed in this workshop, includinghonesty, courage, curiosity, social conscience, self'responsibility, the love andpursuit of excellence, and thoughtfulness are components of wisdom.

The vices associated with this section include foolishness, indifference towardlearning, thinking, and growth, self'centeredness, a disregard for ethics -includingpsychopathic tendencies, aimlessness, and willful ignorance.

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

)uestion

/n what ways do you pursue wisdom in life and attempt to practice it? /n what ways do you apply what you have learned to improving your life and helping others to improve theirs? What benefits come from this area of strength in you?/n what ways don%t you? What adverse effects come from this? /n what ways canyou improve yourself on this virtue?

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2ummar! and Conclusion

To review, the central idea presented in this workshop is that the developmentof character virtues is the e! to academic success. These character virtues,in fact, define the essence of academic success or academic excellence.ecoming an educated person amounts to practicing and pursuing these virtues.

The character virtues, identified and described in this workshop include self'responsibility, the love of learning and the love of thinking, honesty, fair'mindedness, and wisdom. Wisdom is seen as the highest and mostcomprehensive of the character virtues that are developed through education.

*rinciples of deep learning, critical thinking, and positive psychology -includingflow, self'efficacy, and optimism are essential to realiing these character virtues.

The development of character virtues address a variety of general life concerns,such as happiness and meaning and purpose in life, and furthermore, character

virtues such as wisdom, optimism, courage, and self'responsibility support aconstructive and positive approach to the future.

2thics is the key to academic excellence, as well as excellence in life.

H H H H H H H

=inal )uestion

@escribe how you would apply the ideas and principles presented in thisworkshop to the improvement or enhancement of your educational e"perienceand your level of success and accomplishment as a student, or if applicable as ateacher. Take each of the ten valuesAvirtues and include it in your plan, noting itsimportance for you and in particular, where you may need to improve yourself inregards to the pursuit and practice of each virtue. /f you wish, you may also add how each valueAvirtue has relevance to your personal andAor professional life aswell.

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Academic Inte&rit! (ebsites

>enter for 4cademic "ntegrity ' http:@@www.academicintegrity.org@

undamental 9alues *ro!ect -4cademic "ntegrityhttp:@@www.academicintegrity.org@[email protected]

Ten *rinciples of 4cademic "ntegrityhttp:@@sa.s!su.edu@!udicialNaffairs@facultyNandNstaff@[email protected]

yracuse Hniversity ( 3ffice of 4cademic "ntegrityhttp:@@[email protected]

94"< -9irtual 4cademic "ntegrity <aboratory (http:@@www.umuc.edu@distance@odell@cip@vail@faculty@4"[email protected]

4cademic "ntegrity and the World Wide Web

ethics.sandiego.edu@...@<awrenceP=J6.P=J8inman,P=JP=JP=J4cademicP=J"ntegrityP=JandP=JtheP=JWWW...

undamental *rinciples of 4cademic "ntegrityhttp:@@ethics.sandiego.edu@eac@ummer=JJJ@0eadings@*rinciples.html undamental 9alues of 4cademic "ntegrity ( Hniversity of Waterloohttp:@@www.lib.uwaterloo.ca@[email protected]

4cademic "ntegrity ( Mueen5s Hniversityhttp:@@www.queensu.ca@academicintegrity@news@4"/aette.html

Ten 0evised *rinciples of 4cademic "ntegritywww.longwood.edu@!udicial@ academicintegrity faculty.pdf

4cademic "ntegrity and 4uthentic 2ducationhttp:@@[email protected]

4cademic "ntegrity and *lagiarism ( 6errimack >ollege

55

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http://www.academicintegrity.org/fundamental_values_project/index.php

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http://academicintegrity.syr.edu/index.php?page=66

http://www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/cip/vail/faculty/AI_overview/def_integrity.html

http://ethics.sandiego.edu/eac/Summer2000/Readings/Principles.html

http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ait/values.html

http://www.queensu.ca/academicintegrity/news/AIGazette.html

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http://cai.ucdavis.edu/authenticeducation.html

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http://academicintegrity.syr.edu/index.php?page=66

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http://ethics.sandiego.edu/eac/Summer2000/Readings/Principles.html

http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ait/values.html

http://www.queensu.ca/academicintegrity/news/AIGazette.html


http://cai.ucdavis.edu/authenticeducation.html



http:@@www.noblenet.org@merrimack@[email protected]

4cademic "ntegrity ( 0oosevelt Hniversity ( 4 /uide for tudentshttp:@@www.roosevelt.edu@plagiarism@

4cademic "ntegrity at 0utgers Hniversityhttp:@@[email protected]

4cademic "ntegrity is #ot a 6oneymaker www.thedrakegroup.org@plittN 4cademic N "ntegrity .pdf

The 4cademic "ntegrity Tutorialhttp:@@www.yorku.ca@tutorial@academicNintegrity@

4cademic "ntegrity Tutorial ( >al tate ullerton ( The <ate #ight howhttp:@@guides.library.fullerton.edu@ait@

*lagiarism and 4cademic "ntegrity Tutorial at 0utgers Hniversityhttp:@@www.scc.rutgers.edu@douglass@sal@[email protected]

H H H H H H H

56

http://www.noblenet.org/merrimack/academic_integrity/def.htm

http://www.roosevelt.edu/plagiarism/

http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/integrity.shtml

http://www.thedrakegroup.org/Splitt_Academic_Integrity.pdf

http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/

http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/ait/

http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/douglass/sal/plagiarism/intro.html

http://www.noblenet.org/merrimack/academic_integrity/def.htm

http://www.roosevelt.edu/plagiarism/

http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/integrity.shtml

http://www.thedrakegroup.org/Splitt_Academic_Integrity.pdf

http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/

http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/ait/

http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/douglass/sal/plagiarism/intro.html



End 5otes % 4eferences

57



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Ed Ethics Neww Rks Hp 2008