Understanding the virtue of integrity starts with the
Principle of the Integral Good
It means in order for something to be deemed good all the parts of it have to be deemed good. Good can only be achieved when there is no defect.
Example: If philanthropy is used to ultimately benefit the donor in some way. If the intention is bad, it renders the action bad.
A moral action has three parts;
- the object (an action that is rationally and freely chosen by the will).
- the intention (the choice of the will to do something).
- the circumstances (involve matters surrounding the action such as who, what, where, when, why, how, and how much).
It’s a simple if/then statement: If all three are not good, then what what is being done, the action is sinful.
The Principle of Integrity
A single violation of a principle, moral precept, or truth renders the person untrustworthy in relation to the principle, moral precept, or truth. This principle is self-evident. If a person or entity does something bad (see moral action above) for example lies, or steals even once, people will not trust them at least until they can judge using factual evidence that their behavior has changed over a long period of time.
The Principle of Evidence
The foundation of judging something to be true is based on reality. It’s based on facts not feelings. For example when a politician says “You may have the facts but we have the truth.” there is a disconnect.
The “thing” in the condition of evidence, it’s the measure of the truth in the judgment. What you judge with your intellect it has to adhere, to align with the “thing” observed. Something is not true simply because I think it’s true. It’s true if my observation adheres to the way the thing actually is in reality.
There can be no argument against the evidence. Example – incongruent images and words such as a comment made by the media about “peaceful protests” with buildings in flames in the background in Portland. The visual evidence proves the incongruency of the statement. In other words, the commentary about the protest is a lie, not the truth. Reason tells the sane human that the evidence says otherwise.
A hallmark of mental illness is a disconnect from reality.
There can be no inference contrary to the facts and it be true.
Key: If an explanation, hypothesis, or statement is going to be true it must take into account or be able to account for all the evidence. If it cannot account for all the evidence or there is evidence contrary to the explanation, hypothesis, statement then it is, in part or in its entirety, false.
Why is this key? The evidence is the criteria for the conformity of the mind. First, we must conform to the evidence to the reality of the situation if we are to know the truth. If I have a thought that is contrary to the reality in front of me then I should know that there’s something wrong with my thinking. Secondly, the evidence determines the degree of certitude about a proposition. We can’t make a certain conclusion without evidence.
What Does Integrity Mean?
The word integral means “whole” or completeness. St. Thomas Aquinas defines integrity as undamaged or intact. To have integrity, a person when making a decision or action, should always decide based on the right thing, the good thing to do, a moral action. One never chooses the bad. One lie destroys a person’s integrity. It takes time to rebuild trust – based on the principle of evidence.
The principle of integrity moderates our appetite and keeps us from excess or defect in our judgment. St. Thomas says the truth lies in the mean between excess and defect and that we should not judge something greater than it is or less but as it is.
Action We Can Take To Work on our Virtue
Stop listening to those without integrity.
By listening to anyone who habitually lies to you, you are violating the virtue of foresight, an integral part of the virtue of prudence. Being imprudent is a violation of the principle of integrity. In short, if you listen and believe in anyone who is lying to you, you lack integrity.
Start learning
Develop the intellectual habit of reading materials from serious resources and to know the subject well.
Start a permanent media fast
Detach from knowing what’s going on with everything in the world. Ignore “news” that is absolutely useless to improve our lives, things that don’t perfect us. For example the Amber Heard – Johnny Depp trial – who cares? You shouldn’t.
Study, learn, and know your Catholic faith.
A good start would be to purchase then read “Catechism Explained” by Fr. Francis Spirago. Your Catholic faith should be the bedrock upon which you build your house AND will help you keep your sanity in our world.
Read and follow scripture
Psalm 118: 8-9 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.”
Depend on actual grace
It enlightens the mind and strengthens the will regarding the affairs of the world.
Be 100% principled
Keep morally, spiritually, and intellectually principled to keep your sanity and to recognize and avoid the insanity that is affecting society. It will give you the courage to stay the course. Your interior peace will not be affected.
- Focus on being Catholic
- Learn the faith well
- Live it
- Tune out everything else
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This blog post are from my notes while watching this video by Chad Ripperger: The Virtue of Integrity: 2022 Conference 2 of 3 ~ Fr. Chad Ripperger
