The Meaning And Definition Of Integrity

In an effort to define the word "integrity", I came upusually not know they are acting immorally. Thus one
with some explanations, after consulting somemay acknowledge a person to have integrity even
dictionaries and encyclopaedias.though that person may hold importantly mistaken
Integrity is made up of several words, meanings andmoral views.
synonyms. It consists of a lot of what can beWhen used as a virtue term, 'integrity' refers to a
described as ethical and moral values or civilisedquality of a person's character; however, there are
values.other uses of the term. One may speak of the
1. Soundness:integrity of a wilderness region or an ecosystem, a
This refers to how healthy an opinion, argument,computerized database, a defense system, a work of
reasoning or a research finding is, implying how free itart, and so on. When it is applied to objects, integrity
is from flaw, defect or decay.refers to the wholeness, intactness or purity of a
Also, how free is it from error, fallacy, orthing-meanings that are sometimes carried over when
misapprehension; exhibiting or based on thoroughit is applied to people. A wilderness region has integrity
knowledge and experience; legally valid; logically validwhen it has not been corrupted by development or by
and having true premises; agreeing with acceptedthe side-effects of development, when it remains
views.intact as wilderness. A database maintains its integrity
It also means solid, firm, stable and thorough; showingas long as it remains uncorrupted by error; a defense
good sense or judgment based on valid information.system as long as it is not breached. A musical work
2. Completeness:might be said to have integrity when its musical
It means having all necessary parts, elements, or steps;structure has a certain completeness that is not
highly proficient; totally, absolutely, thoroughly and fullyintruded upon by uncoordinated, unrelated musical
carried out; including all possible parts.ideas; that is, when it possesses a kind of musical
3. Sincerity:wholeness, intactness and purity.
It means fairness and straightforwardness of conduct;Integrity is also attributed to various parts or aspects
adherence to the facts.of a person's life. We speak of attributes such as
4. Honesty:professional, intellectual and artistic integrity. However,
It implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way.the most philosophically important sense of the term
5. Honor:'integrity' relates to general character. Philosophers
It suggests an active or anxious regard for thehave been particularly concerned to understand what
standards of one's profession, calling, or position.it is for a person to exhibit integrity throughout life.
6. Probity:Acting with integrity on some particularly important
It implies tried and proven honesty or truthfulness.occasion will, philosophically speaking, always be
7. Incorruptibility:explained in terms of broader features of a person's
It implies trustworthiness and truthfulness to a degreecharacter and life.
that one is incapable of being false to a trust,What is it to be a person of integrity? Ordinary
responsibility or pledge.discourse about integrity involves two fundamental
It also finally means being incapable of corruption; notintuitions: first, that integrity is primarily a formal relation
subject to decay or dissolution; incapable of beingone has to oneself, or between parts or aspects of
bribed or morally corrupted.one's self; and second, that integrity is connected in an
8. Conclusion:important way to acting morally, in other words, there
The question to be asked is where does a nationare some substantive or normative constraints on
stand with regard to these principles of integrity; wherewhat it is to act with integrity. How these two intuitions
does an organisation or political party stand and finallycan be incorporated into a consistent theory of
what is my individual position? This synonymousintegrity is not obvious, and most accounts of integrity
question can also be asked: How civilised are we?tend to focus on one of these intuitions to the
9. Resources:detriment of the other.
Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyA number of accounts have been advanced, the most
Wikipedia Free Encyclopediaimportant of them being: (i) integrity as the integration
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionaryof self; (ii) integrity as maintenance of identity; (iii)
10. The Stanford University Encyclopedia of Philosophyintegrity as standing for something; (iv) integrity as
states the following:moral purpose; and (v) integrity as a virtue. These
"Integrity is one of the most important and oft-cited ofaccounts are reviewed below. We then examine
virtue terms. It is also perhaps the most puzzling. Forseveral issues that have been of central concern to
example, while it is sometimes used virtuallyphilosophers exploring the concept of integrity: the
synonymously with 'moral,' we also at times distinguishrelations between types of integrity, integrity and moral
acting morally from acting with integrity. Persons oftheory, and integrity and social and political conditions.
integrity may in fact act immorally-though they would