Essay about In Search of Virtue in Honors

"When we're young, it sometimes seems as if the world doesn't exist outside our city, our block, our house, our room. We make decisions based on what we see in that limited world and follow the only models available” (Moore, 178). Role models play a very big part in shaping an individual and deciding which route they take in their lifetime. In both of the Weses’ life, role models contributed to why they both turned out so differently. Wes Moore, the author, had strong and positive influences in his life that helped guide him on the right path to become a successful adult. However, the other Wes Moore had many influences in his life that, not intentionally, guided him down the wrong path.

I am honored to be among the commendable students whom are being considered to be a part of such a prestigious organization, The National Honor Society. I have been wanting to be a part of this organization the second I stepped into this school. Of course I have worked vigorously for it, there has not been one year here at Lone Star where I have not been in less than 3 Pre-AP or AP classes with averages frequently resulting in an A. I work hard everyday and night in order to ensure my success now and in the future. National Honor Society is an exceptional group brimmed with bright young men and women who create the world of tomorrow. I, Jadzia Sanchez, Class of 2017, yearn to be a part of such a group. I have been a part of theatre in both middle school and high school, I am a very active thespian and have branched out by joining acting classes outside of school.

Integrity. To me, integrity is being honest to others and to yourself. It’s to have moral uprights. It’s the state of being whole. It’s a word used to describe someone’s level of honesty. No one is gets integrity once they are born. It is developed by good influences actions. Having integrity is doing the right thing is a trustful way. Someone who has integrity means they have a moral compass that leads them in the right direction. They follow their moral judgements and do good things under all circumstances, even if no one pays attention. They would do nothing that dishonors themselves.

Honor is one of those concepts that is seldom defined. One’s reputation is based on his or her honor, integrity, honesty, and purity. William Shakespeare’s Henry IV is a one of his many plays that deal with the varying ideas of honor, as well as issues of courage, loyalty, and ambition, interposing examples of dishonor, weakness, and the deceitful plots among both the drunkards and noblemen. Shakespeare utilizes suggestive metaphors to create illusions, imagery, and to reinforce the different views of the major issues people were faced with in his time and in ours. His plays often focus on the imagery, either on some obvious important symbol, or some image pattern that recurs throughout the work. Readers are

Hursthouse might respond to this objection that moral philosophy is sufficient for a virtuous person to make a decision in any given circumstances because it guides the person to be certain not in making the correct decision but in having virtuous intention. A person’s virtuous intention is based not by what end it reaches. It is by what action is made. Hursthouse might argue in our given example that the surgeon’s action is certain because he makes a decision with the intention to save a life of a patient instead of losing two. In addition, Hursthouse might claim that this act of virtuous intention is reasoned in terms of what a virtuous person would do. However, this response fails to recognize that certainty is not just

Throughout the history of the world, honor has been an important part of life. In literature, as well, honor plays an important role in many plots and the development of almost any character. Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing is no exception. In this comedy about love and marriage, honor is revealed as the primary reason for many of the actions taken by several different characters. When Claudio breaks off his wedding with Hero, he does it because he believes she is not chastised as she claims to be and in being such, she would dishonor him as well as her father if the marriage were to proceed as planned. The play is an accurate depiction of the honor code and the different standards for men and women of the time in regards to

A role model helps create an introspective attitude towards a person’s life. Having a positive role model drastically changes the attitude and fervor you have for life. Unfortunately, role models can be equally harmful as they are beneficial. Wes Moore lived in an era when discrimination was rampant, an environment where there were very few positive role models. Despite Tony’s effort to preempt Wes’s degradation, Wes made a few bad decisions a long the way to push him away from the path of a better life. “Send them a message” Wes would tell himself in volatile situations. He hasn’t been able to learn to control his feelings because of his brother’s detrimental motto. In spite of Tony’s best intentions, his actions were completely not true to his words. Although it can be seen as inevitable, it cannot be denied that Tony’s action had a huge impact on Wes’s course of action. The author, on the other hand, was exposed to a positive role model through military school. With a black male positive role model to look up to, the author became introspective and reflective about his life. This change ultimately shaped him to become a more disciplined person; which helped him stay on the path of a normal

It has been said, "I would rather die standing than live on my knees!" (Emiliano Zapata). All things are possible to a person who stands on the foundation of honor. The definition of honor is a high regard or respect; personal integrity; reputation; privilege (Webster’s Dictionary). The word honor comes from Latin Honos. Honor shapes lives everyday, and provides the glue that holds a family, community and country together.

Morals, character, integrity, what do these words mean….actually, the question is, do you have them. A man named Dwight Moody once said, “Character is what you are in the dark.” You cannot see your morals, character, or integrity, these are only shown as your values. Someone could only show their own values, which are very important to themselves and everyone else. Integrity is the firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values. The way you show your integrity, character, and morals or how they are effect you in either a negative or positive way. There are many causes to how your values are. So as you know, integrity is very important and it is important to have it.

The National Junior Honor society, to me, represents the highest honor someone can achieve while in Middle School. Being accepted into such a prestigious society would not only give me an environment where I can improve my character, but it will also give me an experience which will help me gain a leadership position in the future. My intentions while in this society are to gain knowledge on what I can do to better my household as well as my community as a whole. While in this society I will work diligently to make positive changes to my community and school.

Hartman, E. (2006). Can We Teach Character? An Aristotelian Answer. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 5(2006), 68-81.

Heinrich Böll uses his novel, The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum, to attack modern journalistic ethics as well as the values of contemporary Germany. The structure of this novel is important to conveying his message. He uses a police report format, differences in chapter lengths, narrator or author intervention, a subtitle, and the extensive use of the 'puddle' metaphor. All these things contribute towards the message in the text.

Virtue ethics is a concept that is used in the process of moral decision making. It is dependent on the individuals themselves rather than on society, culture and religion. Aristotle was one of the main philosophers involved in virtue ethics. He was an advocate for virtue. Virtue ethics are associated with the type of person that one should become. It is solely concerned with human nature and morals. This essay will explore Aristotle’s conception of virtue. I will discuss Aristotle’s belief that virtue ethics are vital in achieving the ultimate goal of happiness. I will further consider and examine his theory of the Doctrine of the Mean. Finally, I will explore how Aristotle distinguishes between the two kinds of virtues and this will result

Academic ethics are the moral codes or the shared standards of an academic enterprise and the core of its success (Occidental College, 2016). Basically, academic ethics require each student, to be honest, responsible, fair, respectful, give credit where it is due, turn in their original work, and etc. (Michigan State University, n.d.). Academic integrity requires students to do their own work without unauthorized help from others, cheating, lying, plagiarizing, and stealing (Valdosta State University, 2016). Academic integrity is important because it shows that the student is trustworthy and honest enough to do his or her own work, whether someone is looking or not. “Learning how to express original ideas, cite sources, work independently, and report results accurately and honestly are skills that carry students beyond their academic careers” (Michigan State University, n.d., para. 2).

The philosophy of virtue ethics, which primarily deals with the ways in which a person should live, has puzzled philosophers from the beginning of time. There are many contrasting interpretations regarding how one should live his or her life in the best way possible. It is in my opinion that the Greeks, especially Aristotle, have exhibited the most logical explanation of how to live the "good life". The following paper will attempt to offer a detailed understanding of Aristotle's reasoning relating to his theory of virtue ethics.