Philosophical Roots of Integrity: Nurturing Good Character

When you heard the word 'philosophy', the first thing that comes to mind is probably some of the big names in philosophy world such as Aristotle, Plato, and others. It's not surprising because they were some of the philosophers who have shaped the nature of philosophy to this day. Philosophy in itself is essentially a knowledge that taught us to understand things in more depth based on logic which includes the systematic study of fundamental questions regarding existence, knowledge, value, reason, and the nature of reality. Etymologically, philosophy means "Love of Wisdom" because the word philosophy or 'Philosophia' which comes from ancient Greece is derived from the word Philein which means love and the word Sophia which means wisdom.

Philosophy encourages us to be critical thinkers, which is why in learning philosophy we often encounter a lot of questions. These questions will keep popping up until we feel satisfied with the answers we get, but often the answers to these 'questions' appear as systematically as the questions that are asked. Philosophy itself has several branches such as Ontology, Epistemology, Axiology, and Logic. Each branch has a variety of explanations and its own field, such as 'Axiology' which discusses the nature of value which is generally viewed from a philosophical point of view. Through axiology, we can understand the values that underlie human actions and how these values can shape norms in society. For example, how we practice "Integrity" in our lives.

Etymologically, integrity is derived from the Latin word tango or integer which means whole or intact. However, we can interpret the meaning of Integrity as the way we behave with ethics towards ourselves as well as the people and environment around us, such as by being honest and morally upright. In philosophy, integrity refers to a person's character and their attitude towards moral and ethical values. Of course, this involves one's role in the reciprocal process in society because integrity corresponds to moral action. There are several understandings of integrity, including integrity as self-integration, upkeep of identity, belief in something, moral purpose, and benevolence. Ultimately, however, integrity is a fundamental moral virtue and is the cornerstone on which good character is based.

When it comes to understanding the concept of integrity, philosophy plays an important role as it helps us to understand the moral and ethical values on which integrity is based. Integrity is also an important concept in philosophy as it is the most fundamental moral virtue and is the foundation of good character. Therefore, philosophy and integrity are interrelated and reinforcing, which helps us understand and apply integrity in our daily lives.