Whither Integrity I: Recent Faces of Integrity¹

Abstract

Despite the fact that most of us value integrity, and despite the fact that we readily understand one another when we talk and argue about it, integrity remains elusive to understand. Considerable scholarly attention has left troubling disagreement on fundamental issues: Is integrity in fact a virtue? If it is, what is it a virtue of? Why exactly should we value integrity? What is the appropriate way to have concern for one’s own integrity? Is having integrity compatible with having significant moral flaws? After an overview of common ‘data points’ or platitudes concerning integrity, this article outlines six distinct views of integrity that have been defended and draws attention to problems each has accommodating these data points.

Climate Change, Moral Integrity, and Obligations to Reduce Individual Greenhouse Gas Emissions

“…Although integrity is a frequently cited virtue, a precise definition of it is elusive. There are a number of possible conceptions of integrity, and each of them has distinct advantages and disadvantages compared to its competitors (Scherkoske 2013).…”

“…But this assessment might seem too quick. As Scherkoske's (2013) survey indicates, there are at least six distinct accounts of integrity as a moral virtue. 8 Given that controversy, one may worry why we should accept Hourdequin's approach to integrity over competing views.…”

“…This concern is reasonable, but (3) can be supported by appealing solely to a few of integrity's most fundamental features-features that any plausible account of integrity will possess. Scherkoske (2013) identifies eight "data points" concerning integrity, which refer to the general ideas that the concept of integrity typically identifies (pp. 29-30):…”

“…I sympathize with the objector in thinking that integrity is a mysterious concept and that its careless use has been the cause of much philosophical confusion. 12 Nevertheless, there seems be a fairly significant consensus in the literature on at least one trait of integrity: it is a good thing (Scherkoske 2013). 13 It would, in other words, be a fatal flaw of an account of integrity if that account could not vindicate integrity's value in some way.…”