• The actions of a basically good person whose principles are muddled will be increasingly constrained by the negative consequences of his or her previous compromises. Principles, as we have seen, are our chief tool for grasping and foreseeing the consequences of our actions (pp. 3.4:1-3). Having abandoned this tool, the compromiser is at the mercy of uncontrollable destructive forces. For a clear illustration, consider the proverbial "tangled web" arising from even a minor breach of the principle of honesty. Similar "vicious circles" will be observed frequently in the latter part of this course, as we examine the consequences of moral compromise in politics.

• A person who compromises his or her principles will be perceived by others as hypocritical, deceitful, and evasive, and will lose credibility in their eyes, not only with regard to the issue currently at stake, but also issues that may arise in the future.

Integrity requires not only that we refrain from violating our principles, but also that we take positive action where appropriate in support of our expressed values and beliefs. To a rational individual, ethical ideas are not mere floating abstractions. Where they have action implications, as do many of the ideas in this course, we will follow those implications if we value our lives.     

---

Previous