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On the self-integration view of integrity, integrity is a matter of
persons integrating various parts of their personality into a
harmonious, intact whole. Understood in this way, the integrity of
persons is analogous to the integrity of things: integrity is
primarily a matter of keeping the self intact and uncorrupted.
The self-integration view of integrity makes integrity a formal
relation to the self.
On the Will
Very roughly, we might say that a display of strength of will is a
particular relation between a person's intention and corresponding
action
John Bigelow and Robert Pargetter (2007) argue that strength of will
is the core of integrity
Self-integration is an achievement rather than a quality or
disposition such as strength of will—though strength of will is
likely to be an important quality in those who achieve
self-integration.
There are various ideas as to what it means to fully identify with
higher-level desires and volitions. However, such identification
appears to involve knowing them; not deceiving oneself about them;
and acting on them (usually).
A number of criticisms of the identity view of integrity have been made. First,
integrity is usually regarded as something worth striving for and the identity
account of integrity fails to make sense of this. (See Cox, La Caze, Levine
1999.) It disconnects integrity from the prevalent view that it is a virtue of
some kind and generally praiseworthy. Second, the identity theory of integrity
ties integrity to commitments with which an agent identifies, but acts of
identification can be ill-informed, superficial and foolish. People may, through
ignorance or self-deception, fail to understand or properly acknowledge the
source of their deepest commitments and convictions and we are unlikely to
attribute integrity to people who hold true to a false and unrealistic picture
of themselves. (On the other hand, this view of integrity as maintenance of
identify-conferring commitments recognizes the relevance of self-knowledge to
acting with integrity. If people fail to act on their core commitments, through
self-deception, weakness of will, cowardice, or even ignorance, then to this
extent they may be said to lack integrity.)
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