Difference between revisions of "Honor" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Hamilton-burr-duel.jpg|thumb|290px|[[Alexander Hamilton]] defending his honor by accepting [[Aaron Burr]]'s challenge to a [[duel]].]]
 
[[Image:Hamilton-burr-duel.jpg|thumb|290px|[[Alexander Hamilton]] defending his honor by accepting [[Aaron Burr]]'s challenge to a [[duel]].]]
'''Honor''' is defined both in religious as well as in secular terms.
 
 
In Juadism, honor is defined as the high respect, esteem, reverence, admiration, or approbation shown, felt toward, or received by a deity or person. It is accorded to those in a position of authority (Gen. 45:13. It is achieved by heroism (Judg. 8:22; I Sam. 18:5), wisdom (Gen. 41:39; Prov. 3:16), or divine favor (I Sam. 24:7, 11). Honor is due to parents (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; Mal. 1:6) and the aged (Lev. 19:32; Lam. 5:12) since they embody wisdom (Job 32:7, 9). Those who have wealth (Prov. 14:24) and children (I Sam. 2:1) are also subject to honor since these possessions are a sign of God's favor. The honoring of father and mother is the fifth commandment in the Ten Commandments. Its importance is apparent from the fact that the declared reward for its observance is the lengthening of "thy days … upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Ex. 20:12). The rabbis also emphasized that the observer of this commandment would enjoy reward both in this world and in the next (Pe'ah 1:1). Viewing it as a reflection of the godliness in man, they declared that the Bible equated the honor due to parents with that due to God (Ex. 20:12; Prov. 3:9) since "there are three partners in man, the Holy One blessed be He, the father, and the mother." According to the rabbis, when a man honors his father and his mother, God declares, "I ascribe merit to them as though I had dwelt among them and they had honored Me" (Kid. 30b
 
  
In secular context, honor has been defined as the evaluation of a person’s [[trustworthiness]] and social [[social status|status]] based on an individual's statements and actions.  Honor is that which defines a person's character: whether or not the person reflects [[honesty]], [[respect]], [[integrity]], or fairness. Accordingly, a person's value and stature are based on the harmony of their actions, ''[[honor code|code of honor]]'', and that of the [[society]] at large.  Honor can be analyzed as a [[moral relativism|relativistic]] concept, i.e., conflicts between individuals and even cultures  arising as a consequence of material circumstance and ambition, rather than fundamental differences in principle. Alternatively, it can be viewed as [[nativism|nativist]] — that honor is as real to the human condition as [[love]], and likewise derives from the formative personal bonds that establish one's personal [[dignity]] and [[Moral character|character]].
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In the [[Judeo-Christian tradition]], as well as in [[Confucianism]] and other ethical systems, '''honor''' is defined as the high respect, esteem, reverence, admiration, or approbation shown, felt toward, or received by a [[deity]] or person. The Bible emphasized placing "no other gods" before the true God and honoring one's father and mother, while Confucius taught that one must love others and honor one's parents.
  
[[Samuel Johnson|Dr Samuel Johnson]], considered to be one of Englands best known liteary figures, ''[[A Dictionary of the English Language]]'' (1755), defined honor as having several qualities, the first of which was ''"[[nobility]] of [[soul]], [[magnanimity]], and a scorn of meanness."''
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Honor became a guiding principle in Western society, from its earliest beginnings, especially as it relates to a man's honor, his wife's honor, and his family's honor. In the picture at the right, the American patriot [[Alexander Hamilton]] is seen defending his honor by accepting [[Aaron Burr]]'s challenge to a [[duel]]. In some [[Muslim]] countries, women can be murdered in impunity if they are perceived as having brought dishonor to their family or tribe.  
  
In Aristotle's ethics, honor is defined as one of the several virtues that are central to a well-lived life. In order to live well, we must develop an understanding and appreciation of acquiring several important qualities which define a human being. One of those qualities is honor. Aristotle's approach, however, emphasized the importance of reason in learning how to  
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In East Asia, in lands such as [[Japan]], honor was seen as a high duty, especially by the [[Samurai]], and by ordinary people as well.
determine the best course of action.  
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{{toc}}
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Honor has been defined in more modern times as the evaluation of a person’s trustworthiness and social status based on an individual's statements and actions. In some cultures, even in today's modern world, people are guided by a culture of honor as opposed to a culture of law.
  
Honor has become a guiding principle in Western society, especially as it relates to a man's honor, his wife's honor, and his family's honor. Some argue that it has declined in importance and is more pronounced in certain cultures than in others. It has also acquired a special meaning in females, especially in many Middle Eastern cultures. Thousands of Women Killed for Family "Honor"
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==Ancient Times==
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The [[ancient Greek]] concepts of honor ''([[timē]])'' included not only the exaltation of the one receiving honor, but also the shaming of the one overcome by the act of [[hubris]]. This concept of honor is akin to a [[zero-sum]] game, in which every honor was matched by an equal amount of shame.
  
Hillary Mayell
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In [[Aristotle]]'s ethics, honor is defined as one of the several virtues that are central to a well-lived life. In order to live well, one must develop an understanding and appreciation of acquiring several important qualities which define a human being. One of those qualities is honor. Aristotle's approach, however, emphasized the importance of [[reason]], more than honor, in order to have a well-lived life.
  
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==Judeo-Christianity and Confucianism==
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[[Image:Ten Commandments Monument.jpg|thumb|The fifth of the Ten Commandments is "Honor thy father and thy mother."]]
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The [[Hebrew Bible]] elevates honor to a high spiritual position. It is accorded to those in a position of authority (Gen. 45:13). It is achieved by [[heroism]] (Judg. 8:22; I Sam. 18:5), [[wisdom]] (Gen. 41:39; Prov. 3:16), or divine favor (1 Sam. 24:7, 11). Honor is due to parents (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; Mal. 1:6) and the aged (Lev. 19:32; Lam. 5:12) since they embody wisdom (Job 32:7, 9). Those who have wealth (Prov. 14:24) and children (1 Sam. 2:1) are also marks of honor since these possessions are a sign of God's favor.
  
One must distinguish the differences between a culture of honor law and a culture of law, as it relates to different approaches on how one maintains his or her honor.
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The honoring of one's father and mother is the fifth commandment in the [[Ten Commandments]]. Its importance is apparent from the fact that the declared reward for its observance is the lengthening of "thy days upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Ex. 20:12). The [[rabbi]]s also emphasized that the observer of this commandment would enjoy a reward, both in this world and in the next (Pe'ah 1:1). They equated the honor due to parents with that due to God (Ex. 20:12; Prov. 3:9) since "there are three partners in man, the Holy One blessed be He, the father, and the mother." According to the rabbis, when a man honors his father and his mother, God declares, "I ascribe merit to them as though I had dwelt among them and they had honored Me." (Kid. 30b)
  
Honor is also an important element in the area of international relations, where one's credability is closely associated with the concept of honor.
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In [[Catholocism|Catholic]] tradition, one is obligated to honor those who stand in a position of authority. "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities," wrote [[Saint Paul]] in Romans 13:1, "for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." The most important relationship is between man and God. We must honor God by worshiping Him as our first beginning and last end, who is the infinite source of everything that we have. We honor [[angels]] and [[saints]] because of the gifts and graces bestowed on them by God. We honor our parents, from whom we received our earthly being, who brought us up and prepared us for the difficulties of life. Spiritual and temporal rules have a valid claim on receiving our honor by reason of the authority over us which they have received from God. We should honor the aged for their presumed wisdom, virtue, and experiences. We should always honor moral worth, wherever we find it. Official Catholic doctrine states that we may honor the highly talented, those who have been endowed with great [[beauty]], strength, and [[dexterity]], the well-born, and even the rich and powerful, for riches and power may, and should, be made the instruments of virtue and well-being.  
  
In Japanese culture, loss of honor frequently required has a special meaning among special groups, such as the Samurai or . If one lost his honor,harakiri, or cutting one's belly, was the only way to preserve your honor.  
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===Confucian honor===
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[[Image:Seppuku.jpg|thumb|200px|A staged re-enactment of ''suppuku'', or ritual suicide in Japan, considered an honorable death]]
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[[Confucius]] taught that one should love others and to honor one's parents. This would contribute to the establishment of a civilized society and ultimately to world peace. Confucius' ethical teachings influenced the leading circles of China and became widespread through Asia, creating a strong sense of honor as a guiding moral principle.
  
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In East Asia, in lands such as [Japan], honor was seen as an important duty of the [[Samurai]], but also of all people. When a person lost his honor, there was only one way to save his dignity: death. [[Seppuku]] (commonly called "[[harakiri]]") was the most honorable death in such a situation. The only way for a Samurai to die more honorably was to be killed in a battle. A modern inheritance of the Asian tradition of military honor is the importance of this virtue to people who practice martial arts.
  
==Honor, sex, and violence==
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===Honor in secular terms===
{{OR}}
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Honor has been defined as the evaluation of a person’s [[trustworthiness]] and social [[social status|status]] based on an individual's statements and actions. Honor is that which defines a person's character: whether or not the person reflects [[honesty]], [[respect]], [[integrity]], or fairness. Accordingly, a person's value and stature are based on the harmony of their actions, ''[[honor code|code of honor]]'', and that of the [[society]] at large.
Traditionally, in Western society, honor figured largely as a guiding principle. A man's honour, that of his wife, his [[blood]][[family]] or his beloved, formed an all-important issue: the archetypal "man of honor" remained ever alert for any insult, actual or suspected: for either would impugn his honor.
 
  
The concept of honor appears to have declined in importance in the modern secular [[Western world|West]]. Popular [[stereotype]]s would have it surviving more definitively in alleged "hot-blooded" cultures ([[Italy|Italian]], [[Persians|Persian]], [[Arab]], [[Iberian peninsula|Iberian]], etc.) or in more "gentlemanly" societies (like the "[[Old South]]" of [[Dixie]]). Feudal or other agrarian societies, which focus upon land use and land ownership, may tend to "honor" more than do deracinated industrial societies. Traces of the importance attached to honor linger in the military (officers may conduct a [[court of honor|court of honor]]) and in organisations with a military ethos, such as [[Scouting]] organizations.
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Honor can also be analyzed as a [[moral relativism|relativistic]] concept, with conflicts between individuals and cultures arising as a consequence of material circumstance and ambition, rather than fundamental differences in absolute ethical principles. Alternatively, it can be viewed as a basic human principle, as real to the human condition as love, and likewise deriving from the formative personal bonds that establish one's personal [[dignity]] and [[Moral character|character]].
  
"Honor" in the case of females is frequently related, historically, to [[human sexuality|sexuality]]: preservation of "honor" equated primarily to maintenance of [[virginity]] of unattached women and to the exclusive [[monogamy]] of the remainder. One can speculate that [[feminism]] has changed some linguistic usage in this respect.  Conceptions of honor vary widely between cultures; in some cultures, [[honor killing]] of (mostly female) members of one's own family are considered justified if the individuals have "defiled the family's honor" by marrying against the family's wishes, or even by being the victims of [[rape]]. These honor killings are generally seen in the West as a way of men using the culture of honor to control female sexuality [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engASA330181999].
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==Honor and violence==
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Traditionally, in Western society, as in the Orient, honor figured largely as a guiding principle. In the [[Middle Ages]], the culture of [[chivalry]] held honor as one of its principle virtues. A man's honor, that of his wife, his [[family]] or his beloved, formed an all-important issue: the archetypal "man of honor" remained ever alert for any insult, actual or suspected: for either would impugn his honor. [[Dueling]] became a well known tradition in the early [[modern age]] of Europe and America for men who felt their honor had been insulted by another, over issues ranging from impugning one's [[courage]] or the [[nobility]] of one's birth, to questions involving the [[chastity]] of one's wife or sister.
  
==Cultures of honor and cultures of law==
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The concept of honor has declined in importance in the modern secular [[Western world|West]] as law has tended to replace honor as a central principle insuring societal order. Popular [[stereotype]]s would have honor surviving more definitively in alleged "hot-blooded" cultures ([[Italy|Italian]], [[Persians|Persian]], [[Arab]], [[Iberian peninsula|Iberian]], etc.) or in more "gentlemanly" societies (like the "[[Old South]]" and [[England]]). Feudal and other agrarian societies, which focus upon land use and land ownership, may tend to "honor" more than do industrial societies. Honor still prevails in the military (officers may conduct a [[court of honor]]) and in organizations with a military ethos, such as [[Scouting]] organizations.
One can contrast [[culture]]s of honor with cultures of [[law]]. In a culture of law there is a body of laws which must be obeyed by all, with punishments for transgressors. This requires a society with the structures required to enact and enforce laws. A culture of law incorporates an unwritten social contract: members of society agree to give up most of their rights to defend themselves and retaliate for injuries, on the understanding that transgressors will be apprehended and punished by society. From the viewpoint of [[anthropology]], cultures of honor typically appear among  [[nomad]]ic peoples and herdsmen who carry their most valuable [[property]] with them and risk having it stolen, without having recourse to [[law enforcement]] or [[government]]. In this situation, inspiring fear forms a better strategy than promoting friendship; and cultivating a reputation for swift and disproportionate [[revenge]] increases the safety of one's person and property.  Thinkers ranging from [[Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu|Montesquieu]] to [[Steven Pinker]] have remarked upon the mindset needed for a culture of honor.
 
  
Cultures of honor therefore appear among the [[Bedouin]]s, [[Scotland|Scottish]] and [[England|English]] herdsmen of the [[Border country]], and many similar peoples, who have little allegiance to a [[nation]]al [[government]]; among  [[cowboy]]s, [[frontier]]smen, and [[ranch]]ers of the [[the West (U.S.)|American West]], where official law-enforcement often remained out of reach, as is famously celebrated in [[Western movie|Western]]s; among the plantation culture of the [[U.S. Southern states|American South]], and among [[aristocrat]]s, who enjoy [[hereditary]] [[privilege]]s that put them beyond the reach of codes of law. Cultures of honor also flourish in [[Crime|criminal]] underworlds and [[gang]]s, whose members carry large amounts of [[cash]] and [[contraband]] and cannot complain to the law if it is stolen.
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Today, in some [[Muslim]] countries women live under the threat of "honor killings." An honor killing is the murder of a person, almost invariably a woman, who has been perceived as having brought dishonor to their family for such simple crimes as being seen talking to a non-relative boy. Even the suspicion of such conduct can result in death. Such killings are typically perpetrated by the victim's own relatives and/or community, and unlike a crime of passion or rage-induced killing, it is usually planned in advance and often with horrific methods. At times the family will goad a young woman to kill herself to avoid being murdered by her family. Suicide bombers in the Middle East have seen women join their ranks at times to restore the honor of a husband or family after the woman has committed adultery. Such killings are often regarded as a "private matter" for the affected family alone, and courts rarely become involved or prosecute the perpetrators. Laws protecting women from honor killing are often absent from certain Arab states.  
  
Once a culture of honor exists, it is difficult for its members to make the transition to a culture of law; this requires that people become willing to back down and refuse to immediately retaliate, and from the viewpoint of the culture of honor, this tends to appear to be an unwise act reflecting weakness.
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"Honor" in the case of females is often related to [[human sexuality|sexuality]]. Preservation of "honor" is equated primarily to maintenance of [[virginity]] of unattached women and to the exclusive [[monogamy]] of the remainder. Conceptions of honor vary widely between cultures; in some cultures, [[honor killing]] of female members of one's own family are considered to be justified if the individuals have "defiled the family's honor" by marrying against the family's wishes, or even by being the victims of [[rape]]. Honor killings sometimes target women who choose boyfriends, lovers, or spouses outside of their family's ethic and/or religious community, or refuse to enter into an arranged marriage or seeking a divorce.
  
==Related concepts==
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==Cultures of honor and cultures of law==
In contemporary [[international relations]], the concept of "credibility" resembles that of honour, as when the credibility of a state or of an alliance appears to be at stake, and honour-bound politicians call for drastic measures.
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[[Image:Declaration independence.jpg|thumb|250px|The signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."]]
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One can contrast [[culture]]s of honor with cultures of [[law]]. In a culture of law there is a body of laws that must be obeyed by all, with punishments for transgressors. This requires a society that can enact and enforce laws. A culture of law incorporates an unwritten social contract: members of society agree to give up most of their rights to defend themselves and retaliate for injuries, on the understanding that transgressors will be apprehended and punished by society. The culture of honor often dissipates as national governments emerge that are capable of enforcing laws on a nationwide basis.
  
Compare the concepts of [[integrity]], [[face (social custom)]] in [[stereotype]]d East Asian cultures, or of [[mana]] in [[Polynesia]]n society.
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In the modern world, cultures of honor often appear among the [[Bedouin]]s, [[Scotland|Scottish]] and [[England|English]] herdsmen, and many similar peoples, who have little allegiance to a [[nation]al [government]]; among [[cowboy]]s, [[frontier]]smen, and [[ranch]]ers of the [[American West]], where official law-enforcement often remained out of reach; among the plantation culture of the [[U.S. Southern states|American South]], and among [[aristocrat]]s, who enjoy hereditary privileges that put them beyond the reach of codes of law. Cultures of honor also flourish in [[Crime|criminal]] underworlds and [[gang]]s, whose members cannot complain to the law when they believe they have been wronged.
  
The [[ancient Greek]] concepts of honor (''[[timē]]'') included not only the exaltation of the one receiving honor, but also the shaming of the one overcome by the act of [[hubris]]. This concept of honor is akin to a [[zero-sum]] game.
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==Other Contexts==
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In contemporary [[international relations]], the concept of "credibility" resembles that of honor, as when the credibility of a state or of an alliance appears to be at stake, and honor-bound politicians call for drastic measures.
  
As for East Asia, there are a few words more to say. First of all, in lands such as [[Japan]], honor was always seen as an almost-duty (by [[Samurai]], but also the normal people). When you lost your honor or the situation made you lose it, there was only one way to save your dignity: death. [[Seppuku]] (vulgarly called "[[harakiri]]," or "belly-cutting") was the most honorable death in that situation. The only way for a Samurai to die more honorably was to be killed in a battle by a sword. Today, people in Japan, and Tahiti, hold on to their dignity and don't want their honor to be lost. As it was important for the Samurai or wives of dead Samurai who were forced to marry another in the earlier times, it now is important to all people who practice martial arts. Yet there are others who still stick to old Eastern values, even in a Western world.
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Honor has also been compared to the concepts of [[integrity]], [[face (social custom)|face]] in stereotyped East Asian cultures, or [[mana]] in [[Polynesia]]n society. [[Shame]], as the opposite of honor, is also an important and ethical concept which affects many cultures.
  
For a similar concept with many connotations opposite to honor, see [[shame]].
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In some countries the term '''honor''' can refer to an award given by the [[state]]. Such honors include military [[medal]]s, but more typically imply a civilian award, such as a British [[Order of the British Empire]] (OBE), a [[knighthood]] or membership in the French [[Légion d'honneur]].
  
 
==Quotations==
 
==Quotations==
*"Mine honor is my life, both grow in one. Take honor from me, and my life is done. Then, dear my liege, mine honor let me try; In that I live, and for that I will die." — [[William Shakespeare]], ''[[Richard II (play)|Richard II]]'' (1.1.182-185)
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* "Mine honor is my life, both grow in one. Take honor from me, and my life is done. Then, dear my liege, mine honor let me try; In that I live, and for that I will die."[[William Shakespeare]], '' [[Richard II (play)|Richard II]]''
*"Oh [[Christian God|Lord]]! How many of these you surely have spilt over the world, who suffer for the black so-called honor what they would not suffer for you!" (Lázaro) [...] "I make you know that I am, as you see, a squire; but, by God!, if Ï meet the count on the street and he does not fully [[salute|take off his hat]] before me, next time I will know to enter a house, simulating to have some business there, or cross to another street, if there is one, before he reaches me, so that I will not take off mine. That a [[hidalgo]] does not owe anything to anybody  but God and the king, nor it is proper, being a good man, to lose a comma of care in regarding himself highly." (The Squire)  — Anonymous, ''[[Lazarillo de Tormes]]'', [http://www2.ups.edu/faculty/velez/Span_402/lazar/lazar3.htm Third Tract].
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* "Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." – [[Exodus]] 20:12
*"Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." — KJV Holy Bible (Exodus 20:12).
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* "And for the support of this [[United States Declaration of Independence#Conclusion|Declaration]], with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." [[Declaration of Independence]]
*"To [[king of Spain|the King]], one must give his possessions and his life; but honour is a possession of soul, and the soul is only God's." — Pedro Crespo in [[Pedro Calderón de la Barca]]'s ''[[The Mayor of Zalamea]]'', 1st day.
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* "During the time that the aristocracy was dominant, the concepts of honor, loyalty, etc. were dominant, during the dominance of the bourgeoisie the concepts freedom, equality, etc." [[Karl Marx|Marx]] and [[Friedrich Engels]] [Engels], ''The German Ideology''
*"And for the support of this [[United States Declaration of Independence#Conclusion|Declaration]], with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." — [[Thomas Jefferson]] [http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/ward_quote.htm] [http://www.senate.gov/~rpc/releases/1998/founders.htm]
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* "I prefer honor without ships than ships without honor." [[Casto Méndez Núñez]] on the [[Valparaiso bombardment]]
*"... Honor ... remains awake in us like a last lamp in a temple that has been laid to waste." — [[Alfred de Vigny]], ''Servitude et grandeur militaires'' (1835).
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* "To die with honor, when one can no longer live with honor."  [[Giacomo Puccini]], ''Madame Butterfly''
*"... during the time that the aristocracy was dominant, the concepts honor, [[loyalty]], etc. were dominant, during the dominance of the bourgeoisie the concepts freedom, equality, etc." — [[Karl Marx|Marx]] and [[Friedrich Engels|Engels]], ''The German Ideology''.
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* "Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.[[Sophocles]]  
*"We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst." — [[C. S. Lewis]], ''The Abolition of Man''
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* "[[Peace]]... like almost all things of this world, has its price, a high but a measurable one. We in [[Poland]] do not know the concept of peace at any price. There is only one thing in the lives of men, nations and countries that is without price. That thing is honor." [[Józef Beck]]
*"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." — [[Robert E. Howard]], ''The Tower of the Elephant''
 
*"I will to my lord be true and faithful, and love all which he loves and shun all which he shuns." — [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] oath as quoted in [[Civilization IV]], similar to the [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] [[Oath of Refuge]].
 
*"I will be forced to sink [the US ships], because even if I have one ship left I will proceed with the bombardment. Spain, [[Isabel II of Spain|the Queen]] and I prefer honor without ships than ships without honor.," [[Casto Méndez Núñez]] on the [[Valparaiso bombardment]].
 
*"To die with honor, when one can no longer live with honor."  — [[Giacomo Puccini]], ''Madama Butterfly''
 
*"We have no other choice.  Our submission would serve no end; if Germany is victorious, Belgium, whatever her attitude, will be annexed to the Reich.  If die we must, better death with honour." — [[Prime Minister de Broqueville]] of Belgium, responding to Germany's demand for Belgium's capitulation, 2 August 1914
 
*"Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud"  &mdash; [[Sophocles]] <!-- What? —>
 
*"In contrast to the purely economically determined "class situation" we wish to designate as "status situation" every typical component of the life fate of men that is determined by a specific, positive or negative, social estimation of '''honor'''. This honor may be connected with any quality shared by a plurality, and, of course, it can be knit to a class situation: class distinctions are linked in the most varied ways with status distinctions. Property as such is not always recognised as a status qualification, but in the long run is, and with extraordinary regularity." [[Max Weber]]
 
*"Peace is a precious and a desirable thing. Our generation, bloodied in wars, certainly deserves peace. But peace, like almost all things of this world, has its price, a high but a measurable one. We in Poland do not know the concept of peace at any price. There is only one thing in the lives of men, nations and countries that is without price. That thing is honor." &mdash; [[Józef Beck]]
 
 
 
==Honors and awards==
 
In many countries the term '''honor''' can refer to an award given by the [[state]].  Such honors include military [[medal]]s, but more typically imply  a civilian award, such as a British [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]], a [[knighthood]] or membership of the French [[Légion d'honneur]].
 
 
 
See also, [[List of prizes, medals, and awards]].
 
 
 
== See also ==
 
{{Wiktionarypar2|honour|honor}}
 
* [[Warrior Code]]
 
* [[Bushido]]
 
* [[Code duello]]
 
* [[Chivalry]] 
 
* [[Honor code]]
 
* [[Honor killing]]
 
* [[Honor system]], a philosophical way of running a variety of endeavours based on [[Trust (sociology)|trust]] and honor
 
* [[Honorary degree]]
 
* [[The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum]]
 
* [[Omerta]]
 
* [[Feud#Blood Feuds/Vendetta|Vendetta]]
 
* [[Lost, Aberdeenshire]]
 
* [[Klingon culture]]
 
 
 
==External links==
 
{{wikiquote}}
 
* ''[http://www.malavita.com/news_en.html Il Canto di Malavita]'' is a collection of three recordings from PIAS of the [[folk music]] of the [[Calabria]]n [[Ndrangheta]], an [[organized crime|organised crime]] group operating in southern [[Italy]].  Members call themselves ''L'Onorata'', the "men of honor"; the [[lyrics]] to these songs prominently feature murder and revenge against betrayers and informers, and offer a glimpse into the self-image of a culture of honour.
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
* Bowman, James. ''Honor: A History''. Encounter Books, 2006. ISBN 1594031428. [Cf. excerpts from writings of [http://www.jamesbowman.net/honor.asp James Bowman on Honor].  Personal website of James Bowman.  Accessed May 16, 2007.
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* Bowman, James. ''Honor: A History''. Encounter Books, 2006. ISBN 9781594031427  
* [[Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu|de Secondat, Charles, Baron de Montesquieu]].  ''[[The Spirit of the Laws]]''.  2 vols.  Originally published anonymously.  1748; Crowder, Wark, and Payne, 1777.  ''[http://www.constitution.org/cm/sol.htm Spirit of Laws]''.  Online posting. ''constitution.org''. Trans.  Thomas Nugent (1750).  Rev.  J. V. Prichard.  ("Based on an public domain edition published in 1914 by G. Bell & Sons, Ltd., London.  Rendered into HTML and text by Jon Roland of [[The Constitution Society]].")  Accessed May 16, 2007.  Published as ''Montesquieu: Spirit of the Laws''.  Eds. Anne M. Cohler, Basia Carolyn Miller, and Harold Samuel Stone. Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought. Cambridge, Eng.: [[Cambridge University Press|Cambridge UP]], 1989. ISBN 0521369746 (10).  ISBN 978-0521369749 (13).  (Paperback ed.; 808 pp.)
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* Gruber, Mayer and & Rabinowitz, Louis. ''Encyclopaedia Judaica''. edited by Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, Vol. 9. 2nd ed, 519-520. Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2007.
*[ [Richard E. Nisbett|Nisbett, Richard E.]], and [[Dov Cohen]]. ''Culture of Honor: The Psychology of Violence in the South''. Westview, 1996. ISBN 0-8133-1993-5.
+
* Nisbett, Richard E., and Dov Cohen. ''Culture of Honor: The Psychology of Violence in the South''. Westview Press, 1996. ISBN 9780813319933
* [[Steven Pinker|Pinker, Steven]]. ''The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature''. New York: [[Penguin Putnam]], 2002. ISBN 0-670-03151-8.
+
* Pinker, Steven. ''The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature''. Viking Adult, 2002. ISBN 9780670031511
  
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==External Links==
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All links retrieved January 18, 2018.
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* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07462a.htm Honor] – ''www.newadvent.org''.
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* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/02/0212_020212_honorkilling.html Honor killing] – ''news.nationalgeographic.com''.
  
 
[[Category:philosophy and religion]]
 
[[Category:philosophy and religion]]
 
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Latest revision as of 13:28, 2 February 2024

Alexander Hamilton defending his honor by accepting Aaron Burr's challenge to a duel.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, as well as in Confucianism and other ethical systems, honor is defined as the high respect, esteem, reverence, admiration, or approbation shown, felt toward, or received by a deity or person. The Bible emphasized placing "no other gods" before the true God and honoring one's father and mother, while Confucius taught that one must love others and honor one's parents.

Honor became a guiding principle in Western society, from its earliest beginnings, especially as it relates to a man's honor, his wife's honor, and his family's honor. In the picture at the right, the American patriot Alexander Hamilton is seen defending his honor by accepting Aaron Burr's challenge to a duel. In some Muslim countries, women can be murdered in impunity if they are perceived as having brought dishonor to their family or tribe.

In East Asia, in lands such as Japan, honor was seen as a high duty, especially by the Samurai, and by ordinary people as well.

Honor has been defined in more modern times as the evaluation of a person’s trustworthiness and social status based on an individual's statements and actions. In some cultures, even in today's modern world, people are guided by a culture of honor as opposed to a culture of law.

Ancient Times

The ancient Greek concepts of honor (timē) included not only the exaltation of the one receiving honor, but also the shaming of the one overcome by the act of hubris. This concept of honor is akin to a zero-sum game, in which every honor was matched by an equal amount of shame.

In Aristotle's ethics, honor is defined as one of the several virtues that are central to a well-lived life. In order to live well, one must develop an understanding and appreciation of acquiring several important qualities which define a human being. One of those qualities is honor. Aristotle's approach, however, emphasized the importance of reason, more than honor, in order to have a well-lived life.

Judeo-Christianity and Confucianism

The fifth of the Ten Commandments is "Honor thy father and thy mother."

The Hebrew Bible elevates honor to a high spiritual position. It is accorded to those in a position of authority (Gen. 45:13). It is achieved by heroism (Judg. 8:22; I Sam. 18:5), wisdom (Gen. 41:39; Prov. 3:16), or divine favor (1 Sam. 24:7, 11). Honor is due to parents (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16; Mal. 1:6) and the aged (Lev. 19:32; Lam. 5:12) since they embody wisdom (Job 32:7, 9). Those who have wealth (Prov. 14:24) and children (1 Sam. 2:1) are also marks of honor since these possessions are a sign of God's favor.

The honoring of one's father and mother is the fifth commandment in the Ten Commandments. Its importance is apparent from the fact that the declared reward for its observance is the lengthening of "thy days upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Ex. 20:12). The rabbis also emphasized that the observer of this commandment would enjoy a reward, both in this world and in the next (Pe'ah 1:1). They equated the honor due to parents with that due to God (Ex. 20:12; Prov. 3:9) since "there are three partners in man, the Holy One blessed be He, the father, and the mother." According to the rabbis, when a man honors his father and his mother, God declares, "I ascribe merit to them as though I had dwelt among them and they had honored Me." (Kid. 30b)

In Catholic tradition, one is obligated to honor those who stand in a position of authority. "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities," wrote Saint Paul in Romans 13:1, "for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." The most important relationship is between man and God. We must honor God by worshiping Him as our first beginning and last end, who is the infinite source of everything that we have. We honor angels and saints because of the gifts and graces bestowed on them by God. We honor our parents, from whom we received our earthly being, who brought us up and prepared us for the difficulties of life. Spiritual and temporal rules have a valid claim on receiving our honor by reason of the authority over us which they have received from God. We should honor the aged for their presumed wisdom, virtue, and experiences. We should always honor moral worth, wherever we find it. Official Catholic doctrine states that we may honor the highly talented, those who have been endowed with great beauty, strength, and dexterity, the well-born, and even the rich and powerful, for riches and power may, and should, be made the instruments of virtue and well-being.

Confucian honor

A staged re-enactment of suppuku, or ritual suicide in Japan, considered an honorable death

Confucius taught that one should love others and to honor one's parents. This would contribute to the establishment of a civilized society and ultimately to world peace. Confucius' ethical teachings influenced the leading circles of China and became widespread through Asia, creating a strong sense of honor as a guiding moral principle.

In East Asia, in lands such as [Japan], honor was seen as an important duty of the Samurai, but also of all people. When a person lost his honor, there was only one way to save his dignity: death. Seppuku (commonly called "harakiri") was the most honorable death in such a situation. The only way for a Samurai to die more honorably was to be killed in a battle. A modern inheritance of the Asian tradition of military honor is the importance of this virtue to people who practice martial arts.

Honor in secular terms

Honor has been defined as the evaluation of a person’s trustworthiness and social status based on an individual's statements and actions. Honor is that which defines a person's character: whether or not the person reflects honesty, respect, integrity, or fairness. Accordingly, a person's value and stature are based on the harmony of their actions, code of honor, and that of the society at large.

Honor can also be analyzed as a relativistic concept, with conflicts between individuals and cultures arising as a consequence of material circumstance and ambition, rather than fundamental differences in absolute ethical principles. Alternatively, it can be viewed as a basic human principle, as real to the human condition as love, and likewise deriving from the formative personal bonds that establish one's personal dignity and character.

Honor and violence

Traditionally, in Western society, as in the Orient, honor figured largely as a guiding principle. In the Middle Ages, the culture of chivalry held honor as one of its principle virtues. A man's honor, that of his wife, his family or his beloved, formed an all-important issue: the archetypal "man of honor" remained ever alert for any insult, actual or suspected: for either would impugn his honor. Dueling became a well known tradition in the early modern age of Europe and America for men who felt their honor had been insulted by another, over issues ranging from impugning one's courage or the nobility of one's birth, to questions involving the chastity of one's wife or sister.

The concept of honor has declined in importance in the modern secular West as law has tended to replace honor as a central principle insuring societal order. Popular stereotypes would have honor surviving more definitively in alleged "hot-blooded" cultures (Italian, Persian, Arab, Iberian, etc.) or in more "gentlemanly" societies (like the "Old South" and England). Feudal and other agrarian societies, which focus upon land use and land ownership, may tend to "honor" more than do industrial societies. Honor still prevails in the military (officers may conduct a court of honor) and in organizations with a military ethos, such as Scouting organizations.

Today, in some Muslim countries women live under the threat of "honor killings." An honor killing is the murder of a person, almost invariably a woman, who has been perceived as having brought dishonor to their family for such simple crimes as being seen talking to a non-relative boy. Even the suspicion of such conduct can result in death. Such killings are typically perpetrated by the victim's own relatives and/or community, and unlike a crime of passion or rage-induced killing, it is usually planned in advance and often with horrific methods. At times the family will goad a young woman to kill herself to avoid being murdered by her family. Suicide bombers in the Middle East have seen women join their ranks at times to restore the honor of a husband or family after the woman has committed adultery. Such killings are often regarded as a "private matter" for the affected family alone, and courts rarely become involved or prosecute the perpetrators. Laws protecting women from honor killing are often absent from certain Arab states.

"Honor" in the case of females is often related to sexuality. Preservation of "honor" is equated primarily to maintenance of virginity of unattached women and to the exclusive monogamy of the remainder. Conceptions of honor vary widely between cultures; in some cultures, honor killing of female members of one's own family are considered to be justified if the individuals have "defiled the family's honor" by marrying against the family's wishes, or even by being the victims of rape. Honor killings sometimes target women who choose boyfriends, lovers, or spouses outside of their family's ethic and/or religious community, or refuse to enter into an arranged marriage or seeking a divorce.

Cultures of honor and cultures of law

The signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

One can contrast cultures of honor with cultures of law. In a culture of law there is a body of laws that must be obeyed by all, with punishments for transgressors. This requires a society that can enact and enforce laws. A culture of law incorporates an unwritten social contract: members of society agree to give up most of their rights to defend themselves and retaliate for injuries, on the understanding that transgressors will be apprehended and punished by society. The culture of honor often dissipates as national governments emerge that are capable of enforcing laws on a nationwide basis.

In the modern world, cultures of honor often appear among the Bedouins, Scottish and English herdsmen, and many similar peoples, who have little allegiance to a [[nation]al [government]]; among cowboys, frontiersmen, and ranchers of the American West, where official law-enforcement often remained out of reach; among the plantation culture of the American South, and among aristocrats, who enjoy hereditary privileges that put them beyond the reach of codes of law. Cultures of honor also flourish in criminal underworlds and gangs, whose members cannot complain to the law when they believe they have been wronged.

Other Contexts

In contemporary international relations, the concept of "credibility" resembles that of honor, as when the credibility of a state or of an alliance appears to be at stake, and honor-bound politicians call for drastic measures.

Honor has also been compared to the concepts of integrity, face in stereotyped East Asian cultures, or mana in Polynesian society. Shame, as the opposite of honor, is also an important and ethical concept which affects many cultures.

In some countries the term honor can refer to an award given by the state. Such honors include military medals, but more typically imply a civilian award, such as a British Order of the British Empire (OBE), a knighthood or membership in the French Légion d'honneur.

Quotations

  • "Mine honor is my life, both grow in one. Take honor from me, and my life is done. Then, dear my liege, mine honor let me try; In that I live, and for that I will die."—William Shakespeare, Richard II
  • "Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." – Exodus 20:12
  • "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." – Declaration of Independence
  • "During the time that the aristocracy was dominant, the concepts of honor, loyalty, etc. were dominant, during the dominance of the bourgeoisie the concepts freedom, equality, etc." – Marx and Friedrich Engels [Engels], The German Ideology
  • "I prefer honor without ships than ships without honor." Casto Méndez Núñez on the Valparaiso bombardment
  • "To die with honor, when one can no longer live with honor." – Giacomo Puccini, Madame Butterfly
  • "Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud." – Sophocles
  • "Peace... like almost all things of this world, has its price, a high but a measurable one. We in Poland do not know the concept of peace at any price. There is only one thing in the lives of men, nations and countries that is without price. That thing is honor." – Józef Beck

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Bowman, James. Honor: A History. Encounter Books, 2006. ISBN 9781594031427
  • Gruber, Mayer and & Rabinowitz, Louis. Encyclopaedia Judaica. edited by Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, Vol. 9. 2nd ed, 519-520. Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2007.
  • Nisbett, Richard E., and Dov Cohen. Culture of Honor: The Psychology of Violence in the South. Westview Press, 1996. ISBN 9780813319933
  • Pinker, Steven. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature. Viking Adult, 2002. ISBN 9780670031511

External Links

All links retrieved January 18, 2018.

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