The ethical tradition of thought

Is the ethical matter of thought and sharing deeply entrenched and coded into our psyche. Whether or not to compromise our individual identity by confiding in others, versus locking our minds shut against possible bias and unsavory repercussions of negativity.

Socrates (Greek: Σωκράτης; c. 470–399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An enigmatic figure, Socrates authored no texts and is known mainly through the posthumous accounts of classical writers, particularly his students Plato and Xenophon. These accounts are written as dialogues, in which Socrates and his interlocutors examine a subject in the style of question and answer; they gave rise to the Socratic dialogue literary genre. Contradictory accounts of Socrates make a reconstruction of his philosophy nearly impossible, a situation known as the Socratic problem. Socrates was a polarizing figure in Athenian society. In 399 BC, he was accused of impiety and corrupting the youth. After a trial that lasted a day, he was sentenced to death. He spent his last day in prison, refusing offers to help him escape. (Wiki).

How do our actions define us, and how do they affect other people's opinions of us. I struggle with the dilemma of what is appropriate for me to impart to those close to me. Do I heap my troubles upon their already weighted shoulders, or do I tightly lock them away inside myself and suffer quietly and alone. What are the moral and ethical paths which I should base my decisions upon.

Ethics or moral philosophy, is the branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior". What are the aesthetic concerns and matters of value to my way of thinking and sharing my thoughts and ideas.

Ethics seeks to resolve questions of human morality by defining concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime. As a field of intellectual inquiry, moral philosophy is related to the fields of moral psychology, descriptive ethics, and value theory.

Three major recognized areas of study within ethics today are:

Meta-ethics, concerning the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions, and how their truth values (if any) can be determined.

Normative ethics, concerning the practical means of determining a moral course of action.

Applied ethics, concerning what a person is obligated (or permitted) to do in a specific situation or a particular domain of action.

Stoicism

The Stoic philosopher Epictetus posited that the greatest good was contentment and serenity. Peace of mind, or apatheia, was of the highest value; self-mastery over one's desires and emotions leads to spiritual peace. The "unconquerable will" is central to this philosophy. The individual's will should be independent and inviolate. Allowing a person to disturb the mental equilibrium is, in essence, offering yourself in slavery. If a person is free to anger you at will, you have no control over your internal world, and therefore no freedom. Freedom from material attachments is also necessary. If a thing breaks, the person should not be upset, but realize it was a thing that could break. Similarly, if someone should die, those close to them should hold to their serenity because the loved one was made of flesh and blood destined to death.

Stoic philosophy says to accept things that cannot be changed, resigning oneself to the existence and enduring in a rational fashion. Death is not feared. People do not "lose" their life, but instead "return", for they are returning to God (who initially gave what the person is as a person). Epictetus said difficult problems in life should not be avoided, but rather embraced. They are spiritual exercises needed for the health of the spirit, just as physical exercise is required for the health of the body. He also stated that sex and sexual desire are to be avoided as the greatest threat to the integrity and equilibrium of a man's mind. Abstinence is highly desirable. Epictetus said remaining abstinent in the face of temptation was a victory for which a man could be proud.

I am with Epictetus on the matter of peace of mind, love and its many emotional inconstancies, roller coasters, fluctuations and fickleness, is the most unpredictably unstable facet of the human interactions. The mind is most at peace when matters of love and the heart are separated from the equation of life.

To this end, the matter of sharing and how it affects one's sense of identity, I believe, is purely up to the individual and the person, persons or groups which they feel is most open to intelligently dissect and accept the individual, their concepts, ideas and thoughts. Choosing one's niche is the best way forward to defining our accepted choice of identity.

Keeping an open mind to the opinions of others is also a wise avenue to ponder.

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