Character and Health: the old moral dichotomies
good/bad
- character
- goodness means following rules
- goodness is the product of will power, conquering temptation and sin
- health
- more than correct behavior, as defined by one's group
- goodness results from
- empathy and
- an indentification of oneself with the rest of humanity
smart/stupid
- character
- there is only one kind of intelligence: rational/analytical ability
- health
strong/weak
- character
- strength is a product of self-discipline
- health
- happy people are strong
- strength does not come from will power; it comes from taking care of
yourself
- weakness is not a failing; it is a symptom of unhappiness
- weakness is fear
industrious/lazy
sane/crazy
- character
- either you're crazy or you're sane
- sane people have no craziness in them
- health
- distinguishes organic problems (schizophrenia, for example) from the
manifestations of unhappiness
honorable/dishonorable
- character
- health
- arises from within
- a byproduct of happiness
kind/cruel
- character
- we must make ourselves be kind
- health
Character and Health: table of contents