Item 13 in Truth By Reason Master Ethical Code
Cultivate Ethical Character
Develop compassion, wisdom, courage, justice, humility, patience, integrity, generosity, diligence and temperance.
- Position
- 13
- Form
- Mixed formulation
- Obligation
- Context-dependent
- Wording status
- Translation
- Intended audience
- Everyone
- Last reviewed
- 28 June 2026
Names and terminology
Canonical name: Cultivate Ethical Character
Source wording
<p>Develop compassion, wisdom, courage, justice, humility, patience, integrity, generosity, diligence and temperance.</p>
Literal meaning
Develop compassion, wisdom, courage, justice, humility, patience, integrity, generosity, diligence and temperance.
Broader interpretation
Virtues must be guided by truth and justice: loyalty is not obedience to wrongdoing, and patience is not tolerance of abuse.
Practical meaning
Develop compassion, wisdom, courage, justice, humility, patience, integrity, generosity, diligence and temperance.
Ethical purpose
Virtues must be guided by truth and justice: loyalty is not obedience to wrongdoing, and patience is not tolerance of abuse.
Modern application
Apply this principle to personal conduct, organisations and public policy, with particular attention to people and beings who carry the greatest risks while holding the least power.
Criticism and difficult cases
This principle may conflict with other duties. It should therefore be applied with evidence, proportionality, role reversal, attention to power and review of foreseeable consequences.
Truth By Reason analysis
Virtues must be guided by truth and justice: loyalty is not obedience to wrongdoing, and patience is not tolerance of abuse.
Sources
- Truth By Reason Comparative Ethical Codes Synthesis Primary source