Morality--The Essential Mark

Alan Simpson put into writing the components required to establish the character of the well-learned human being.  He enumerated for his readers six signs of a person who is accomplished, skilled, and learned.  He called these indications the marks of an educated man. Out of these elements, one, however, reveals itself as the most imperative and vital—it is morality: principles and doctrines which lead man towards the virtuous sense of things.

Any person with the five other marks (knowledge, clarity of thinking, effective expression of self, sophistication, and adaptability) would still serve no purpose or exist without reason if morality was not in his possession.   Morality is that God-given internal guide which directs him on how to make use of the knowledge he has gathered or of the abilities that were bestowed upon him, whether it would be for righteousness or for evil.  A liberally educated man is free to discover all the things and wonders in this world, but he may also find the things that would be detrimental to him or to others if he does not take heed of his internal guide.  Man discovers his purpose with the help of these moral principles and doctrines.  To live and use his talents only for the greater good—this is his purpose.

Once man has determined his purpose in life and the inspiration to push on, like blinders for a horse, moral values narrow down his perspective—enabling him to see only his goal.  These consist of discipline, perseverance, respect, integrity, and faith.  The free intellectual requires discipline for him to stir away from temptations and insignificant actions.  Now that he has formed boundaries surrounding his narrow path towards success, he must then persevere to act upon any tribulation (may it be diminutive or herculean), and not to say “no” to labor.  Subsequently, as he endeavours to accomplish every assigned task solitarily or with an audience, he must exude integrity.  As a result, he will gain respect of his colleagues and superiors.  Most importantly, for him not to falter and fail in his responsibilities, the educated man needs faith: faith to believe that he can attain success, and faith that God will be with him through everything.  A man devoid of all these values may begin triumphantly in his position in life, but soon, it will prove true that he will fall off course.  However, in time, the man educated in morality will commence humbly and surely finish the race.

Morality not only completes all facets of man’s being, but it also transforms him into someone of further value.  Man is a creature of two worlds: the physical and the spiritual, so he has need of elements from both.  The other five marks that have been indicated are the substances of the mind and body, built upon logic and science, built upon the reasoning and studies of man himself; on the other hand, though, morality is the nourishment for the soul.  It has been said that objects beyond this material world, such as those of morality, are priceless and everlasting; therefore, if man is spiritually full and nourished, then he has more value and meaning than those that are starved in that aspect.  With all these in mind, morality therefore is truly essential to who the educated man is.

A man educated liberally should be a man prepared and ready to make the world a better place.  To achieve this disposition is to make sure that principles of truth and righteousness are instilled into him by the institution that he is in.  Liberal education creates opportunities for new wonders, ideas, and discoveries.  It is unrestricted education, set to awaken man’s senses towards all features of nature.  Moreover, it must institute into God’s creatures a logic for generating wisdom, understanding, and virtue.  Once morality is established as a symbol in man’s heart, all of the other marks that Alan Simpson put into writing will follow with ease.