Intellectual and Artistic Integrity

We often describe people as possessing (or lacking) integrity. But what does this mean, to possess integrity?

in·teg·ri·ty Pronunciation Key: (ĭn-těg’rĭ-tē) NOUN

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness. 1

Integrity is an often cited virtue but is seems to be one of the most difficult to define. For example, while it is sometimes used as a synonym for morality the concept of possessing integrity is distinguishable from acting morally. A person may have integrity even though she possesses mistaken moral ideas.

When defined as a virtue integrity refers to a quality of a person’s character. A person may possess Integrity in certain aspects of life yet lack integrity in others. We can examine the characteristics of integrity in terms of our intellectual and artistic life.

We can get an adequate understanding of the ways people use the term integrity by examining those characteristics which undermine a person’s integrity (i.e., the antonyms of integrity). Some people may possess behavior and thinking that tend to maintain the status quo even where integrity demands that a person act for change in a situation. That type of thinking includes (but is not limited to) arrogance, dogmatism, fanaticism, monomania, sanctimoniousness, and unyielding opinion. This thinking undermines personal integrity insofar as it oppresses attempts by individuals to make a critical assessment of a life situation.

Additional personality characteristics that undermine integrity include triviality, weak will, self deception, self-ignorance, hypocrisy, mendacity, and indifference. Some people possess a set of character traits that undermine integrity because they respond to life situations depending on who the actors are. The person- relative individual will demonstrate a lack of personal integrity. 2

A person possessing too much intellectual courage may become a dogmatic, and a person who is always a fence sitter lacks conviction. True intellectual integrity is that quality that enables a person to balance intellectual work and to demonstrate intellectual virtues.

There is more to intellectual integrity than a commitment to truth and to expanding knowledge. Intellectual integrity necessarily requires being open to criticism and to the ideas of others who do not agree with you. Nonetheless if a person is too open (i.e. susceptible to criticism of ideas), the person may be so influenced by criticism as to be unable to pursue even a simple line of independent critical thought.

Therefore intellectual integrity must incorporate a conflict: (1) the person must be open to new ideas but (2) not be swayed from her conviction by the inevitable flood of opposing opinion. Additionally, the person must recognize other sources that undermine integrity which include the commercialization of one’s work, self-deception about the value of her own work, and the conflict between the freedom to pursue and expound knowledge and responsibility to those who will be exposed to the work.

The conduct that we should expect from a person of intellectual integrity is that she is adamantly opposed to plagiarism, she refuses to suppress any counter- argument without respect to its validity, but she acknowledges valid counter- arguments, as well as acknowledging assistance where it is provided to her.

Additionally, intellectual integrity necessarily requires honesty, courage, and a sense of fairness, as well as sensitivity and perceptiveness. 3

Of course, presumably of utmost interest in this community is artistic integrity. One can argue that the artist judges herself and her actions actions in part on the success or failure of her artistic endeavor. If it is a failure, the artist may be judged as lacking integrity. However, if the project is a success, it may be judged more favorably and lauded as a work demonstrating great artistic integrity.

But to judge the true integrity of the work we must first assess whether the artist acted with any integrity at all; and second, there is the issue of whether artistic integrity is in conflict with her intellectual integrity.

In addition to the connection between artistic integrity and the intellectual integrity of the artist, the attributes of intellectual and artistic integrity are directly connected to the moral concept of the art itself. I dare to postulate that the artist brings her social values to the art and any aesthetic value it possesses is a reflection of those values.

Artistic and moral integrity are overlapping virtues especially if artistic standards are set high (whether that standard is set by the community or especially by the artist’s own quality standard). But as is often the case, artistic and intellectual integrity come into conflict and take divergent paths in situations where great pressure is brought to bear on the artist because of her social and moral views as reflected in her work. In this case, where the artist’s motives, morality, and social values may be questioned, consistency is the single most important attribute of artistic integrity.

Artistic integrity is tested by the conflict which exists between commercial and political considerations. While I stand by the fundamental proposition that the artist’s work is a reflection of her social values, I accept the existence of conflict between expression of social values and the commercial value of the art. How the artist resolves this conflict will say more about her intellectual and artistic integrity than any critic could every speak.

The development of integrity is directly affected by the social and political context of the person striving to define and discover her own concept of integrity. An environment which enables the artist to develop critical reflection and critical thinking is invaluable to the development of intellectual and artistic integrity. Moreover, the artist develops integrity where she is not forced into adopting social values that are demeaning because or race, sex, or sexual orientation.

Perhaps I should temper my expectations of artistic integrity with the understanding of the pressures exerted upon the artist by conflicts and the lack of social opportunity to develop critical thinking skills? Or would that be turning away from my commitment to social change and thereby undermining my intellectual and artistic integrity? In other words, how do I balance my base economic need to be a commercially viable artist, while maintaining consistency in my commitment to social commentary and change? After much soul searching, my interpretation of integrity, both artistic and intellectual, requires that I stand by, and that I act on, my convictions.

NOTES

1 The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/integrity (accessed: March 24, 2008).

2 Calhoun, Cheshire (1995). Standing for Something. Journal of Philosophy XCII, 235-260. Carr, Spencer (1976). ‘The Integrity of a Utilitarian.’ Ethics 86, 241-46.

3 Zagzebski, Linda. (1996) Virtues of the Mind: An inquiry into the nature of virtue and the ethical foundations of knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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art, artist, truth, learning, intellect, commercial, learn, honesty, integrity, intellectual, honest and commercialization