The Oracle Chapter 2 (Ethos)
Lorient Montaner
Duty
(Kathíkon)
1. The Oracle defines duty as the commitment or expectation to perform a particular action. It is incumbent upon us to be dutiful to that commitment or expectation knowingly, and it is duty that permits us to be reverent in nature and comportment.
2. Duty may arise from a foundation of ethics or morality, especially within a respected culture. Many duties are established by law, sometimes including a codified punishment or liability for non-performance. Performing one's duty may require some sacrifice of self-interest.
3. Cicero, an early Roman philosopher who discussed duty in his work On Duty, suggested that duties can originate from four different sources, all of which can define a person's character or ethos. It is that character that personifies our duty.
4. Duty results from one's personal character or from one's own moral expectations for oneself, within the pattern of thought. It is that noble task that exemplifies what it represents or what represents us in its totality.
5. The specific duties imposed by law or culture considerably depend on the concepts of jurisdiction, religion, and social norms. Duty provides us with countless tasks, each deserving of their reward and appreciation.
6. There is an important aspect of duty that should be understood as a pivotal element of ethos that cannot be dismissed as an inobligality. As a structured society, we are incumbent to serve the purpose of others with dignity and duty.
7. Duty serves the betterment of our society and the values of the democracy that we either impose or inherit, alongside the principles of logic and ethos. It is through the personification of our character that duty is reverential and seen as ethical.
8. Our duty is to succour the poor and the voices of the volgivagant people outcast by society, through our supererogatory deeds and sodality expressed. We cannot be blind to the plight of the less fortunate and the forgotten in the world.
9. We have not progressed sufficiently as a society to understand the necessity of our duties to the extent that we require the assistance of cognisance to aid us in that endeavour. Once we realise the significance of that statement, we can employ our reasoning in the service of duty.
10. Thus, the notion of duty is not practical if the cause is not rewarding or justifiable in the end when we apply it to our decisions and actions. We must perform duties when those duties truly represent our persona and inner self.
11. If we could measure our acts of truthful piety compared to our duty, we would discover how different the comparison would be in its essence. When we are pious in the philosophical sense, we demonstrate the semblance of our virtues.
12. An act of piety reflects the good intention of that act in the teachings of philosophy, while a pious act of devotion generally demonstrates the degree of religious devotion that overshadows the simple reference of that pious act.
13. Therefore, the act, according to the Oracle, is considered a duty when it is not incumbent because of evoked praise, but due to the solemnity of the precise act that manifests in the teachings we have been instructed in and the rationality we apply to the actual meaning of duty.
14. Philosophy indicates the importance of duty. From it, we can surmise the plausible concept of ethos espoused that is befitting of our conduct. We cannot assume to be dutiful if we are not mindful of the implications it represents.
15. Verily, to acknowledge its role in ethos is to know its reliable function and its extent in our societies, through our acts of munificence and deonticity. When we are ethical, we tend to be more conscious and observant of the issues that mostly affect the world and us.
16. To be benevolent and dutiful is to be humble and reverent in our nature and essence, not in the captious form of arrogance exposed. The more humane we reflect ourselves openly, the more we connect with others in society.
17. The actual recognition of those particular traits of our disposition is the acceptance of our duty, with its instructional utility and reverence. When we accept the fact that duty is not something innate but something more inherited, we can comprehend its value.
18. With the admission of what we regard it to be, the concept of responsibility is introduced into the discussion of duty. It is wiser to be worthy in duty than to be selfish in grandeur. It is the fruition of wisdom that inspires one to duty.
19. The general argument is that with duty comes the responsibility that we must be prepared to confront, with its integration into our lives. What we deem responsible is the duty we uphold by living a life with the utmost regard for service unto others and for the noble cause it represents.
20. Duty is an earnest responsibility that we either accept or ignore in its entirety, irrespective of its undeniable consequence afterwards. Duty is not about one's reputation to seek worthless glory; it is about the pursuit of the cause that makes us noble in the first place.
21. To serve the greater cause is to be dutiful and charitable. To serve the lesser cause is to be selfish and callous, as mentioned before. Philanthropy is what all should strive for in life. Thus, when we tend to think about the greater cause, which is doing for others rather than the singular cause that can only benefit one, we are thinking of philosophy.
22. Egoism is the greatest reminder of the worst of all vices that vitiate us and is inherently detrimental to our health and mind. Egoism cannot teach us anything good or be substantiated by its actions. It must be eradicated with our rationality.
23. It is centred around the identity that wields dominion over us and feeds our uncontrollable ego and incorrigible habits. All of which serve no purpose to duty, for duty is much more just when it is performed with volition, not obligation.
24. Our failure to recognise that distinct oddity within us is forever our internal struggle and plight that are present in our mind and pursuit of duty. Verily, how we accomplish that duty depends on how ethical our main desire is to seek its fruition.
25. Until we have reached the fulfilment of that accomplishment, we are basically serving our own interest, not philanthropy. To be benevolent to the cause of philanthropy is to demonstrate the semblance of eunoia and eupathy.
26. Duty is to always serve others before oneself, and without a doubt, there can be nothing nobler than to serve the needs of a present community that has established the principles of ethos embedded in our philosophy.
27. A community cannot properly function on its own if there is no true will to serve that community and its active members. It is fundamental that we understand that in life there must be a just purpose for a just cause that requires our duty.
28. There must be a firm system of belief that morally guides our community and society within a practical structure that we think is appropriate. It must be a system that does not distinguish a person based on their status but on their good deeds.
29. That robust system is acknowledged as ethics and is the alligation to our suitable actions and kudos esteemed by our acceptance. It is our honesty that is reflected within the teachings of philosophy. Some people indulge in senseless acts of honour with grandeur.
30. We can take into strong consideration the inclusion of our will and judgement within the pattern of our thoughts and actions regarding duty. What must be emphasised is that our course in life is judged and measured by our deeds, not our immoral conquests.
31. If we do not apply the capacity of thought, then the function is pointless, and the cause would be even more so. Ergo, we must be conscious about duty and what it represents in the broader aspect of philosophy if we are to distinguish its impact.
32. The unforgettable cause must be greater than the thought of one man or one selective principle aspired to with false grandeur. To aspire for a goal in life that has a meaningful cause, we must first know what that goal embodies in its ultimate worth.
33. The task may seem daunting and improbable; nevertheless, it is admirable in completion and prominent in stature. It is something we should achieve with the utmost dignity. Ergo, our task is to enlighten our minds with things that are much more relevant than irrelevant.
34. What we can achieve through our effort is the success of our accomplishment that offers us the authentic notion of triumph and success. To be successful in life, we must be able to remind ourselves of our humanity and our desire not to exceed our ambitions foolishly.
35. Our will and determination are the predominant factors that establish that correlation successfully. Consequently, it advances to the level of our consciousness, where duty must be understood as a source of fulfilment. Once we realise this, we prepare ourselves to be dutiful.
36. From that essential correlation, we then derive the seed of knowledge, and acquire the wonder of wisdom throughout our lives, which heightens our awareness of the essence of duty that flourishes through our determination.
37. It is the necessary knowledge and wisdom that provide us with the fundamentals of ethos, enabling us to be conversant in the deontic nature of duty. When we apply logic to duty, we construct the necessary foundation for perceiving its value.
38. The considerable foundations of knowledge and wisdom are then employed by us to guide our behavioural patterns and actions. Duty is designed to be implemented wisely and properly. It must be noted that, in order to implement duty, one must first acquire virtue.
39. We are inquisitive by nature, constantly pondering and seeking immediate answers to the questions we pose. What is relevant here is that, with duty, comes the concept of respect that is earned through dutifulness.
40. Respect is tied to the actions of our conduct and is manifest in the clarity of our decisions and deeds in relation to duty. Thus, to claim that duty is solely earned by merit is to omit its greater significance.
41. Our conduct must be governed by moral guidance, with duty serving as its rationale standing firm against the influence of moral decadence and immoral servitude. Morality is the compass for our actions and must serve the genuine aim of being ethical.
42. It is a noble aim: the pursuit of a cause greater than one’s personal interest or desire. To be dutiful is to prioritise the benefit of others above one’s own. It should not be seen as difficult to assume such a role, nor should it be.
43. No interest can be more meaningful than the preservation and promulgation of our beliefs. Once this is understood, we can endeavour to be noble in our deeds. Our good deeds reflect the persona we ought to strive to refine.
44. This is the principal reason we must strive to prosper in our endeavour and initiative, remaining mindful of those sincere beliefs. These beliefs form the foundation of our philosophical principles. The importance of this realisation is that duty, when moral, is also inspiring.
45. Ethos is not merely a basis of thought; it is an ethical system of comportment that is not insignificant to the mind or the polemics of reason. Duty is something to which we should be ever mindful, though many take it for granted.
46. No one is born with the tenets of ethics; it is a taught and learned discipline that offers us its benefits and wisdom. How we understand ethics depends largely on how we express its teachings in accordance with a just morality.
47. There is so much to learn about humanity, and so little time to discover meaning outside its realm of existence and intricacies, unless grounded in a measure of reality. The duties we perform are vital to the tasks we aim to accomplish.
48. Whether we choose to embrace the concept of ethics is an entirely personal decision. In life, we determine how we handle the duties bestowed upon or entrusted to us. Those same duties that we are expected to exemplify through our actions.
49. Ultimately, we can either choose to accept duty or disregard its function and importance in our lives. However, we must remember that duty instils humbleness that defines our character and reinforces our perception of morality.
50. Society must determine wisely whether mankind is prepared to follow the civility of ethics, rather than the grandiloquent rhetoric of fanciful philodoxes, which serve no true purpose other than to appear impartial in nature and argument.
51. I believe that the benefit outweighs the uncertainty posed by that internal society which remains indeterminable and unestablished; particularly when it lacks ethics to guide it, or fails to instil the fundamental notions of duty.
52. Every branch of philosophy is built upon a logical premise and conclusion; it is not the result of some incomprehensible obsolescence. To better comprehend what duty ought to represent, we must acknowledge that it is reverential in nature.
53. Duty is either a choice we make or a task whose significance cannot be dismissed as mere compliance. I must stress that duty is not intended to be an obligation, but rather an honour to undertake.
54. The principles of ethos have, for centuries, been revered and emulated by the governance of countless societies and nations which evolved under its concept. What must be understood is that duty is fulfilled through diligence and recognition.
55. Where virtue is the ultimate reward, duty forms the foundation of a conventional notion that defines philosophy. The Oracle stresses both the need to be dutiful and to earn gratification. When simplified, it becomes clear that this is entirely conceivable.
56. The Oracle affirms the practicality of duty and virtue as the essential elements of this extraordinary principle we utilise. These elements allow us to enrich our mind and heighten our awareness of what duty must embody and dictate.
57. It is not the role of the Oracle to prove or disprove the notion of ethos, nor to offer a representation of its effect or nature. That representation is made manifest in its actual form and essence. When we choose to act dutifully and morally, we become aware of its relevance.
58. Its significant purpose is to serve humanity in whatever capacity it is proposed or designed, offering the mind reliable answers that conform to logic. Within the framework of philosophy, we learn that nothing practical occurs without purpose.
59. Any viable structure of sound implementation must be governed by rational thoughts in order for duty to be respected and realised. This implies that whatever is deemed appropriate must also be explicable in its intention.
60. Axiology is said to contribute to the intrinsic value of ethos, but is there any theory more sufficient in denoting the value of consciousness? It is consciousness that grants us the ability to comprehend the meaning of duty’s basic concept.
61. Duty is an inspirational task, assumed with utmost efficiency and trust, when we acknowledge its contribution to life. Upon succeeding in that endeavour, we may strive to enrich our lives through the acceptance of duty.
62. We become intuitive gradually, as we exhibit duties that reveal our loyalty and integrity. This ultimately defines our character, when that character is shaped by the masterful teachings of philosophy.
63. Thus, the inherent value of its application persists, despite the indefinite nature of its usage. Duty must be served with great purpose. Without a purpose, it cannot be considered ethical in nature.
64. There is a preconception wrongly insisted upon that duty is not a fundamental necessity or an apodictic value. I would contend that the notion of duty is best explained in its philosophical role alongside the concept of ethos.
65. One could argue that our instinctive behaviour, in certain prearranged contexts, does not always align with this assumption. However, we must acknowledge that instinct lacks the true capacity for reasoning or logic.
66. Within our predisposition, its institutional concept is accentuated through its implementation and comprehensibility. At the same time, duty is not to be avoided or dismissed as self-righteousness in conduct.
67. Promotion in our profession is an example of the instructive element of ethos, propelled by a favourable ambition we tend to exhibit. There is nothing immoral about ambition, except when it becomes excessively vain in nature.
68. To be assigned a task is tangible evidence of our preparatory temperance and obedience. We learn life’s lessons through duty. Temperance and obedience are as vital as virtue. We must learn to value ourselves in order to be dutiful.
69. It is not the distortion of the concept we must delay, but rather the presumption of its imperious nature. Duty need not conform to our constant desires but instead to our respect for others. It is fundamental that we understand the benefits of what duty truly embodies.
70. Duty, once executed, becomes an experiment in prospective outcome, with its immediate impact consciously understood. It is better to be inspired by duty than to squander one’s life in unproductive and meaningless pursuits.
71. The Oracle recognises its benefit and offers its fruition as a rational reward and integration. This reward is defined by virtuous deeds, not material gains that surpass the need for utility.
72. Much of the general concept of duty is grounded in the observable signs of our perception and recognition, informed by our actions. When we turn to philosophy for guidance, we seek its real purpose in life.
73. How we bring about its effect is evident in the effort we willingly commit. Duty is not about proving one’s absolute worth, but about attaining that worth through humility. In essence, our humility defines our humanity.
74. Through a sense of accomplishment, we learn the true value of ethos and its diligence. Our effort recompenses our deeds. What is truly satisfactory is the understanding of duty and what we achieve as a result.
75. Thus, we become more conscious of attaining its proficient practice and method. When we apply ethics to our understanding of duty, we become more aware of its relevance and efficacy. There is nothing more gratifying than fulfilling a duty that is moral in its essence.
76. Our society is truly founded upon the essential principles of service and contribution—principles that serve as the inspiration and foundation for our fundamental actions. Duty inspires us to seek out the meaningful things that enhance our way of thinking and behaving.
77. The attribute of duty is evident in the character we visibly exhibit, in accordance with the agathon of our deeds. It is important to recognise that goodness within each individual is not always apparent through their actions; it is the purpose of those actions that yields reward.
78. When we express this endeavour, we become consciously aware of its meaning and depth through our actions. To ascertain this meaning, we must learn to value duty in its genuine form. If we subscribe to the notion that duty must supersede virtue, then we are mistaken in our assumption.
79. The primary requirement of the purpose behind duty lies in the rudimentary element of its conception and practice. Duty teaches us to serve the plight of others, not solely our own needs as previously mentioned. Should we fail to realise this lesson, we shall fail to progress in philosophy.
80. Our lives are governed by the precision of our thoughts, actions, and behaviour, daily revealed. Duty signifies a service that is complementary to our deeds. Why, then, do we assume that duty must be interpreted otherwise, when the question is not grounded in the ethical sense?
81. Without unquestionable doubt, our spirit of community and fraternity is imparted through our methods of teaching and learning. The Oracle bestows upon us knowledge, and it is for us to transform that knowledge into wisdom so that we may grasp its absolute value.
82. We are taught to exemplify the noble traits of our labour and dedication through our proficiency and determination. It is that very dedication which compels us to exercise our duties with the proper method of instruction.
83. Gradually, this becomes an effective recourse that summons within us a reverent demonstration of humility, making us better individuals in the world. We should endeavour to discover who we are in life and what we wish for others to discover about us.
84. Until we have effectuated this effectively, our actions of loyalty remain fruitless and insignificant. When we serve with true purpose, we become not only ethical in our conduct but logical as well. This should lead us to understand the cause we are meant to serve.
85. No act of duty can be fully appreciated as admirable unless we exhibit a great measure of commitment within a qualitative state of action. It is our commitment that will eventually cause us to become mindful in the performance of our duty.
86. As we mature in age, we begin to address issues that are far more complex and pressing in our daily lives, which are issues that bind us to the world we share and co-exist within. The idea is that as we grow wiser and more mature, we reach a level of consciousness that inspires us to carry out our duties.
87. If we suppose that we are obligated to perform a duty, what responsibility is truly shared if that duty was flawed in its aspiration from the beginning? It would serve no purpose and carry no real meaning. If we are obligated, how can such a duty be equated with morality when it is only an imposition?
88. This is why the actions we take are defined as moral or immoral in nature. Morality and immorality are reflected in our duties and our deeds. We must not forget that within morality, there exists both good and bad in each of us. We ultimately manifest that good or bad through our actions.
89. Whatever intention motivates us is congruent with the burden we bear as individuals within society. Motivation is a profound influence on duty, as it guides us towards the proper path we seek of our own volition. Our duty is first to serve, then to be modest in our deeds.
90. The acquisition of such motivation reflects our immense fidelity to any pledge or undertaking we deem valid and necessary. When we are motivated by duty, we appear more intuitive in our thoughts and more dedicated in our purpose.
91. The concept of sacrifice or self-interest may be expressed in the form of civism or through the various expectations we consider essential in nature. Discipline and courage are noble elements of our ethos and ought to be observed and practised with civility.
92. A commitment that is imposed is not necessarily indicative of an inadequate influence. Our commitment in life is based on the characteristics of ethos and on our understanding of how morality and ethics are to be represented.
93. We may debate the concept of deontology and compare it with the implication of our duties, but what remains important is the fact that we apply duty to those things we regard as worthy. The world is shaped by the teachings we have received and the wisdom we have acquired.
94. What we are likely to discover on our journey towards wisdom is the pragmatic nature of that decisive realisation and purpose. We cannot expect to be just if we do not possess ethical reasoning upon which to base justice. What judgement would align with ethics if our words and actions lacked true justice?
95. This may conclude a rational observation of what duty constitutes in its veritable essence and meaning. Once we learn that to be dutiful is to act in a manner that best represents our ethos and philosophy, we become capable of attaining wisdom.
96. In a broader sense, the traditions we uphold are often tied to this form of obeisance. We should not revere the deeds of others blindly, but rather acknowledge the examples of good they embody. This is how we measure the purity of those deeds.
97. The principle to which we adhere in guiding morality is simple and unwavering in its affirmation. Duty is not a compromise of ethics; it is a sober realisation of the purpose we should strive to achieve each day. Once we recognise this, we become ethical.
98. Our affinity with this alignment of ethos is not foreign to the teachings of this philosophy as provided by the Oracle. The Oracle conveys the absolute connection that links us to the quintessence of philosophy.
99. Every argument must possess a logical conclusion rooted in sound reasoning; otherwise, it is considered illogical. There is no need to perceive the teachings of the Oracle as holy in nature, for the Oracle professes no premise of divinity.
100. Its sublimity lies in its simplicity and clarity. Therefore, we should accept logically and introspectively that the Oracle serves the purpose of enlightenment. Philosophy is the principal reason that duty requires the criterion of justice.
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