Honor and the Man: A Philosophical and Literary Examination of Honor

Honor and the Man is a philosophical investigation of the concept of honor in light of philosophy, history, literature, and the martial arts. Above all, it is an effort to understand why our ancestors, and also some contemporary non-Western cultures prized honor so highly and sought to keep it spotless. In particular, it was the author's wish from the beginning to understand the psychology of the man who values honor. After some preliminary comments, shame, which is intimately connected with honor, is examined; the connections of honor to moral virtues are examined, drawing a wide array of Eastern and Western, ancient and modern, philosophical, literary, and other sources; specific issues relating to honor, such as dueling and suicide, are examined; and a distinction is drawn between honor and moral virtue. It is the author's hope that this work will serve as an invitation to more profound reflection on this topic than has often been misunderstood.