A Blueprint for Resolving the Current Crisis in the American Way of Life

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A Blueprint for Resolving the Current Crisis in the American Way of Life

For most of the past decade, a number of				his wife's wishes on decisions which
editorial writers, politicians, members of				negatively affect his own quality of life,
the clergy, and other pundits have described				and parents who continue to provide for
America as a nation in some sort of crisis.				able-bodied adult children while neglecting
They point to a growing number of people who				what they need to do to prepare for
drop out of high school, who are living on				retirement. Non-productive behavior involves
probation, parole, or in prison, who are				spending time and energy on activities which
victims of domestic or criminal assault, who				have little or nothing to do with acquiring
are addicted to drugs or alcohol, who are				or maintaining what is required for
infected with sexually transmitted disease,				contentment and satisfaction with life.
who are having abortions, who are giving				Examples include teenagers who spend their
birth outside of marriage, who are getting				time watching television, listening to music
divorced, or who are relying on Ritalin,				or talking on the phone rather than doing
Xanax or Prozac to make it through the day.				homework or studying for exams, employees who
They maintain these statistics are evidence				spend portions of their workday surfing the
something has gone terribly wrong with the				Internet rather than completing assigned
American way of life.				tasks, and spouses who spend virtually all of
				their time in activities which have nothing
As a practicing clinical psychologist, I work				to do with nurturing their partners in life.
with people included in these numbers every				Unfaithful behavior consists of failing to
day of the week. Monday I talk with a man on				fulfill agreements freely entered into at an
his way to prison for writing bad checks, a				earlier point in time. Examples include
middle-aged mother struggling to quit				adolescents breaking curfews, salespersons
drinking herself into a stupor every night,				who fail to honor warranties and married
and a twenty-something single woman recently				people who cheat on their spouses.
diagnosed with herpes. Tuesday I talk with a				Disrespectful behavior consists of pursuing a
teenager dealing with an unintended				course of action which violates another
pregnancy, a father court-ordered out of his				person's basic rights. Examples include
house after assaulting his son, and a wife				physical or sexual assault, theft, or the
conflicted about whether to end her				disclosure of certain types of personal
extramarital affair. On Wednesday I meet				information. Deceptive behavior consists of
with an 11-year-old boy who doesn't cooperate				attempting to create in another person's mind
with his teachers, on Thursday with a woman				an image of reality which does not correspond
who was devastated by the news that her				with actuality. It includes creating
husband has filed for divorce so he can marry				misleading audio or video recordings, filing
his girlfriend, and, on Friday, with an				falsified reports, or simply telling lies.
adolescent who recently attempted suicide.				Ill-considered interpersonal interaction
				occurs when people pursue a course of action
From this perspective, rather than being				which involves other persons whose behavior
numbers, persons included in statistics are				is heedless, nonproductive, disrespectful,
living, breathing, human beings. Each has a				unfaithful and/or deceptive. Examples
unique history and set of circumstances as				include riding in an automobile with an
well as very personal thoughts, emotions,				impaired driver, continuing to employ an
ideals, regrets, hopes, and dreams. But				individual who does not put in a day's work
despite their differences, all of these				for a day's pay, disclosing personal
individuals have one thing in common-they are				information to an individual who has
all, to some degree, unhappy, discontent, and				demonstrated no respect for privacy,
dissatisfied with life.				remaining in a marriage with a spouse who has
				an ongoing series of extramarital affairs,
Recognizing that all of these people are in				and trusting a person who frequently lies.
some sense unhappy, it is possible to
characterize the number of persons in all of				Once it was determined that these seven
the statistical groups referred to by the				patterns of behavior are the ones which
pundits as a global measure of unhappiness in				correlate with unhappiness, discontent and/or
the United States. Since the total number of				dissatisfaction in life, a set of
people in each of these groups continues to				alternatives was identified. The alternative
rise, it is reasonable to infer that we are				to heedless and self-effacing behavior as
in the midst of an epidemic of unhappiness.				well as ill-considered interpersonal
Recognizing that this nation was designed to				interaction is referred to as self-respect.
optimize the conditions for the personal				Self-respect consists of avoiding any course
pursuit of happiness, this epidemic of				of action which clearly poses a threat to
unhappiness can be referred to as the current				what is required for contentment and
crisis in the American way of life.				satisfaction with life. Industry is the
				alternative to non-productive behavior.
Attempts to Cope with the Crisis				Industry consists of investing the time and
				energy required to obtain and maintain what
One group of opinion leaders offers a simple				is essential for contentment and satisfaction
explanation for, and solution to, this				with life. The alternative to unfaithful and
crisis. Presuming illiteracy, probation,				disrespectful behavior is referred to as
incarceration, assault, addiction, sexually				equity. Equity consists of honoring
transmitted illness, unintended pregnancy,				agreements and respecting the basic rights of
domestic violence, and divorce are				others. Honesty, the alternative to
consequences of dysfunctional behavior,				deceptive behavior, consists of rendering an
conservatives maintain that the rising number				accurate description of reality. Like
of people who find themselves with these				wellness principles, these guidelines for
conditions is the result of poor				making choices only maximize the potential
decision-making. They contend that people				for achieving emotional well-being when they
could avoid these outcomes by making better				are combined and acted on consistently in the
choices when managing their personal lives.				course of daily living. Given this reality,
				the combination and regular use of the four
Conservatives remind us that the basic				scientifically formulated principles of
structure of the American way of life is a				morality can be referred to as the formula
legal system based on a foundation of moral				for happiness.
principles-ideas about right and wrong. They
cite Founding Fathers, such as John Adams,				Prevention and Dissemination
who, in 1798, wrote, "Our constitution was
made for a moral and religious people. It is				The potential that the formula for happiness
wholly inadequate to govern any other." Or				has for reducing the epidemic of unhappiness
they refer to James Madison, who, in 1778,				becomes evident when the connection between
wrote, "We have staked the whole future of				acting on its principles and a person's
American civilization, not upon the power of				ability to avoid functional illiteracy,
government, far from it. We have staked the				probation, incarceration, assault, addiction,
future of all of our political institutions .				sexually transmitted illness, unintended
. . upon the capacity of each and all of us				pregnancy, or divorce is clarified.
to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to
sustain ourselves according to the Ten				People who act on the principles of
Commandments of God."				self-respect and industry can acquire
				adequate skills for competitive employment in
Conservatives point to the fact that,				today's post-industrial economy. When those
beginning with Colonial America and up until				who are inclined to violate the rights of
roughly forty years ago, the people of this				others act on the principle of equity, they
country generally assumed the moral				avoid probation and incarceration which is
principles the Founding Fathers inherited				frequently a consequence of murder, assault,
from the Judeo-Christian tradition were a set				and various types of theft. When those who
of guidelines for making choices which would				are mulling over an opportunity to experiment
lead to real and lasting happiness in this				with illicit drugs act on the principle of
world and the next. They note that since				self-respect, they avoid future addiction.
those advocating a separation of church and				When people who have become addicted to drugs
state began to succeed in removing all				or alcohol act on the principles of
reference to religion from public schools				self-respect, industry, and honesty, they
there has been an increase in the number of				enter into substance abuse recovery programs
people who are failing to finish high school,				and invest the blood, sweat, and tears
living on probation, parole, or in prison,				required to overcome their dependency. When
victims of domestic or criminal assault,				interested in having casual and unprotected
addicted to drugs or alcohol, infected with				sexual intercourse, people who act on the
sexually transmitted diseases, having				principle of self-respect avoid sexually
abortions, giving birth outside of marriage,				transmitted disease and unintended pregnancy.
getting divorced, and relying on				When people act on the principle of
antidepressants and other psychotropic				self-respect in choosing a spouse, industry
medications. They argue that each of these				for investing time and energy in working on a
undesirable conditions could be lessened if				satisfying marriage, and equity in forsaking
Americans, once again, began to act on the				all others, there is a reduction in the
Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus				number of people who live with marital
Christ when making choices in daily life.				disharmony, domestic violence, and divorce.

On the other side, liberals insist there are				Scientifically formulated principles of
several problems with the conservative				morality only hold the promise of reducing
approach. First, the moral position of the				the epidemic of unhappiness if people become
Judeo-Christian tradition is far from clear.				aware of these ideas about what's right and
Although all believers root their morality				act on these principles as they go about
in scripture, there are wide differences in				their daily lives. This means that a reverse
how sacred texts are understood. While some				in the epidemic of unhappiness requires a
Christians maintain using alcohol is a sin,				general recognition of the value of acting on
others serve wine in church. Similar				these principles to the individual and to
differences exist with respect to the				society at large. Clearly, the most
Christian positions on gambling, divorce and				efficient and effective means of achieving
homosexuality. Liberals point to the fact				this goal is through the process of
that people of faith can be found on both				education.
sides of abortion, capital punishment, and
assisted suicide to demonstrate that				The first step in teaching a significant
religiously based moral reasoning is				number of youth about scientifically
incapable of effectively dealing with the				formulated principles of morality began with
major moral controversies of our time.				The Facts of Life Seminar which was
				instituted in Westmoreland County,
Further, liberals maintain that				Pennsylvania in 1993. This program for
religiously-based moral reasoning permitted				character development was designed to teach
many of the most outrageous injustices of the				the formula for happiness to teens who are on
past. Thousands were slaughtered in the				juvenile probation and to show them how to
Crusades, tortured during the Inquisition,				apply the formula in the course of daily
and died during centuries of European holy				living. All of the adolescents adjudicated
war. Many who settled the British colonies				delinquent in this county are currently
in North America were fleeing persecution at				required to complete The Facts of Life
the hands of religious authorities intolerant				Seminar as a one of the conditions of their
of their beliefs. After the American				probation.
Revolution, the Bible was used to justify the
perpetuation of slavery and the subordination				In The Facts of Life Seminars students learn
of women. Even today the Ku Klux Klan uses a				that when they act on scientifically
Christian symbol to terrorize non-white				formulated principles of morality they get
Americans who are simply exercising basic				the tangible benefit of improving and
rights.				maintaining the quality of their lives.
				Students are provided with mnemonic devices
Liberals also note that the American				similar to those used in teaching principles
Revolution was as much a rebellion against				of nutrition and health. They are equipped
religion as it was a military campaign.				with decision trees and given several
Instead of relying on the British notion that				exercises to help them learn to recognize a
it was a citizen's duty to God to obey a				context for principled decision-making and
divinely enthroned king, the Founding Fathers				how to systematically employ scientifically
based their declaration of independence on				formulated principles of morality to figure
rational philosophy-the other source of moral				out which alternatives to pursue. In
authority which has shaped and influenced the				addition to learning about the principles
course of Western civilization since its				themselves, students are trained in
beginning in ancient Greece. They went on to				behavioral techniques such as imaging and
establish a government explicitly based on				self-talk as a means of enhancing
philosophical rather than on religious				self-control when confronted with temptation
ideals. Referring to the first amendment of				to engage in a self-defeating course of
the Constitution and the fact that America				action.
has become a nation of many faiths, liberals
argue that it is now un-American to base				Since its inception, hundreds of adolescents
public education or any type of public policy				have gone through Facts of Life Seminars
on a set of moral principles which belong to				taught by juvenile probation officers, mental
any particular religious tradition.				health treatment personnel, and a number of
				teachers in residential placement centers,
Beyond rejecting the conservative solution to				day treatment programs, outpatient counseling
the crisis, liberals offer a different				centers, and alternative education schools.
analysis of the crisis itself. Although				Outcome research reveals that of those who
acknowledging that failure to finish high				complete this program there is a 123%
school, delinquency, crime, addiction,				increase in the number likely to refrain from
sexually transmitted disease, unintended				violence, a 92% increase in the number likely
pregnancy, domestic violence, divorce, and				to refrain from theft, a 178% increase in the
emotional disorders involve some type of				number likely to keep their promises, and a
dysfunctional human behavior, they deny these				160% increase in the number likely to tell
conditions have anything to do with moral				the truth. In 2006, the Pennsylvania Center
reasoning or ideas about right and wrong.				for Juvenile Justice Training and Research
Drawing on the theory of human nature				sponsored the first state-wide program to
generally accepted within contemporary social				prepare youth workers to lead Facts of Life
science, they contend that this behavior is				Seminars throughout the Commonwealth.
determined by instinctive drives, patterns of
prior conditioning, imbalances in brain				In addition, a number of public school
chemistry, socioeconomic circumstances, or				administrators and guidance counselors who
some other, as yet, unidentified factor which				learned about The Facts of Life Seminar have
involves something other than choice. They				expressed an interest in integrating the
believe further scientific research will				formula for happiness into classes on
inevitably discover the causes of this				decision-making and self-awareness in public
dysfunctional behavior and that the results				schools. They recognize that many of the
of this research will eventually lead to a				youth on juvenile probation may have been
reduction in the number of persons who behave				able to avoid trouble with the law if they
this way.				learned to use scientifically formulated
				principles of morality as part of their
A Need for a New Approach				overall education. As a result of this
				interest Lessons on The Facts of Life have
Rather than attempting to work together in an				been developed. This is a set of lesson
effort to find some common ground, today's				plans which can be integrated into existing
conservative and liberal leaders invest their				curriculum on decision-making and
energies in attempting to win hearts and				self-awareness classes in both public and
minds to their respective points of view.				private schools.
Their strategies are to affect public policy
through opinion polls and the election				When scientifically formulated principles of
process. Unfortunately, as the leaders of				morality are taught within a public school,
these ideologies engage in cultural civil				influential persons in the community need to
war, the epidemic of unhappiness continues				be aware of their existence as well as their
and the current crisis in the American way of				value in promoting personal responsibility
life endures.				and citizenship. Public meetings provide
				opportunities for parents and other community
One means of moving beyond this quagmire				leaders to learn about the origin and nature
begins with the realization that crises are				of the formula for happiness as well as why
events which have a structure and dynamics of				and how it is effective in motivating
their own. Crises occur when people are				adolescents to act on principle in daily
confronted with undesirable conditions which				life. These meetings also equip members of
are unintended and unanticipated. They				the community with a vocabulary and a set of
result from pursuing courses of action based				concepts about right and wrong which they can
on assumptions which are in some way				share with other adults who are dealing with
inaccurate, ineffective, or inappropriate				the challenge of character development in
with respect to achieving an intended				youth. This ability to speak a common
outcome. Crises persist as long as those				language enables teacher, school
attempting to achieve the intended outcome				administrators, parents, clergy, and other
continue doing what they do without realizing				community leaders to coordinate their efforts
their assumptions are in some sense flawed.				in dealing with issues of responsibility and
				accountability at school, at home, and in the
Crises are resolved when three events occur.				neighborhood. Clearly, this effort can only
First, the assumptions of those who end up				succeed if those involved in implementing
with the undesired outcome are clarified.				programs for character education based on the
Next, these assumptions are evaluated with				formula for happiness are able to enlist
respect to the degree that they are actually				support from community leaders who represent
accurate, effective, and appropriate with				both conservative and liberal groups.
respect to achieving the intended goal.
Finally, the results of this evaluation are				Conservative Support
used to develop a new course of action aimed
at achieving the intended outcome based on				Because scientifically formulated principles
assumptions which are more accurate,				of morality are based on a volitional theory
effective, and appropriate for achieving the				of human nature and because they are clearly
desired result.				relevant to the personal pursuit of
				happiness, many conservatives who learn about
This insight into the structure of a crisis				the formula for happiness recognize its value
suggests that a resolution to the current				with respect to reducing the epidemic of
crisis in the American way of life could be				unhappiness in the United States. But, since
obtained by identifying the assumptions				most conservatives believe that morality must
within the conservative and liberal				be a matter of religion, some have difficulty
traditions, evaluating their accuracy,				supporting the idea that scientifically
effectiveness, and appropriateness, and then				formulated principles of morality should be
developing a new approach to dealing with the				taught in public schools. They are
epidemic of unhappiness based on what this				frequently used to taking a position that it
evaluation has revealed.				would be more appropriate to either return
				biblically-based moral principles to the
Identifying Existing Assumptions				classroom or to take all instruction in moral
				reasoning and action out of the schools,
The conservative approach is rooted in three				leaving this aspect of education to parents
assumptions about human nature deeply rooted				and to the clergy.
in Western civilization. These assumptions
were contained in the writings of British				The conservative position that
Enlightenment philosophers-Francis Bacon,				biblically-based morality should be brought
Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke-who provided a				back into public schools is rooted in the
theory of human nature for those who led the				history of the United States. Conservatives
American Revolution and went on to write the				remind us that when the Founding Fathers
Constitution of the United States. Today's				framed the Constitution they recognized
conservatives often make reference to George				democracy was a very fragile form of
Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other				government. They knew it had only been tried
Founding Fathers who made use of these				twice before in the history of Western
philosophers' ideas.				civilization and that each time it had
				collapsed into some form of dictatorship. In
The first conservative assumption is known as				order to prevent this from happening in
a volitional theory of human nature. It				America, some of the Founding Fathers
asserts that human beings have the capacity				advocated for a system of public education so
to choose between alternative potential				that citizens who are electing public
courses of action. It also includes the				officials would be able to make good choices
notion that, when confronted with a choice,				when it came time to cast their votes.
people are naturally motivated to select the				Benjamin Rush, one of the Founding Fathers,
potential course of action they believe is				and the father of American psychiatry, was a
most likely to make them happy in some way.				chief architect of public schools in America.
				He maintained public schools should have two
The second conservative assumption is a moral				objectives. The first was to teach basic
theory referred to as enlightened				academic skills-reading, writing, and
self-interest. This theory presumes that				arithmetic. The second was to train students
moral principles are a set of guidelines for				to act on the moral principles contained in
making choices which are essential to				the Ten Commandments and the teachings of
obtaining an optimal quality of life. It				Jesus.
also presumes that if individuals act on
these principles when making choices in daily				Based on this mission, for nearly 200 years,
living they are doing what they can to				public schools in America were one of three
maximize their potential to achieve				institutions which trained successive
happiness, emotional well-being, contentment,				generations of Americans in moral reasoning
and satisfaction with life.				and its relevance to daily life. Public
				school's functioned in concert with the
Finally, conservatives assume that moral				church and family in presenting an integrated
principles are a matter of religion. This				and effective means of acting on principle at
assumption is based on the belief that				home, at school, at work, and in the larger
individual human beings are limited in their				community. History reveals that this
ability to distinguish between those courses				combined effort at character development
of action which only apparently enhance a				began to unravel when advocates for the
person's quality of life and those which				separation of church and state were
enrich it in actuality. Accordingly,				successful in requiring public schools to
conservatives maintain that an all-knowing				remove any reference to The Ten Commandments
God revealed this knowledge about how to				and the teachings of Jesus. Since most
become and remain happy to specific				Americans view morality as a matter of
persons-Moses, the Prophets, Jesus, and the				religion, public schools rapidly and
Apostles-and that the rest of humanity can				completely abandoned all formal teaching of
find real and lasting happiness by utilizing				moral reasoning based on a concern the school
this information when making choices in daily				district would become the object of
life.				litigation by the American Civil Liberties
				Union.
The liberal approach to dealing with
illiteracy, probation, incarceration,				Conservatives who cite this history as a
assault, addiction, sexually transmitted				means of arguing for a return of
disease, unintended pregnancy, domestic				biblically-based moral instruction to the
violence, divorce, and a variety of emotional				classroom can be reminded that given the
disorders is based on a set of assumptions				political strength of those who advocate the
about human nature which began to influence				separation of church and state, it is
the Western world as the philosophy of the				unlikely religion will be returned to public
Enlightenment was replaced by a new set of				school classrooms in the United States
ideas about the nature of human existence.				anytime in the foreseeable future. What's
While Enlightenment thinking was rooted in				more, even if this were to occur, teaching
faith in God, a vision of heaven, and a fear				moral reasoning based on scripture will do
of hell, the notions about human nature				little to motivate a large number of students
utilized by liberals developed as an				to act on principle because many Americans no
atheistic, scientific worldview emerged.				longer understand the world in terms of
				Biblical descriptions of reality. Students
The first liberal assumption is referred to				who have no faith in God, who have no vision
as determinism. This is the theory of human				of heaven, and who have no fear of hell, have
nature advanced by Sigmund Freud, William				no reason to take seriously what the Bible
James, and John Watson, seminal thinkers who				has to say about life and how to live.
set the foundations for contemporary social				Clearly, scientifically formulated principles
science. Determinism consists of the belief				of morality are much more powerful in
that human behavior is caused by instinctive				motivating public school students who have no
drives, patterns of prior conditioning,				religious foundation to make use of them in
genetics, changes in brain chemistry,				daily living because these ideas about how to
socioeconomic status or some other process				behave are consistent with the scientific
which has nothing to do with choosing between				worldview which pervades everything else they
alternative potential courses of action.				learn at school.

Second, liberals assume that moral principles				Those conservatives who maintain moral
are irrelevant to dealing with dysfunctional				training should be kept out of public school
behavior. This assumption is based on the				and left up to the family and the clergy can
belief that rather than religion, the great				be reminded that in America today millions of
minds of Western philosophy are the proper				children have never seen the inside of a
source of moral authority and the belief that				synagogue or a church. Millions more are
the French philosopher Auguste Comte, is the				being raised by parents who see no value in
great mind Americans should turn to as the				acting on moral principles in the course of
appropriate authority on morality. His				daily living. Since public schools are the
theory, altruism, maintains that what's right				only place these children would have an
is that which enhances the welfare of other				opportunity to receive formal training on how
people, society, or humanity in general.				to act on principle, failing to provide this
Since altruism insists that moral activity				type of education only perpetuates the
consists of service to others, acting on				epidemic of unhappiness in the United States.
principle is viewed by altruists as an				Persons of faith who have no problems using
obstacle to, or restriction on, the personal				scientific discoveries which have led to
pursuit of happiness.				vaccinating virtually all children in America
				against smallpox, diphtheria, and polio
Third, liberals assume that religion is not a				should be encouraged to recognize that
reliable source of knowledge about life or				teaching the formula for happiness is a means
how to live. This assumption is rooted in				of inoculating children against functional
their opinion that the quality of human life				illiteracy, probation, incarceration,
has improved in virtually every domain of				addiction, sexually transmitted diseases,
human existence where scientific discoveries				unintended pregnancy, marital disharmony,
have replaced pre-scientific thought.				domestic violence, divorce, and a variety of
Liberals maintain that it makes more sense to				problems with their mental health. It makes
rely on science as a means of trying to				no more sense to deprive millions of children
figure out how to help people who engage in				of the benefit of learning about
dysfunctional behavior than referring to				scientifically formulated principles of
religious texts which they view as outdated				morality than it would to limit the
relics from a bygone era.				availability of vaccinations to the children
				of persons who believe in God and who take
Evaluating Assumptions				their kids to Sunday School.

Clearly, the traditional approaches to				Those conservatives who believe that acting
dealing with the current crisis in the				on a secular set of moral principles may have
American way of life involve a set of				a negative effect on fostering faith can be
questionable assumptions about whether people				reminded that scientifically formulated
are capable of making choices, as well as the				principles of morality are in no way hostile
purpose and source of ideas about right and				to a belief in God or any traditional
wrong. While conservatives assume that				religion. While letting students learn about
people have the capacity to choose between				the formula for happiness at school, parents
alternative potential courses of action, that				and religious leaders can combine this
religion is the proper source of ideas about				product of scientific research with their
right and wrong, and that acting on moral				approach to religious education. Religious
principle is essential to becoming and				educators can show children how
remaining happy, liberals assume that human				scientifically formulated principles of
behavior has nothing to do with choice, that				morality are compatible with many of the
morality is irrelevant to the personal				ideas about right and wrong contained in
pursuit of happiness, and that science,				scripture as a means of providing further
rather than religion, is the appropriate				validation for the moral principles found in
source of knowledge for dealing with the				sacred texts. What's more, religious
dysfunctional behavior contributing to the				teachers can demonstrate how combining
epidemic of unhappiness. Now that these				Biblical instructions on how to relate to God
questionable assumptions have been				with scientifically formulated principles of
identified, each can be evaluated in terms of				morality enables persons of faith to
the degree to which available evidence				experience a greater degree of joy than the
suggests it is accurate, effective, and				level of fulfillment people are able to find
appropriate with respect to attempting to				by simply following the formula for happiness
resolve the current crisis in the American
way of life.				Liberals

Throughout the course of Western civilization				Because the formula for happiness is a
and up until the establishment of social				product of the scientific method, many
science, roughly one hundred years ago, all				liberals find the notion that it can be
educated and thoughtful intellectual leaders				taught in public school to be an intriguing
recognized that people have the capacity of				idea. Since they can also see how training
choice. Since the first philosophers of				youth to act on scientifically formulated
ancient Greece, every major philosopher in				principles of morality will go a long way
the Western tradition has maintained that,				toward reducing the epidemic of unhappiness,
with respect to many behaviors, human beings				they generally recognize the value of
are able to select between alternative				encouraging this approach to teaching
potential courses of action. In addition,				decision-making in public schools. At the
every known society has had a legal system				same time, some liberals have difficulty
based on the notion human beings actually				supporting a program for character
make choices in the course of daily living.				development which inspires students to act on
				principle by an explicit appeal to
These historical and sociological facts are				self-interest. This resistance can subside
consistent with observations human beings				once these liberals recognize how following
have made with respect to themselves and one				the formula for happiness results in a number
another since the dawn of time. In everyday				of benefits to others and to society as a
descriptions of human behavior, people have				whole.
always regularly made reference to
intentions, desires and choices when				When an individual acts on the principle of
describing the activities of friends, family				self-respect that person is doing what he or
members and those whom they deal with in				she can to promote his or her overall
commercial and community affairs. Moreover,				physical and emotional well-being, thereby
we have direct access to the process of				relieving healthcare and social service
choosing between alternative potential				agencies of the need to provide for that
courses of action when we decide what to eat				individual and making their services
for breakfast, what color coat to purchase,				available to other needy members of the
and which program to watch on television.				community. When people acts on the principle
				of industry, they provide for the material
Although the results of some animal studies				needs of other people in the form of such
can be used to argue for a deterministic				tangible items as food, clothing, shelter,
theory of human nature, there is no				automobiles, appliance, electronic devices,
conclusive evidence to suggest that this is				and countless other meaningful material
an accurate means of describing many types of				objects which enhance the quality of human
human behavior. Over the course of the				life. When a doctor, nurse, attorney,
Twentieth Century, scientists have attempted				banker, police officer, auto mechanic,
to identify a number of non-volitional				building inspector, or custodian acts on the
processes such as instinctive drives,				principle of industry, he or she is serving
patterns of prior conditioning, genetics,				others by providing quality healthcare, legal
changes in brain chemistry, and socioeconomic				representation, financial assistance,
status which cause people to fail to acquire				security, transportation, or safe and clean
adequate vocational skills, commit crimes,				buildings, streets and parks, which enhance
become addicted to drugs or alcohol, engage				the lives of other members of the community.
in risky sexual behavior, abuse family				When a person acts on the principle of
members or get divorced. At best, these				equity, he or she is enabling others to
studies have produced only modest				maintain their physical and emotional
correlations. The results of thousands of				well-being while, at the same time,
these studies over nearly one hundred years				contributing to the freedom and security of
reveal that although non-volitional processes				other members of the community. When a
may play some role in these dysfunctional				person acts on the principle of honesty, he
behaviors, they do not actually cause people				or she is providing others with accurate
to behave in any of these ways. Based on all				information which enables them to make
of this scientific evidence, it is reasonable				informed and realistic decisions choices when
to conclude that scientists have never been				faced with momentous decisions which will
able to prove that human beings lack the				have a long-term impact on their future
capacity of choice.				quality of life.

One way of determining whether moral				Beyond these benefits which result from
principles are relevant to the personal				acting on specific scientifically formulated
pursuit of happiness consists of looking at				principles of morality, persons who behave
what research has revealed about the				according to the formula for happiness tend
relationship between acting on principle and				to be those who support institutions which
subsequent quality of human life. Statistics				are central to the American way of life.
show that there is a correlation between				Self-respecting, industrious, equitable, and
personal reports of happiness, emotional				honest people are those individuals who
well-being, contentment, and satisfaction in				provide most of the contributions to
living with people who regularly tell the				charitable organizations in the United
truth, keep their agreements, and refrain				States. As taxpayers, they also provide
from theft. Research also reveals that there				service to others through government-funded
is a correlation between people who report				health and welfare programs.
they are unhappy, discontent, and
dissatisfied with life and a tendency to				Self-respecting, industrious, equitable, and
frequently lie, cheat, and steal. What's				honest individuals build better families,
more, virtually all psychological research on				neighborhoods, and communities. Working
the reasons people describe for acting on				within these networks of interpersonal
principle reveals that the vast majority of				relationships they develop, support, and
individuals who do what's right act on				maintain quality education, healthcare
principle because they believe they will				institutions, libraries, and emergency
personally benefit as a result.				services. They become politically informed
				and conscientious voters who support
Assuming that people have the capacity to				politicians and public policies which balance
choose between alternative potential courses				agricultural, mining and manufacturing
of action and that moral principles can				interests with environmental concerns. They
enhance a person's potential for becoming and				also support candidates and government
remaining happy, the next assumption which				officials who are ensuring fair law
needs to be evaluated is whether it is more				enforcement, protecting the integrity of the
appropriate to assume that religion is the				courts, and maintaining military readiness so
proper source of moral principles or whether				that all citizens can benefit from a
to turn to philosophy for ideas about what's				government designed to protect each
right and wrong. In this respect, both				individual's right to life, liberty, and the
conservatives and liberals assume there are				pursuit of happiness.
only two sources of moral principles.
Neither considers the fact that within the				Assuming liberals are interested in a program
past decade a new source of moral principles				for character development which can provide
has emerged. This source is science and what				these benefits to society, it is important
the scientific method has revealed about the				for them to recognize that these benefits
relationship between choices people make and				only materialize when individuals are
how those choices affect the quality of their				motivated to act on those principles which
lives. Given the fact that these principles				yield these results. Since character
were specifically formulated as a means of				education based on the formula for happiness
determining which potential courses of action				demonstrates that it is in the students'
maximize a person's likelihood of becoming				interest to act on principle, this approach
and remaining happy, scientifically				to character education is effective in
formulated principles of morality provide a				inspiring them to make use of scientifically
more effective means of dealing with the				formulated principles of morality in the
epidemic of unhappiness than continuing to				course of daily living. As such, teaching
operate on the assumptions about the source				the formula for happiness is a much more
of moral knowledge contained in either the				reliable means of enhancing the welfare of
conservative or liberal approach.				others than simply requiring students in
				character development programs to engage in
Scientifically Formulated Principles of				public service activities such as serving
Morality				meals in a soup kitchen, picking up litter
				along the highway, or baking cookies for the
Scientifically formulated principles of				residents of the local homeless shelter.
morality were developed by following the same
logic scientists used to come up with				Resetting the Moral Foundation
principles for achieving health and physical
well-being. Researchers were able to				In 1776, a group of British subjects declared
formulate wellness principles by observing a				their independence from royal rule and went
correlation between certain types of				on to design a blueprint for a way of life
voluntary human behavior and a number of				intended to optimize the conditions for the
serious illnesses. Studies revealed that				personal pursuit of happiness. Recognizing
people who regularly smoke tobacco often end				that the pursuit of happiness depends on
up with cancer, emphysema, or heart disease.				individual self-control, they based the
It also detected that a lack of exercise is				Constitution and the Bill of Rights on the
correlated with diabetes, obesity, and				assumption that Americans would continue to
stroke. Based on these and other				govern their personal lives with the moral
correlations, scientists were able to				principles they inherited from
formulate alternatives to unhealthy patterns				Judeo-Christian tradition. Although the
of behavior which they then promoted as				Founding Fathers were aware that science was
guidelines for making healthy choices in				making impressive advances even in their day,
daily life. These principles for healthy				they had no way of envisioning how that moral
living indicate that when we avoid tobacco,				foundation would disintegrate when the
street drugs, and the excessive use of				Christian vision of reality gave way to the
alcohol, obtain adequate amounts of rest and				scientific worldview which characterizes
exercise, and eat a high fiber, low-fat diet,				America today.
we are doing what we can to maximize our
potential for becoming and remaining healthy.				"These are the times that try men's souls"
				wrote Thomas Paine at the beginning of The
Similarly, the search for scientifically				American Crisis. Five months after the
formulated principles of morality began by				Continental Congress issued the Declaration
determining which types of voluntary human				of Independence, he wrote this essay to
behavior correlate with a loss of happiness,				awaken Americans to the fact that the war for
emotional well-being, contentment, and				winning that independence was not yielding
satisfaction with life. Once these				the intended, desired, and anticipated
correlations were determined, alternatives to				result. He urged the people of this nation
these behaviors were identified.				to recognize that if they simply went about
Conceptualized as principles, these				their daily lives assuming the war would be
guidelines for making choices in daily living				won without some effort on their part, they
maximize a person's potential for becoming				were pursuing a course of action which would
and remaining happy.				have disastrous consequences with respect to
				the future of the American way of life. We
Research which led to the development of				now know that those who reevaluated this
scientifically formulated principles of				assumption and devoted themselves to the
morality revealed that there are basic				cause, were eventually successful in
similarities between the voluntary behaviors				establishing the first nation on earth
of the majority of people who become, in one				devoted to protecting each citizen's right to
way or another, unhappy as a result of doing				the pursuit of happiness.
what they did. These patterns of behavior
are referred to as self-defeating because				Like the Americans of his day, we are
they undermine a person's effort at becoming				currently confronted with a crisis and with a
and remaining happy. Research revealed that				soul-searching choice. One alternative
there are the following seven types of				involves continuing to flounder along,
self-defeating behavior which lead to a loss				arguing about whether choices make a
of happiness, contentment, and satisfaction				difference in the quality of human life,
with life.				bickering over whether morality plays a part
				in the personal pursuit of happiness, and
Heedless behavior consists of pursuing a				quarreling about whether morality must be a
course of action while knowing it poses a				matter of religion or whether it should be
threat to something or someone essential to a				based on some philosophy, while each year
person's overall contentment and satisfaction				more and more children move into adult life
with life. Examples include smoking				with virtually no appreciation for the role
cigarettes, using illicit drugs, driving				morality plays in the pursuit of happiness.
while under the influence of consciousness				The other alternative consists of recognizing
altering substances and engaging in unsafe				that the choices we make determine the
sex. Self-effacing behavior consists of				quality of our lives, acknowledging that
regularly pursuing courses of action aimed at				ideas about right and wrong are essential to
enhancing the happiness of others while				the pursuit of happiness, and doing what we
failing to attend to what is essential to				can to promote the notion that scientifically
one's own. Examples include a female				formulated principles of morality are an
adolescent who consents to unprotected sexual				effective means of restoring moral reasoning
relations as a means of pleasing her				and moral action to its proper place at the
boyfriend, a husband who constantly defers to				foundation of the American way of life.

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