The adjective honest corresponds to the noun probidad, which is equivalent to honorability. It is said that someone is honest when they have a decent and upright demeanor and therefore equates to honesty. Regarding the use of the term, it must be said that it is a cultism that is not part of everyday language, but is used in legal terminology or in official documents related to the public function.
Probitas in Ancient Rome
The ancient Romans gave importance to certain moral values, because through them their own existence and life in society acquired a more humane and dignified dimension. Among the values that they most appreciated is probity, but there are also others, such as dignitas or dignity, auctoritas or moral authority or veritas or truth.
For the Romans the probitas was equivalent to the integritas, that is to say, to the integrity. Thus, a person with probity is someone whose conduct is moral and, at the same time, is within the framework of legality.
Understanding someone's profile
Someone upright is one who has honesty. In this way, we could provide some characteristics related to this virtue. It is an individual who acts with rectitude, that is, who fulfills his obligations. Therefore, he is a person with a sense of duty. The fulfillment of personal obligations obeys a moral sense of existence, which means behaving appropriately on a personal level, as a citizen and as a worker. Thus, it could not be said that someone is honest if in his family life he is upright and honest but he is not so in relation to his professional activity.
The upright is an honest person and therefore the corrupt, the hypocrite, the manipulator or the liar are individuals who are not upright.
A virtue that is valued for the exercise of certain functions
Although probity is a moral virtue that must permeate any area of existence, in some professions it is especially valued. Thus, a judge should not only simply limit himself to applying the law but it is desirable that he be honest in a broad sense of the term.
The same happens with officials, teachers, priests or political leaders. Those who exercise these types of functions should carry them out with a high sense of morality and justice. Otherwise, we would be facing an obvious contradiction.
Photos: Fotolia - inueng / Bank-Bank
