Ethical discipline

Despite an inner knowledge of what is the right or moral course, the individual habitually discovers that his desires prevent him following such a course. There is always the tendency to follow the easiest rather than the best. Aristotle says "the incontinent man's impulses run counter to his reason"; and this is echoed by Death speaking to Nachiketas in the Katha Upanishad "The good is one the pleasant another; both command the soul" and "the mind of the wise man draws him to the good, the flesh of the fool drives him to the pleasant". The will requires some form of chastisement to cooperate with reason and not give way to the irrational element; the desires need to be reformed to be consistent with right reason.

The first stage of ethical discipline is that received by a child from external authority and accepted without an understanding of why. Some systems continue to demand unquestioning obedience but true morality is said to be achieved only through voluntary discipline of the self. This includes discipline of the the intellect, as only the disciplined and trained mind has the necessary control to systematize and unify incoming data – apperception – rather than functioning through simple association of ideas. There must also be discipline of the will, moral training giving the power to direct and control natural impulses and to free the individual from domination by the idea of the moment. This implies self control and attention to the likely result of conduct. Discipline of the emotions supplies the control for power over feelings and passions which would otherwise cloud moral decision-making.