In Defense of an Inviolable Honor Code
Dishonesty is the root cause of all human evil. The Honor System at the University Of Virginia attempts to get to the very heart of our problem. Honor is your adherence to the truth.Dishonesty starts with your being dishonest with yourself about yourself, and your being dishonest with yourself about Reality. Living in a world you created: You choose fantasy, and, consequently, dishonesty.Jefferson honored the phrase, "The Truth Will Make You Free." Jefferson could see that if all people were honest, there would be no cheating, no crime, no war. Personal honor -- honesty -- is the foundation of civilization.-- Piers Woodriff College, 1971