CUNY Ethics and Morality
Essay Contest
Funded by the Chynn
Family Foundation
2012
Essay Contest
Best Essay
Jesaiah Prayor
(Queensborough Community College)
Heroic Virtue
First Runner-up
Nicole Wong (Queens College)
It Starts at Home
Second Runner-up
Brandon Jordon (Queens College)
A Phoenix Rising From The
Ashes
Honorable Mention (Last Name Order)
Miriyam Aronova
(Queens College)
Joshua Hernandez
(John Jay College)
Winnie Hu (Borough
of Manhattan Community
College)
Christie Paul (Queensborough
Community College)
Keith Razack
(Kingsborough Community
College)
Jessina
Thondiamthadathil
(Lehman College)
-
Funded by the Chynn
Family Foundation, the
goal of the CUNY Essay
on Ethics and Morality,
is to stimulate young
people to ponder the
topic of morality, and
to broadcast the best
essays, in an attempt to
promote the teaching of
morality in American
education.
The Asian American /
Asian Research Institute
will award the top three
essays, as selected by
the Selection Committee,
the following prizes:
-
Best Essay ($1,000)
-
First Runner-up
($300)
-
Second Runner-up
($200)
Background:
Regardless of where one
lives, virtues form the
moral foundation of
one’s life. Throughout
history, moral
philosophers in all
cultures have striven to
answer the question of
“What characteristics or
virtues distinguish the
moral man from the
immoral one?” In ancient
Greek times, the Four
Cardinal Virtues were
considered to be:
Prudence/Wisdom,
Justice, Fortitude/Courage, and Temperance/Self-control.
There were additionally
Three Theological
Virtues: Faith, Hope and
Charity. Together,
these comprised the
Seven Virtues.
At about the same time
in ancient China,
Confucius formulated
what he called the Five
Constant Virtues: Ren
(Benevolence, Love), Yi
(Righteousness), Li
(Propriety, Loyalty,
Filial Piety, Chastity,
Respect), Zhi (Wisdom),
and Xin (Integrity,
Honesty, Fidelity.)
