Meritorious behavior. What good is adherence to dogma if the dogma is bad? It might make some other people see you as a good person, but it doesn't make you a good person. In the end, you just have to go by what you think is right, relying on social standards to tell you what's right and wrong is foolish.

Meritorious behaviour.

It's early morning for me here in Australia and I need to fetch a dictionary and look up some words... Very intellectual question by the way... I look fwd to working out meanings and getting back to you with an answer that hopefully meets the standard of the question :D After reading time, thinking time and a bit more of each... (reading and thinking :D) I'd say that each has its benefits and drawbacks. If adherence to the dogma (which, upon reading, I interpret as meaning a system of beliefs or opinions such as religious or political) is blind, then it can be dangerous - as clearly advertised by blind-faith type acts of crime (think the Third Reich). If adherence to the dogma is with full knowledge, educated balance of all aspects and a full realisation of the consequences of following that dogma, then perhaps (providing that laws of convention are followed), the dogma is beneficial. Meritorious behaviour (which, also upon reading, I interpret as being behaviour worthy of commendation, reward etc) also can have its benefits - if awarded without bias, meritorious behaviour can help improve lifestyle, behaviour of many (for example, fund-raising galas with prizes etc). However if meritorious behaviour means that someone is hurt as a result but the behaviour is considered reward worthy, then we are breeding bad behaviour. I'm not sure if I'm overthinking this or getting it completely wrong (could be the latter influencing the former?). Myself, I subscribe to a combination of both and also neither. I try not to do things for merit and I also try not to be a blind follower. I do however thinking it's important to believe in something and maintain an internal moral code that the individual holds themselves responsible to. Is it just my thinking or have I not really answered the question? As said, it is early and the words I'm looking for aren't really coming at this stage so I might not be expressing myself as I'd like. Comments please (not caring about points...)