CHARACTER (from Gk. XaPatirliPa mark). While it is doubtless true that the things which we primarily weigh and evaluate in our discussion of moral worths are actions, the actions of an individual do not form a hap hazard aggregate of unrelated deeds. There is a certain continuity in a man's acts, whereby one who knows him is able to predict pretty much what he will do under given circum stances. This continuity is due to the fact that behind the shifting play of emotions that is to be found in the mental life of everyone, there is a background of permanent emotional associations and emotional processes which changes very slowly or not at all. This stable background of the moral life is the character. Though a single deed may arise from the impulse of a mere fleeting emotion, and so falsify predictions made on the basis of a knowledge of a man's character, in the long run there will be found a very intimate cor relation between a man's character and his deeds. As a result, our evaluation of a man's
deeds can be and is vicariously transferred to his character. It is on account of this trans ference that we are able to speak of a noble character, a base character, etc., meaning, the character of a man who is wont to perform noble deeds, or the character of a man who is wont to perform base deeds. All this permits us to assign a permanent moral worth to in dividuals, and this assignment is of the utmost social value, inasmuch as it points out who is of lasting detriment to society and needs sup pression, who is of lasting benefit and needs encouragement. Consult Jastrow, J.,