A duty (from "due" meaning "that which is owing"; Old French: deu, did, past participle of devoir; Latin: debere, debitum, whence "debt") is a commitment or expectation to perform some action in general or if certain circumstances arise. A duty may arise from a system of ethics or morality, especially in an honor culture. Many duties are created by law, sometimes including a codified punishment or liability for non-performance. Performing one's duty may require some sacrifice of self-interest.
A sense-of-duty is also a virtue or personality trait that characterizes someone who is diligent about fulfilling individual duties or who confidently knows their calling. A sense-of-duty can also come from a need to fulfill familial pressures and desires. This is typically seen in a militaristic/patriotic way.[1]
Cicero, an early Roman philosopher who discusses duty in his work “On Duties", suggests that duties can come from four different sources:[2]
- as a result of being a human
- as a result of one's particular place in life (one's family, one's country, one's job)
- as a result of one's character
- as a result of one's own moral expectations for oneself
The specific duties imposed by law or culture vary considerably, depending on jurisdiction, religion, and social normalities.
- ^ Spence, Naomi J.; Henderson, Kathryn A.; Elder, Glen H. (2013-09-01). "Does Adolescent Family Structure Predict Military Enlistment? A Comparison of Post-High School Activities". Journal of Family Issues. 34 (9): 1194–1216. doi:10.1177/0192513X12457347. ISSN 0192-513X. PMC 3757947. PMID 24000268.
- ^ Cicero, Marcus T. (1913) [44 BCE]. De Officiis. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.