The idea of the decalogue is linked to the ten commandments of Christianity and Judaism.
In order to know the meaning of the term decalogue, it is necessary, first of all, that we discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it derives from the Greek, exactly from “dekálogos”, which is the result of the sum of two very different parts:
-The word “deka”, which is synonymous with “ten”.
-The noun “logos”, which can be translated as “word”.
The ten commandments
The first meaning of decalogue mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to the ten commandments that, according to Christianity and Judaism, God communicated to Moses . These precepts function as laws that believers must respect.
The commandments included in the Decalogue were ordered in different ways throughout history and according to different traditions. Among the commandments appear sentences such as “You will honor your father and your mother” , “You will not kill” and “You will love God above all things” .
A list of rules, advice or guidelines can be called a catalogue.
Decalogue as a set of advice
Decalogue can also refer to a set of advice, guidelines or rules whose respect is essential to carry out an activity. In this case, it is not always about ten suggestions or rules, but they can be less or more: "The writer published a decalogue to create a science fiction story" , "The authorities plan to disseminate a decalogue with rules of coexistence to reduce conflicts between neighbors” , “The decalogue of a good journalist indicates, as a fundamental principle, that information must be corroborated with three or more sources” .
The English politician, activist and writer Arthur Ponsonby (1871-1946) is the author of the Decalogue of War Propaganda , a list of premises that nations expose when justifying a war. This decalogue includes maxims such as “The enemy is responsible for the war” , “Intellectuals and artists support our cause” and “Those who question war propaganda are traitors” .
Rules, guidelines and suggestions as a guide
In the same way, we cannot ignore the existence of many other decalogues, as would be the case, for example, of the decalogue of healthy habits, which is made up of the following points:
-Eat five meals a day: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, snack and dinner.
-Eat everything. That is, you must follow a healthy, complete and balanced diet.
-You should drink between 8 and 10 glasses of water per day.
-It is necessary to carry out 1 hour of physical activity daily. Likewise, you must do, at least 2 or 3 times a week, activities that improve flexibility and strength.
-You have to take care of your health to be healthy and strong.
-It is essential to take advantage of free time to enjoy and be with family and friends.
-Every day you have to shower, wash your hands before and after eating, and even brush your teeth.
-It is established that you must use the Internet, television or video games less than two hours a day.
-It is essential to sit correctly to prevent your back from becoming sore and damaged.
-Every day it is necessary to sleep a minimum of 8 hours.