The West has Lost its Moral Vocabulary: 8 Traditional Catholic

Answers about Virtue

What does it mean to be a good person? In modernity, the moral vocabulary of society has
shifted from a virtue-based language to one of values. Virtues are rooted in reason and reflect
a common moral standard for all men. Values are rooted in the individual and reflect an
autonomous moral universe.
Listers, what does it mean to be a good person?
In modernity, the moral vocabulary of society has shifted from a virtue-based language to
one of values. Virtues are rooted in reason and reflect a common moral standard for all men.
Values are rooted in the individual and reflect an autonomous moral universe. Where virtues
can discuss justice as something apart from any individual, values are meaningless without
the worth imported to them from the individual. A Catholic parish may be rooted in the values
of Christ, but the local Muslim or atheist community would submit totally different value
systems. In politics, one party may value traditional marriage, while another party may value
same-sex marriage. In the West, political discourse has become obsessed with values
generally under the guise of individual rights language; yet, is this the best moral jargon the
West has to offer? The West was built upon a moral vocabulary that contemplated the soul
and virtue. The following eight questions are meant to serve as an introduction to virtue in
general both moral and intellectual. The list is not meant to discuss any particular moral or
political issue, but it is meant to offer a moral vocabulary rooted in reason and common to all
humanity. And while it is not necessary to understand the following questions, a greater
insight into the virtues may be gained by first contemplating the soul 7 Questions on the
Powers of the Human Soul Compared to Other Souls.1

1. What is a virtue?
A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. 2 Virtue cannot be reduced to a
single act. A man who returns a lost wallet he found in a park may be virtuous, but a single
act is not dispositive of virtue. To determine if someone is a virtuous person, often the totality
of their actions are considered. The key question is does this person have a habit of doing
what is right? A habit may be defined as a series of actions that constitute a practice. The
Philosopher, Aristotle, says a habit is a disposition whereby someone is disposed, well or
ill.3 A habit that disposes someone to what is good or well for them is called a virtue. It is a
good habit. A habit that disposes someone to what is evil or ill for them is called a vice. It is
a bad habit. Those who have a habit of doing what is good are properly called virtuous, while
those who have a habit of doing what is bad are rightly called vicious.

2. How does virtue or vice define a person?

If a person is labeled virtuous or vicious, the label goes beyond the content of their actions
and seems to define the very person. Virtue and vice are different species of the genus of
habit. A virtue is a good habit, and a is vice a bad habit. An inquiry into which genus habit
should be a species under aids in unlocking the deeper nature of a persons actions.
According to Aristotle and Aquinas, habit is a species of quality. The category of quality is
one of the ten categories from Aristotles Organon. In a broad sense, the categories articulate
everything that may be an object of human apprehension. For example, a table. The category

ofquantity denotes how many tables there are, the category of relationsdenotes if it is a
superior or inferior table compared to other tables, and category of place denotes where the
table is, and so forth. The category ofquality has four different types: first, shape (rectangular,
circular, etc.), second, sense qualities (hot, cold, loud, quiet, etc.), third, capacity (a man has
the capacity to run swiftly or a table to bear a great weight), and fourth, dispositions (the
quality of being disposed an act). Habit is a species of quality in the fourth sense of
dispositions. Therefore, a habit, whether a virtue or vice, defines the very quality of its subject,
the person, as either being disposed to good or evil.4

3. Can non-Catholics be virtuous?

The natural virtues or human virtues are known as natural, because they are naturally
available to all humanity.5 Every human is a rational animal and is able to acquire the natural
virtues. In other words, a person does not need to be Catholic to have the natural virtues.
The natural virtues can serve as a common table of dialogue between persons of all faiths
and creeds. Each person is a rational animal meaning they are endowed with the power of
the intellect in their soul. Each person has the power to rationally reflect upon their own
actions, which is the basis for morality. Acting virtuously is nothing more than acting rationally.
Each human regardless of their worldview is expected to act rationally and hold to the
common standard of natural virtue. It is obvious, however, that though all men may acquire
the natural virtues, not all men do. One key observation is that virtues are habits, not
mandated instincts. The rational soul is like clay upon the potters wheel. The rational animal,
by the power of the his or her intellect, may choose to act rationally (good) or irrationally
(bad). The rational animal may form his or herself into a virtuous or vicious individual. Second,
it is true that the rational soul is inclined to what is truly good and rational. All persons choose
what is good. The caveat is that the mover of the soul, the power of the will, often times
moves the soul toward apparent goods and not actual goods.6Consequently, though man is
a rational animal, he often makes irrational choices toward apparent goods, which can
develop into vices. In fact, entire cultures or religions may suppress individuals from being
virtuous by habituating them to apparent goods.

4. What moral virtues are available to all humanity?

The Cardinal Virtues are the natural moral virtues available to all men. Drawing from both the
ancient Greek philosophical tradition and the ancient Hebrew faith of the Old Testament, the
Church teaches that there are four Cardinal Virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, and
fortitude.7Prudence is the elective habit and may be said to simply be right reason in
action.8 Prudence is unique insofar as it is both an intellectual and moral virtue. Justice is the
virtue whereby a person gives what is due to both God and neighbor.9 It is the virtue of being
well-ordered. Justice has the distinction of being the highest virtue of politics or the state.
Temperance is the virtue that holds the soul to reason in the face of something pleasurable
that would lure it away.10 In contrast, fortitude is the virtue that holds the soul to reason in the
face of something that would scare it away.11 The soldier that stands his ground despite an
oncoming onslaught is engaging in fortitude. A husband or wife that holds true to their
marriage vows despite the allure of adulterous sexual pleasure is engaging in temperance.
These four virtues are the cardinal virtues, because of the pivotal role they hold in
morality.12 The Cardinal Virtues are available to all humanity, because they are acquired
virtues meaning they may be acquired by human effort.13 Each rational animal, as a
creature of the Creator, may acquire these moral virtues, which in turn prepare the soul for

communion with divine love.14 For grace always perfects nature; thus, the person with great
natural virtue has laid a great foundation for divine love.

5. Are there virtues that must be given to humanity?

Hope, Faith, & Charity by Fr. Lawrence, OP. Flickr.
The Theological Virtues are moral virtues that are given by God. While the Cardinal Virtues
are natural virtues, thus they may be acquired by all rational animals; the Theological Virtues
are infused virtues, which means they are infused into the individual by God. There are three
Theological Virtues: faith, hope, and charity. The Virtue of Faith is that by which Catholics
believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church
proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself.15 Truth is not a concept it is a person,
Jesus Christ, and he has wedded himself to humanity through his bride, his body, the Church.
The Virtue of Faith, however, cannot be reduced to mere intellect assent. True faith is both
belief and living out that belief. The Virtue of Hope is the anchor of the soul.16 Hope anchors
the believer in virtue by instilling in him a desire for the Kingdom of God, a trust in Jesus
Christ, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.17 The Virtue of Charity is the mother of all virtues. It is
the virtue by which we love God for his own sake and our neighbors as ourselves. 18 Just as
the soul is the form of the body, Charity is the form of all virtue it actuates the potential of
virtue. It is the anima (soul) of virtue, because the practice of all the virtues is animated and
inspired by charity, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 19 Though the
Theological Virtues are infused into the person by God, they are properly habits, because
once they are given it is the choice of the individual to habituate himself toward the goods of
faith, hope, and charity.

6. Are there other virtues besides the moral virtues?

Along with the moral virtues, there are the intellectual virtues. The intellectual virtues may be
distinguished into two categories: the speculative virtues and the practical virtues. The power
of the intellect is the hallmark power of the rational soul, and the speculative virtues help
perfect the intellects ability to consider truth. Aquinas teaches the speculative virtues may
indeed be called virtues in so far as they confer aptness for a good work, viz. the
consideration of truth (since this is the good work of the intellect). 20 There are three habits
that perfect the speculative intellect: understanding, wisdom, and science. Now, the
speculative intellect has as its end the consideration of truth, and truth itself is a twofold
consideration. First, there is the truth that is known in itself. Aquinas submits, what is known
in itself, is as a principle, and is at once understood by the intellect.21 The habit that perfects
the speculative intellects consideration of principles is the virtue of understanding. It is the
habit of principles.22 The principles in question are known in themselves, because they are
indemonstrable they are not deduced from other truths. For example, a whole is greater
than its parts. Moreover, there is the first indemonstrable principle, which is the foundation
for all others the same thing cannot be affirmed and denied at the same time.23 The second
aspect of truth is that which is known to be true through another.24 In other words, it is known
through the ability to reason. The virtue of wisdom contemplates the highest causes in the
universe and allows the intellect to place all being in a rational order. For example, wisdom
rationalizes there are living beings and non-living beings, the under living beings there are
animals and plants, under animals there is the rational animal and the non-rational animals,
and so forth. Science is simply a body of knowledge, thus, the virtue of science perfects the
intellect through the study of the different bodies of knowable matter. So whereas wisdom will
set everything in proper order according to the highest causes, science will study the specific

and distinguished bodies of knowledge, e.g., chemistry, astronomy, zoology, botany, etc. So,
as Aquinas teaches, there are different habits of scientific knowledge; whereas there is but
one wisdom.25 One wisdom sets the order, while habits of scientific knowledge are as
numerous as the potential to separate one body of knowledge from another.

7. Are there other intellectual virtues?

Along with the speculative virtues, there are the practical virtues of art and prudence. The
virtue of art is the habit of knowing how to make things. Aquinas states, Art is nothing else
but the right reason about certain works to be made.' 26 Art is understood as an
operative/practical habit in contrast with a speculative habit for it perfects in the craftsman
an aptness to work well.27 The second operative or practical habit is prudence. If art is the
right reason of things to be made, then prudence is the right reason of things to be
done.28 In the virtue of art, there is an action passing into outward matter to create an
external object. Through the art of smithing, the blacksmith smiths a plow. In the virtue of
prudence, there is an action abiding in the agent. Through the virtue of prudence, the
blacksmith decides to start his day before dawn. Aquinas summarizes the distinction as
prudence stands in the same relation to such like human actions, consisting in the use of
powers and habits, as art does to outward making: since each is the perfect reason about
the things with which it is concerned.29 Prudence is unique insofar as it is both an intellectual
virtue and a moral virtue. For example, the blacksmith may make prudent choices in how to
operate his smith, while he also may make prudent choices in how to treat his family.
Prudence perfects reason, which is necessary in both intellectual and moral matters.30

8. Why are the intellect virtues not moral virtues?

Holy Virtue by Fr. Lawrence, OP. Flickr. The Latin inscription reads: We shall attain the
excellence of virtue with the grace of God and the effort of our will.'
If a man is a great botanist does that make him a moral or immoral person? Neither the
acumen of the intellectual virtues, save prudence, does not have a direct moral import. A
person may be incredibly intelligent and also vicious at the same time. The intellect does,
however, have an indirect moral consideration. For example, the blacksmith has the habit of
scientific knowledge needed to smith, and he knows the art of smithing. The moral
consideration is what the blacksmith wills to do with the knowledge and art he has. He may
create brittle plows and sell them to cheat patrons of their money. He may create the finest
swords in the region and donate them to those fighting on the front lines. The moral
consideration is not the knowledge itself, but what the soul wills to do with the knowledge.
For example, when the will moves the soul to use knowledge for a just or charitable purpose,
then the act is a moral act.31

1.
2.

Habits: For more on habits and the source for the given quotes, see ST I-II.49.1-2 [
]
The Categories: A quick sketch of Aristotles Categories found in his work, Organon. (1)Substance that which
cannot be predicated of anything else; thus, this particular man or this particular chair; note that while the accidents
of the substance may change (e.g., the chair becomes rough or changes color), if the substance changes it forfeits
existence (e.g., a human is a human, it cannot change to anything more or less than a human).
(2) Quantity(3) Relation things can be inferior or superior to others, etc. (4) Quality as described above
(5) Place a substance may be here or there (6) Time the table is one day old or hundred days old (7) Position
the table is upright or overturned (8) State (or Condition) the table is in this or that condition (9) Action to produce

a change, e.g., a man may run or kick (10) Affection to receive an act or to be acted upon, e.g., the table is kicked

3.

by the man. [
]
Indemonstrable Principles: I-II.94.2 for example, Hence it is that, as Boethius says certain axioms or
propositions are universally self-evident to all; and such are those propositions whose terms are known to all, as,
Every whole is greater than its part, and, Things equal to one and the same are equal to one another. But some
propositions are self-evident only to the wise, who understand the meaning of the terms of such propositions: thus to
one who understands that an angel is not a body, it is self-evident that an angel is not circumscriptively in a place: but
this is not evident to the unlearned, for they cannot grasp it. SPL discusses indemonstrable principles in the list The
6 Step Guide to Aquinas Natural Law in a Modern World.