This morning I finished reading The Four Cardinal Virtues for the third or fourth time. It's most definitely worth reading and re-reading.This volume is a collection of four separate essays Pieper wrote between 1954 and 1959; but they fit together very well because each of them explains Thomas Aquinas' thought on one of the virtues, and brings it into the context of the twentieth century world. Pieper's understanding, not only of history and philosophy, but of the world he lives in, make his observations timely even in the early days of the twenty-first century.
So, what are the four cardinal virtues? I'm glad you asked. They are, in the traditional order:
- Prudence
- Justice
- Fortitude (aka Courage)
- Temperance
And what is the pin that holds this hinge together? Pieper shows that the common feature of all four virtues is connection with reality. So, Prudence is the virtue of recognizing and understanding reality as it truly is; Justice is that understanding put into action, acting in line with what is real; Fortitude resists external pressures to depart from reality; and Temperance removes internal obstacles to living in accordance with reality.
He examines the virtues from a philosophical standpoint, showing how the cardinal virtues relate to each other and how other virtues or acts relate to them. But he also shows the connection of these "philosophical" or "natural" virtues with the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. (Indeed, another volume collects his essays on those three virtues.) He notes that a full understanding of and relation to the real world includes relating to the God who created the world. Coming from the Catholic tradition, of course, he assumes the revelation of Jesus Christ; but his point is as clear to a Muslim or Hindu or atheist. The religious questions really do matter, even to aspects of life which at first blush appear "secular" or "natural". Because, ultimately, if nature was created by God, then "supernature" is intimately connected to "nature", and we cannot fully deal with one without at least acknowledging the other.
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3 comboxers:
"He notes that a full understanding of and relation to the real world includes relating to the God who created the world."
I believe in God or really something bigger than us. I don't quite believe in quite the God as presented by the Major Religions, but still.
And the weird part: I came by that belief via trying to understand the world and learning as much as I could about science. And I've felt grace - the kind of insight that the song Amazing Grace is all about.
So ya, I agree in the long run if you are working on character and understanding the world you can't escape wrestling with the idea that We Are Not Alone.
Indeed, "The Truth Is Out There"!
Seriously, this is what's meant by "Natural Law": that who and what we are, and where we came from, and for what we're destined, can be discerned in our very nature.
the four to me are the framework and the major tools used to shape the ego into the right size and right shape. Temperance of spirit reins human nature into balance and propagates the developement of an inner sence of a plethora of principals such as patience, tolerance, grace, benevolance, empathy... these are the characteristics of the spirit. Prudence is the measured use of these pricipals in spirit. Justice is the intergity we use to determine what action is warrented in daily life. Fortitude is the strenght of spirit God gives use when we but ask.
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