aquinas on function of moral virtue

7/30/2019 aquinas on function of moral virtue

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2007,American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 1

Aquinas on the Function of Moral Virtue

Jeffrey Hause

Abstract. Aquinas is quite clear about the definition of moral virtue and its effects,but he devotes little space to its function: How does it accomplish what it ac-

complishes? Aquinass treatment of the acquired moral virtues in our non-rationalappetites reveals that they have at least two functions: they make the souls powersgood instruments of reason, and they also calm the appetites so that one can makemoral judgments with an unclouded mind. Virtue in the will has a different, strongdirective function: it directs our will to certain goods prior to reasons forming itsjudgment. Aquinas must also hold that the virtues of the non-rational appetitesexercise strong direction as well, but we cannot see why unless we examine hisaccount of the infused moral virtues.

he view that Aquinas is simply Aristotle baptized is not asprominent as it once was. Readers of Aquinas now recognize theinfluence of many sources, including Pseudo-Dionysius, Augustine,

Maimonides, and Avicenna. Tey also recognize Aquinass original and oftenidiosyncratic use of these varied sources.

Te view that Aquinass ethical thought, and in particular his theory ofvirtue, is substantially Aristotles has been more persistent. Very recently, how-

ever, several provocative essays disputing this claim have appeared. John Inglis,Jean Porter, and Bonnie Kent, for instance, have argued that commentatorshave gotten a mistaken idea of Aquinass virtue theory largely because theyhave failed to take into account the most important aspect of that theory: thedivinely infused virtues.1

Unlike the moral virtues that one acquires in the way that Aristotle sayswe acquire themby habituationAquinas argues that there are also divinelybestowed moral virtues which are specifically different from their acquired

1See John Inglis, Aquinass Replication of the Acquired Moral Virtues,Journal of Reli-gious Ethics27 (1999): 327; Jean Porter, Te Subversion of Virtue, Te Annual of the Societyof Christian Ethics12 (1992): 1941; Bonnie Kent, Habits and Virtues, in Essays on the Ethicsof St. Tomas Aquinas, ed. Stephen J. Pope (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press,2002), 11630.


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American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly

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S, mpx vb m d y

, my, d, d p. B w d mv p py bg b ? W - m v?

(1) Instrumental Function. A 4 d 5 On the Virtues in General m dd g m v. I 4, A v - pp, d 5, v pp, w. A w:

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m pp m y pp wd mpy . B , w pp wd d, gpp wd v mvd vy. T w pp pp

2On the Virtues in General, 1, py. I w wg bbv Awk:

I: Summa theologiae, F P

III: Summa theologiae, F P Sd P

IIII: Summa theologiae, Sd P Sd P

I v d L d A wk Summa theologiae, De veritate(OnTruth), d De malo (On Evil). I v d M d De virtutibus in communi(On the Virtues in General) d De virtutibus cardinalibus(On the Cardinal Virtues). m w wk by m d Cd E Mpy; m .


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N v w w w b f - w fd b b; j f wd f g f w dd, w f g . Tf,f v , w v, f,

w f , g w b f. H, w f b v.F , dg bk f d d v f d v, b g v, P EthicsVII.

S, f , I fid w d dd wd b b gv , d v I d fdg. Hwv, v I d, . I d g g, b I kg . M , d I b d vd ff . B f f f v. I x, fd: (1) I dv g g d, d (2) dg g vw v g gv . T dv, v, d gvg gd. Hwv, g f f : M d fw w d. A v wd d dff. T w qd v d d jdg

f b w w g. T b gd f d fw jdg. I w f fv. Tg f, w f g d. T b

3On the Virtues in General, 4, .


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w w dd d, , wg, m .B I m kd bby- d vy dff mpm, I . I my v pd vy dffyd I m j dp, I w d dy d w p. I Adg pp w v -d v m pp wg v.5 T v g v , b d

v y mymy. Pp w v my pm pp v b y . F , my bd p gy g. Lk my bd p, g p , b k bd p, d y v g d d g m. Oy d-m w g d d m , v g mb flxb g mmd dm. I , ,

j b b p bv.

(2) Weak Direction. B b w my m - b v. A v gd , bd;6 d b dp pm, w pp, wv p d-m g b pmd my b. A v m mw gd, pm gd . A w A dm v mk d g.7

B w d v d ? Cd - pp fi. I pp wd bv wv wy y mg,

4S On Truth, 26.3, py. S I 75.3, d 3.5S On the Cardinal Virtues, 2.6S On the Virtues in General, 2.7S IIII 47.6, y; On the Cardinal Virtues, 2, py.


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T , wd bv , f bj, kg d d v.8 N d gd d f dv C D, jk w C kg , b C k g d fg fg D w k. B f C d gd ,

w b b db w. W d, f, d ,w d dd v f b . V, , d - w bjv v d w f w f v v. I w, v d w gd b bg per accidensffi

f gd db d d: I per accidensffi b gd db d d b kg w b g.I w f f v wk d. T f d g w b ffg g v d f w f v.

W b wk dv d f f vd On Evil12.1, :

[A]g d k b d jdg w w:

(1) Ad. [Rd jdg] w, g, dv k , d w f jdg, b b b jdg f q f d.T w P gw kwg dd w .

(2) Cq. b , f d dd dd w b d b g, d. Ag d k [ d

8S III 77.1, .


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jdgm] wy d d wy jdg-m, b dy d. Id, y p y [d] m pmpy, d p y v.

By wk d, v p bjv v; d by -m , v p pmpy.

(3) Virtues of the Will. I 5 On the Virtues in General, A m m v y pp k w w b bj m v. T w d d m y pp d. T y pp d vb y mg pp b d jdgm.I fi , dmd py jdgm d dffi y bg

bjv; d , w d g g, b y ggy,d ff w b dgb. T w d p dpdy y pp, d d v bg bm. T w j is pp d w jdgm py

w w y d v.9 A w py bj 11:

B p w , w, by vy , d w , d v d, d d dd v b, wy w

b d pb pw d.

W mg xp, , A wd fid y d v w. Ay v pg p d b v . Hwv, A g w bj v: v j, d dvy d v p d y.

T v p d y bg v: Ty xd pw wy w d xd w. T v

w p w Gd d v wm. S, y w pw. T w pw v d vd bd pp dp, d y v bg v dv Gd d. mp v w , gg v k gg x ; k xdg p byd w by xd m. Ty , ,dff m v w. Pp gy

w p y dff. I g m, dg dvd m bg p.T k v. Nw, pp d p y

9S Jffy H, Tm A d V, Medieval Philosophy andTeology6 (1997): 16782.


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j d ?B f f g , Aq w, w d -

d w v gd, w f-.10 I f, Aq

w, w d v gdd v v v f k f gd. W w d, , b d v j v d f w w f-; wd b f vg , , d v f . S, f x, gd v d w , j, dd. M d w w ; . A , w w f I d v v f j. J v , d b

d, d d d d gd w . W I k jdg, I w v gd, w , bg d. Tg g dv f, I w b b w d I w v k dg f I .11

D v f v g dv f?I v fd Aq g x d d . W

g b d d , wv, b f g

10S III 109.3.11I w w f g Aq J R, Te Religious Aspects of Philosophy

(B: Hg Mffl , 1885).


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I v dd m On Evil12.1, w A v y pp ppd m pp, gv y md d d jdgm m bjv. B w m

y . W y v p w p g, p k , b mkg jdgm.T k mbg. I mg m y p, w v p w xp y p b mkg jdgm.T wd g dv v -pp. Avy, mg m p py dpv.12

A , A d y v p w y p- b mkg jdgm. Sm p m p d v, d g . w-y pp, by Sm Wd I Md, v gd vgy w k vg, jd wd m m bjvy d .13 Mv, mp, k py, mg v gd w ky g. O , y , p b vyg. Ty b bv, g bj. A, mg dm , , gd p d b g. B p d b g, d , w b b d dff d d dff

d. T bfi g d y g w: gd g gg.

W mg k m v v g dv b A d v gd p pd gd dm m.14 T b g dv p m x m jdgm, d g w ppd jdgm mvd m by p by

jdgm. Hwv, g d v y pp

wd p pdg jdgm. I A wd dm v y pp, wd bmmd pdx vw v, w mk pd p gd, m m mk m gd ymg v b y dd v v.

12N p y dm m jdgm. A g g py dpv. S III 48.3 d IIII 157.4.

13S Sm W, Rfl Rg U S Sd w Vw Lv Gd, Waiting for God (Nw Yk: P C, 2001), 5766, d IMd, T Id P, Te Sovereignty of Good(Ld: Rdg C,2001), 144 (p. 1).

14S III 24.3, d 1; 77.6, d 2.


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Hwv, bj d dv. I b III 24.3, d 1, d77.6, d 2, Aq bg vd b w bg vd b jdg. Hwv, f v f dg

jdg, f d f jdg, v f v f . I , v w g j d , d d d w gd . S g , f fw d f , w b dg f w f . If v jdg, f Aq g g.

If Aq dd f k v f - d g dv f, wd bg w -fi wk b A D.15 D x w g v fg f g bf b f kg jdg. T fg d f gdg g d, D dd, b g d w . T w d b . Ad w f w f bf f gd fg f d fg.

I , f f w Aq g v v g dv f. S f I v w v vd v.

II.

Infused Moral Virtue. U , I v b g vg, b f b qd v, v

g g g - dg df d. C g Aq f v vk A. B Aq w v f v.16 T f, b f . F v f b kg. T f v gf f Gdd f kg: v g w g- v f f, , d . Aq g Gd wd gv g v f d v f dd. S,

15S A. R. D, Te Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making ofConsciousness(Nw Yk: H B, 2000), d A. B, H. D, D. , d

A. R. D, Ddg Advg bf Kwg Advg Sg, Science275 (1997): 12934.

16S On the Virtues in General, 10, d 1; On the Cardinal Virtues, 2, .


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p gd ppd dd Gd, g m v dd.17

O mg, , wd wy p gd d v .

G, A d, p y v mg v, vg w bd b b dp. Sm ffi y v yd b b kp md d w fixd g g d mg d g g. I m, g w v v.

A wd bj gg w gd. F, gv k m; d b d , my w p. A w v , m v -y pp w p , d dvy, g p. Hwv, mg py

A , ppd v, dd bk p w Gd y g.T bj py g.

T d bj A mg mk m mpg. M bg - pp. I d v v d , gp g d g v w b vy. Gd wk m bg w b vy p. T b dff bw d d d m v. Ad v

pd by g bd ; b d vdg -g v pd by g . W mv gd g , , p, d yy d ppw b xdgy b . A, ,g , g w g d g v, Gd m m v w.

R mm v d A dm v w dff m A. T ,

, A m b wy y gd d . O d m by b, b by dv . W m, m by g . T m mk m dff m

A v, w vy pm dp. B v ,A dm w y w . W my wy d - wy.18 Mv, w gd mpyg d v dff m w-d pppy by vg fixd Gd, y wd w

b pd m m pg y gd vdg y v.19

17S III 65.3, py.18S A, Nicomachean Ethics, 1114b2 d b23.19III 109.8, py.


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T fix f b d b fd v ,v g g g .

O g fid dw g d bw

A vw d Aq. F , Aq d wdd v qd v, b vd fd v, vdffi d v g v dd.20 If w k f b f d w b, d k g d w b b, w g A dff f

w fid Aq. Hwv, wd b k f g-. Aq d b f wv kd d w b. I d d k g d b.Hwv, fd gg bd d. T g w dffi w fd b d , gg bd d .21 O ,, dff bw qd d fd v. T dff b fd v qd b f, gg bdb d b d w . B dff bw qd d fd v v.

T Aq k gfi

dff bw qd d fd v. Aqd v, w d, f, b d f. I wd, I b g d g b d f k, b v , I g wf. I , fd v, w d, v f. T w v b f , b g v. If , f.22

Aq d ff x f dff. I ,w v x f fd v f-

b w d. Hwv, Aq d v d d b x,g x g d w f fd v f. R, d w f , w fdg w v. C, Aq x III 109.8, fix Gd w kb g. T fix Gd g vd wd f g w b df Gd. S -fd w d fd v k, wd fd v d f w

20S On the Virtues in General, 10, bj. d 14.21S On the Cardinal Virtues, 2, d 2.22S On the Virtues in General, 10, d 14. A III 49.3, ; 50.5, ;

52.3, ; 63.2


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d v mg. S, g, dff bw d dd v d p dy -A p dv. I m A dd m g A

p, b dy bvd .Hwv, g wy p A, w m w . I d v dff m d v-, wy d y d m? Wy m v ffi by g d g v?

(1) Te Arguments for Infused Moral Virtue. L m d. A dd On the Virtues in General10. T fi bj- g , m, y ffi d pp. T x bj g ffi . F v, m b dd g d, d d . T m vmpy bj w pw . S d d mv d pp. I , , y m b Gd pp. I y, v Gd w k. I d v, y pp gd m p, d p w d bjv v g. Wy, , d d d m v?23

A p xp y g wy y -fi, b d xp y wy , y, d d mv ffi :

W pd m v dd g, p d gd b mpd g mpd,v p. N m w p , vy w b p dv.

W dg v m bg d v mkm gd, kp md: A g pw d dpd w pw, b w d dpd g. T, w pw b dpb pp b pd, y m d d y w m d, b wpw ( b d pb) m v w v, b gd d db

m d.

23S wd d p v bj dy dm v. Cy, g, d g d, d dm g md md m v. S Ordinatio III, d. 36, . 1.


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Aq ff g f g w v d, g f vw v f f v w b dfv. B w fd v ?

O bf k Aq k d g-, wv. H v w v w v w b db d. Pb, k qd v db d f , d fd v, w . B w qd v- db d? If d g ff v, d g b d w g f f , v v w vd bf w v w. T b v flxb: v k bjv jdg, d v b kg gd f . If , f,g w d g g, w d qd vkw ffi ?

B Aq d f k qd v ffi f k. A v w v g d g v

w v, d b d w , fd v, w bw , w g, d w j. Ad w , Aq

, b dd dbg, f v bg dff d v dff ff. T qd v d.

Mg b fd fd v? Cd f Jg L Bg , P Md, A f Qx.24

W d Md, w- w (f wk,g g), w f Don Quixote. N , w , bg wk d, b

w Don Quixote. Ad dd. B w wk, b Cv

d b Md, w d wd f wd d f , vg dff g, , b f x w w w. Md x, w d, fi, g Md ff f ff, k f Cv, w d S f . O g f

wd w, x f g v, qd v fd, gv w g, , d v f w d d b f d vd b .

Wv gg , wv, Aq vw.T qd v fd, d, b d b d

w fd v.

24Jg L Bg, Labyrinths(Nw Yk: Nw D, 1964), 3644.


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25On the Virtues in General, 10, d 8.

A ff gm vw d v pfiy dff m d v; d xpg gm w fid kg w d

w v. T (1) gm m dff ffi ;

(2) gm m dff m bj; d

(3) gm m dff d.

T fi , gm m dff ffi , ppxg.A w III 63.4, y:

W y dff dd dfi gd,

d p. B dfi d v d wGd z , w , I d bv. T, dv, w dff d ppy, d bg m p d v.

B wy d dff ffi v dff g dff bw Gd d m bgmk dff g p?

A A m d bj, w Gd gv y mb bd, y bgd m p y pdd y. S m Gd v d w v d mpy v bg dff p. I py bj, Axp Gd gv m b bd y pm y md y pm. B Gd d v pm m d v pm. T py mk gm v. I w k w p d v dffp m d v dff m bj dd gm m p d w. B b w w

A mg py bj, w d d gm 2 d 3.T d gm pfi dff bw d d d

v bd m y v dff m bj:

Id d d mp d m, - g pg . Hwv, y d d m ff : Ag k m, d mpk m dff m m d mp. T b- d mp m dg dpg dv w, w dvd m bg m d, w d mp dm m dg w d, dd gd p .25


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T d qd v d dd b f ( dv f f), dfd v d dd b dff f

( dv f x f). T x w Aq d x f qd v fd -. T w qd w d dk w . B w fd w f d bd; , b, w bg b d b xf v v . B w qd b -d fg d g? A wqd v d k wv d b gd. T w, w d, v w b f v. P d

w b d vd, b, I v gd, v flxb g d d v.

T d g fd III 63.4, :

W dg b fi w: b w dd . Af , b dd dff , d bg d bg .

Ad v, P Politics

III vf z dff dg w dd dff f fgv. Ad g w [f dff, w ]fd v, g w w dd bgfw z w d b f Gd d, dff f qd v, g w bg w dd ff.26

H Aq g fd v d

dff f f qd v. T w d f bfi v d v d dff- . W d g f qd v d f fd v dd b dff f d, d g f qd v d f fd v dd dff wb w qd v dff d f w fd v. B, Aq f ,

d d v dd d, wg v d, d q I d b fi q d.

26A On the Virtues in General, 10, d 10.


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(2) Strong Direction of Infused Moral Virtue. Wy, , d Ak d m v ffi d m d pp? Dp A , w v y

mp d bw w v. Am d w vw. H mg k dv mpy pd fl g v. O vw, m y Gd, d pp w Gd, p pp w pd w v dgd d y. Ifid gg pzzg, wv. T p fl y pp g md y gv pw( wy, I fid my v wd by -Nz, d j w gd m y m). B y gvpw d v, d d. S, , ypp d pd dy fl g v, b y gv pw. T , , k ypp w my d v pd jdgm ddm y gv pw v w y fld by p d w g v. T y pp w bpdg dy . A mg pd d d d

v m w pd d d ym. Hwv, gm p m, g d m v gd v.27

M pby, A k d m v v g dv : Ad d d v d gy dff d b dff d. Sm w dmp w b d d d d dk w gy. T vb d d w gd . Sm

w d mp w mm b d . I bd k v d v b g d g.O d fid p , d wd v b .

Mv, w k y d d m v g dv , w mk b ffi gm pfi dff d d d m v.

W I pd gm, I d wy d m

w v ffi . H gg b wy m.W w v, w d b xp d b m pp vb . B b kwdg d xp

27S III 51.4, d 3.


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d; d f v vd w g d, d w b d b w kwdg d x-. W Gd f v , Aq g , v

. T g g d k f w w kwd x. Aq ff g f fi dffbw kwdg fd b Gd d kwdg

w g w. T , Aq , v dff dfiv dff rationes.28 Aq kwdg w g fx wd d; w q d wd

w x f f dq Gd d b, f . B b fg w kwdg, Gdd v . S, I ggg, f v, f kwdg, dff ffi f xg fi dff bw qd d fd v.T dff ffi x w fd v v dfff bj d d qd v.

III.

Evaluation of the Argument. Aq w d fd

v w g v, , d f gdv f. O q, , w w d gdv f, w b . I k f w w f wd b g bfi. F, g df v d, fgdg gg. Sd, d g b d, w . O w db fd d d w w v ddg

db.D b f Aq g, g wdw w qd v v w qd v d fd v d wd d. B qd d fd v f - f d wk dv f, d k qd v v, w f,

w g f f w g

f x. S, f qd k gd f, w d w f d w w w v g f wd d w g f x, -

28S I 89.5, d 3.


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w pd j g wy. T v y dff gd. B w dff w w v b p?

A mg y y vy dff. I , g

dg m bg d d m v dv gv bfi d kwdg w d g m w xp. B mg wd g. W w k pfi A m d, w fid m d d v g mydm, d d d v mp vgy.29 B my d vg. T g pp. Ad pp b b my d vg py , wyd d v mvg y v v b p b my d vg g , d y bmg? Hw d wd b m dvp v g? I y , g d d m v d dm v w b, v mjy , m g.

A g w d d m v m d p pg pp x . Ad p

w d m v pxm py g v w . I m g w w b -

g w m d w v. T gfiydff m w d w mk djm - y -wdy m d p. A gd g vw v dd pp x gd d m v pp pp- ( gm 2 d 3 bv). B g d fid wy vd gm. , d dvp b b d g pp, d, d v

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Creighton UniversityOmaha, Nebraska

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