CATHOLIC FAITH SERIES & FAITH IMMERSION PILGRIMAGE
YEAR III – MORAL THEOLOGY & SPIRITUALITY CLASS VII – PRUDENCE & JUSTICE (10/26/2006)
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Introduction: A. Summary of the Theological Virtues: 1. Divinely infused 2. Divinely oriented 3. Divinely revealed 4. Prayer of St. Francis: Most high and glorious God, Bring light to the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity. Lord, give me insight and wisdom That I may always discern Your holy and true will. B. The Cardinal Virtues 1. Etymology: i. cardo (noun) = hinge ii. cardinale (adjective) = pivotal, principal, chief 2. Chief virtues i. Prudence – intellect ii. Justice – will iii. Fortitude – irascible appetite iv. Temperance – concupiscible appetite 3. Natural virtues (not necessary born with them but acquired through experience and time)1 4. Order other virtues C. Personification of Virtues: 1. Faith – Lady with a cross, the Eucharist and Bible 2. Hope – Lady with an anchor 3. Charity – Lady nursing babies 4. Prudence – Lady looking into the mirror 5. Justice – Lady blindfolded, with scale and sword 6. Fortitude – Lady in armor with weapons 7. Temperance – Lady measuring drink Prudence2 A. Etymology: Prudentia from providentia – seeing ahead (foresight) B. Definitions: 1. Aristotle: “recta ratio agibilium” – right reason applied to practice
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Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 47 a. 16. Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 47-56. 1
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2. “an intellectual habit enabling us to see in any given juncture of human affairs what is virtuous and what is not, and how to come at the one and avoid the other.”3 3. St. Augustine: “Prudence is love choosing wisely between the things that help and those that hinder.” (De Morib. Eccl. XV)4 4. St. Augustine: “Prudence is the knowledge of what to seek and what to avoid.” (Quæstiones 83, 6).5 Functions: 1. Perfects the intellect in practical decisions i. takes counsel ii. consider the means iii. judge soundly the means 2. Prudence directs the means not the end6 3. Prudence asks “How?” 4. Indicates the golden mean of actions and of other virtues7 (not privation, perversion or excess) 5. Does not will the good it discerns, but is directive eg. It is prudent to hope in God; it is imprudent to hope in man and things and circumstance. Hope has to move the will and appetite to action. 6. Directs the other virtues; without prudence, eg.: i. bravery becomes foolhardiness ii. mercy becomes weakness iii. justice become cruelty “Quasi-integral part of prudence”:8 1. Memory 2. Understanding or intelligence 3. Docility 4. Shrewdness 5. Reason 6. Foresight 7. Circumspection 8. Caution “Subjective parts of prudence”:9 1. Regnative – directs the means to rule (“architectonic”) 2. Political – directs the means to administrate (“dealing with singulars”) 3. Domestic economical – directs the means to manage a household 4. Military – directs the means to win a conflict Virtues connected to Prudence (“quasi-potential parts of prudence”):10
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Joseph P. Delany, “Prudence,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia, volume XII, 1911. In Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 47 a. 1 obj. 1. 5 In Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 47 a. 1 sed. 6 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 47 a. 6. 7 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 47 a. 7. 8 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 49. 9 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 50. 10 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 51. 2
1. eu)bouli/a – euboulia (deliberating well/good counsel): “But eu)bouli/a (deliberating well) signifies goodness of counsel, for it is derived from the eu, good, and boulh, counsel, being ‘a good counsel’ or rather ‘a disposition to take good counsel.’” (ST, IIa-IIæ q. 51 a. 1 res.) 2. su/nesiv – synesis (judging well according to common law): “a right judgment, not indeed about speculative matters, but about particular practical matters…” (ST, IIa-IIæ q. 51 a. 3 res.) 3. gnw/mh – gnome (judging well according to general law) G. Opposing vices (imprudence): 1. Privation:11 i. precipitation (impulse) ii. thoughtlessness iii. inconstancy – withdrawal from a definite good iv. negeligence 2. Resemblance (perversion):12 i. “prudence of the flesh” (materialism) ii. guile (deceptiveness) iii. fraud iv. solicitude about temporal things v. covetousness vi. timidity III. Justice13 A. Etymology: Iustitia from ius – law, right, duty, that which is binding, oath B. Definition: “a moral quality or habit which perfects the will and inclines it to render to each and to all what belongs to them.”14 C. Two Species of Justice:15 1. Commutative – relates one individual to another 2. Distributive – relates the whole (society) to an individual D. Vices opposed to distributive justice: “Respect of persons”16 (discrimination) E. Vices opposed to involuntary commutations “doing an injury to one’s neighbor against his will”: 1. By Deed:17 i. murder ii. bodily injury iii. theft & robbery 2. By Word:18
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Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 53-54. Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 55. 13 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 57-122. 14 T. Slater, “Justice,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia, volume VIII, 1910. 15 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 61. 16 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 63. 17 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 64-66. 18 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 67-76. 3
i. in judicial proceedings, it can be inflicted by: a. judge b. accuser c. defendant d. witnesses e. defending attorney f. jury (not in the Summa Theologica) ii. extrajudicially: a. reviling b. backbiting c. tale-bearing d. derision e. cursing F. Vices opposed to voluntary commutations:19 1. Cheating (relating to buying and selling) 2. Usury (relating to loans) G. Quasi-integral parts of Justice:20 1. Connected Virtues i. do good ii. avoid evil 2. Opposing Vices i. transgression ii. omission H. Connected virtues: 1. Religion21 i. religion itself a. devotion b. prayer ii. external acts of latria (worship) a. bodily reverence b. sacrifices c. oblations of first-fruits d. tithes e. vows iii. taking of things from God a. adjuration b. prayer (taking up God’s name) c. praise d. confirmation of an assertion iv. vices a. superstition b. idolatry c. divinations
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Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 77-78. Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 79-80. 21 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 81-100. 4
d. observances e. undue worship f. irreligion g. temptation of God h. perjury (breaking of an oath) i. sacriliege j. simony 2. Piety22 3. Observance23 i. observance itself a. dulia b. obedience, opposed by disobedience c. gratitude, opposed by ingratitude d. vengeance e. truthfulness, opposed by lying, dissimulation and hypocrisy f. boasting g. irony h. friendliness or affability, opposed by flattery and quarreling i. liberality (generosity), opposed by covetousness (greed) and prodigality (wastefulness). 4. e)piei/keia – Epikeia (equity/clemency)24 eg. right to bear arms, but not to murders right to life, but what about self-defense and war commutation of vows forgiveness of debt
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Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 101. Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 102-119. 24 Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologica, IIa-IIæ, q. 120. 5