more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
For us there are four cardinal moral virtues: courage, temperance, wisdom and justice. But Aristotle and Aquinas call only three of these virtues moral virtues; practical wisdom (phronesis, prudentia) they class with the intellectual virtues.
Gist of Idea
We take courage, temperance, wisdom and justice as moral, but Aristotle takes wisdom as intellectual
Source
Philippa Foot (Virtues and Vices [1978], p.2)
Book Ref
Foot,Philippa: 'Virtues and Vices' [Blackwell 1981], p.2
A Reaction
I'm not sure about 'for us'. How many of us rank temperance as a supreme virtue? Aristotle ranks phronesis (which I think of as 'common sense') as the key enabler of the moral virtues, making it unlike the other intellectual virtues.
23145 | Virtues are intended to correct design flaws in human beings [Foot, by Driver] |
22398 | Virtues are corrective, to resist temptation or strengthen motivation [Foot] |
22400 | Courage overcomes the fears which should be overcome, and doesn't overvalue personal safety [Foot] |
22402 | Most people think virtues can be displayed in bad actions [Foot] |
22403 | Temperance is not a virtue if it results from timidity or excessive puritanism [Foot] |
22401 | Actions can be in accordance with virtue, but without actually being virtuous [Foot] |
22396 | We take courage, temperance, wisdom and justice as moral, but Aristotle takes wisdom as intellectual [Foot] |
22397 | Wisdom is open to all, and not just to the clever or well trained [Foot] |