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Full Idea
There must be one supreme virtue essentially distinct from every other virtue, which directs all the virtues to the common good, and this virtue is legal justice.
Gist of Idea
Legal justice is supreme, because it directs the other virtues to the common good
Source
Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265], II-II Q58 6)
Book Ref
Aquinas,Thomas: 'On Law, Morality and Politics', ed/tr. Baumgarth,W. /Regan R. [Hackett 1988], p.154
A Reaction
This concept of legal justice is underpinned, for Aquinas, by the concept of natural law, which has divine backing. Positive law could hardly fulfil such a major role, given that it could be corrupt.
Related Idea
Idea 23181 All acts of virtue relate to justice, which is directed towards the common good [Aquinas]
64 | There is no right time or place or way or person for the committing of adultery; it is just wrong [Aristotle] |
519 | One must avoid even speaking of evil deeds [Democritus (attr)] |
23182 | Legal justice is supreme, because it directs the other virtues to the common good [Aquinas] |
19458 | Egoism is the only evil, love the only good; genuine love produces all the other virtues [Feuerbach] |
24110 | Some things we would never do, even for the highest ideals [Nietzsche] |
4339 | According to virtue ethics, two agents may respond differently, and yet both be right [Hursthouse] |