Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,748 pages of information about Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae).

Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,748 pages of information about Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae).

On the other hand, neither does every diversity of passions necessarily suffice for a diversity of moral virtues.  First, because some passions are in contrary opposition to one another, such as joy and sorrow, fear and daring, and so on.  About such passions as are thus in opposition to one another there must needs be one same virtue.  Because, since moral virtue consists in a kind of mean, the mean in contrary passions stands in the same ratio to both, even as in the natural order there is but one mean between contraries, e.g. between black and white.  Secondly, because there are different passions contradicting reason in the same manner, e.g. by impelling to that which is contrary to reason, or by withdrawing from that which is in accord with reason.  Wherefore the different passions of the concupiscible faculty do not require different moral virtues, because their movements follow one another in a certain order, as being directed to the one same thing, viz. the attainment of some good or the avoidance of some evil:  thus from love proceeds desire, and from desire we arrive at pleasure; and it is the same with the opposite passions, for hatred leads to avoidance or dislike, and this leads to sorrow.  On the other hand, the irascible passions are not all of one order, but are directed to different things:  for daring and fear are about some great danger; hope and despair are about some difficult good; while anger seeks to overcome something contrary which has wrought harm.  Consequently there are different virtues about such like passions:  e.g. temperance, about the concupiscible passions; fortitude, about fear and daring; magnanimity, about hope and despair; meekness, about anger.

Reply Obj. 1:  All the passions concur in one common principle and end; but not in one proper principle or end:  and so this does not suffice for the unity of moral virtue.

Reply Obj. 2:  Just as in the natural order the same principle causes movement from one extreme and movement towards the other; and as in the intellectual order contraries have one common ratio; so too between contrary passions there is but one moral virtue, which, like a second nature, consents to reason’s dictates.

Reply Obj. 3:  Those three passions are directed to the same object in a certain order, as stated above:  and so they belong to the same virtue. ________________________

FIFTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 60, Art. 5]

Whether the Moral Virtues Differ in Point of the Various Objects of the Passions?

Objection 1:  It would seem that the moral virtues do not differ according to the objects of the passions.  For just as there are objects of passions, so are there objects of operations.  Now those moral virtues that are about operations, do not differ according to the objects of those operations:  for the buying and selling either of a house or of a horse belong to the one same virtue of justice.  Therefore neither do those moral virtues that are about passions differ according to the objects of those passions.

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Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.