Cardinal virtues

As cardinal virtues (from the Latin cardo, " hinge, focal point ", also primary virtue) is known since ancient times, a group of four cardinal virtues. These were initially not the same for all authors. A group of four is already occupied Greece in the 5th century BC and was well known before; the term " cardinal virtues " was used in the late antique patristic by the church father Ambrose of Milan in the 4th century for the first time.

Antiquity

The group of four cardinal virtues is first documented in the Greek poet Aeschylus, in his 467 BCE resulting piece Seven against Thebes ( verse 610). It seems they assume to be known; therefore is believed that they were familiar with BC already in the Greek nobility of the 6th century. Aeschylus characterizes the seer Amphiaraus as a virtuous man by him as

  • Circumspect ( Sophron )
  • Accessible ( dikaios )
  • Pious ( Eusebes ) and
  • Brave ( agathos ) refers.

The term Agathos ( "good") is here, as in many inscriptions, meaning " brave " ( andreios ) to understand.

Plato took over in his dialogues Politeia and prefectures of the idea of ​​the group of four. He kept the bravery ( ανδρεία with him, andreia ) justice ( δικαιοσύνη, Dikaiosyne ) and prudence ( σωφροσύνη, sophrosyne ) at, but replaced the piety ( εὐσέβεια, eusebeia ) prudence ( φρόνησις, phronesis ) or wisdom ( σοφία, sophía ). This piety was ousted from the catalog of virtues. Even Plato's contemporary Xenophon, like Plato was a student of Socrates, Socrates wrote a canon of only two virtues, namely piety ( the relationships between humans and the gods determined ) and justice (which is under each relevant for the relations of men ).

Plato assigns to each of the three parts of the soul it has adopted and each of the three estates of his ideal state to be a virtue, namely the uppermost part of the soul or the state of wisdom, the secondary the bravery and the lowest the good sense or ability of moderation. Justice is assigned to all three, it provides the right combination of parts of the whole.

Not only the members of the Academy founded by Plato, but also the Stoics took over the canon of the four virtues; probably from Stoic writings reached the group of four in the rhetorical handbooks. Therefore, the educated Hellenistic and Roman world were familiar with it.

Even in Judaism the same four cardinal virtues were taught; they appear twice in the Septuagint ( the Greek translation of the Tanakh ), namely the Book of Wisdom ( 8.7) and in 4 Maccabees (1.18). The Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria also dealt with; he interpreted the four rivers of paradise allegorically as the four virtues.

Marcus Tullius Cicero, who was based here on a non- extant work of the Stoic Panaetius, represented the doctrine of the four cardinal virtues. He made the Roman world familiar with it. In his work De Officiis ( On the duty ) is called and he discusses the four virtues:

  • Justice ( justitia )
  • Moderation ( temperance ),
  • Bravery ( fortitudo, magnitudo animi ) and
  • Wisdom or wisdom ( sapientia or prudentia ).

Middle Ages

Ancient virtue teachings are reflected with the reception of ancient philosophy by Christian theologians as Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Bede and Rabanus Maurus in the interpretation of the Bible. In the 4th century, Saint Ambrose of Milan wrote a deontology ( De Officiis ministrorum ), in which he deals with Cicero's opinion. He first used the term "cardinal virtues" ( virtutes cardinal ); is more common in him but the term " cardinal virtues " ( virtutes principales ). He took over Philo's interpretation of the four rivers of Paradise as the four virtues.

A first systematic formation receives the doctrine of virtue in the moral teaching of Thomas Aquinas, who called the cardinal virtues as Angel, on which all other virtues are attached: " A virtue is called cardinal or main virtue, because the other virtues are attached to her like the door in the Angel. " ( Virtus ALIQUA dicitur cardinalis, quasi principalis, quia super eam aliae virtutes firmantur, sicut ostium in cardine. )

Modern

Immanuel Kant can be only one primary virtue shall apply:. " It's all nothing in the world, yes even to think out of the same possible, which are held without limitation might well, as a good will " fault this, all other virtues " also extremely evil and harmful are ".

The German philosopher Johann Friedrich Herbart calls as cardinal virtues:

  • Bravery,
  • Freedom,
  • Justice.

China

The five Confucian cardinal virtues (Ch五常Wuchang ) are:

  • Humanity (仁řén )
  • Justice or Righteousness (义yì )
  • Custom (礼Li)
  • Knowledge (智zhì )
  • Truthfulness (信Xin )

Accordingly or by Mengzi

  • Intimacy (亲​​Qin ) between father and son
  • Righteousness (义yì ) between ruler and subject
  • Separation (别bié ) between husband and wife
  • Order (序Xu ) between young and old
  • Truthfulness (信Xin ) between friend and friend

Yoga and Hinduism

5 Yamas:

  • Ahimsa (non-violence )
  • Satya ( truthfulness )
  • Asteya ( non-stealing )
  • Brahmacharya ( celibacy )
  • Aparigraha (non- access )

5 Niyamas:

  • Shauca (purity)
  • Santosha ( contentment )
  • Tapas ( penance and sacrifice )
  • Svadhyaya ( study and reflection )
  • Ishvara Pranidhana ( devotion to God )

Allegorical representation of the cardinal virtues

Allegorical representations of the cardinal virtues are typical elements of representative grave of Renaissance and Baroque periods, especially on grave monuments of popes, bishops or secular rulers, such as the Doge of Venice.

Pope grave of Pope Clement II in the Bamberg Cathedral:

Fortitude ( courage )

Sapientia ( Wisdom)

Temperance ( moderation )

Representation of the virtues of representative baroque facade (1737 ) of the Gesuati church in Venice to the fame of the Dominicans, principal facade of church and serve.

Justice by Francesco Bonazza

Bravery of Giuseppe Torretto

Moderation of Alvise Tagliapietra

Attributes

The allegorical representations of virtues are always female, according to the genus of the term in Latin. Attached inscriptions or attributes help the viewer to identify the respective virtues.

Secular virtues

  • Wisdom ( Prudence ): Snake, mirror, scroll or book, Janus (two faces )
  • Justice ( Justice ): scales, sword, crown, blindfold
  • Bravery ( Fortitude ): flag, armor, sword, shield, lion, column
  • Moderation ( Temperance ): Hourglass, two vessels for mixing water and wine, burning torch and pitcher for deletion, riding on a camel / elephant, sword in scabbard, reins

Christian virtues

  • Faith (Fides ): Cross, calyx ( Host ), Tables of the Law, candle
  • Love ( Caritas ): Mother with children, torch, burning heart, beggars, Pelican
  • Hope ( Spes ): dove, anchor, crown, ship, flag, eyes turned to the sky, winged

Giotto's depiction of the three theological virtues

In the New Testament canon of the four virtues does not occur. The apostle Paul led a three theological virtues:

  • Faith (Latin fides ),
  • Hope (Latin spes ) and
  • Love (Latin caritas ).

The following presentation can be found in the Cappella degli Scrovegni in Padua.

Spes (Hope)

Caritas (Love)

Together, the number seven:

  • Wisdom or prudence
  • Justice
  • Bravery
  • Moderation
  • Faith
  • Hope
  • Love

They are compared with the seven deadly sins (main vices ) in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Classical antiquity Patristics The Republic (Plato) Laws (dialogue) Morality Liberty Mores Dominican Order Sacramental bread Virtue ethics Arete Josef Pieper Eduard Schwartz
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