Lepiten, Rosalito P.

PL2A
“Who’s the greatest of them all?”

What are the four cardinal virtues? What are their functions as virtues? What is the most
important and greatest among them? What is their main duty to fulfill or build a good state?

Now read this!

Back in Plato’s republic he identifies the four “cardinal virtues” as necessary for a good society
and for happy individual. Cardinal virtues are essential, basic virtues that provide optimal
functioning for the human soul. The four “cardinal virtues” are Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude
and Justice.

This concept paper aims to answer what are the question’s cited above in order to state the mind
of everybody or clear those questions like what are their functions?, what is the most important
and greatest among the four?, and what are their main duty to establish a good state that can
benefit the good of the society.

But what are the functions of these virtues and duties to establish a good state?

Temperance is another name for self control and moderation. It is important for the worker class,
but necessary for all three classes of people. The state, too must control itself, not yielding either
to the unjust demands of other states or to lust for expansion or power. The state must not give in
to an excess of liberty or repression. (Guess that make’s one of the best right)

Fortitude is the essential virtue of the warrior class. Fortitude or courage is necessary to protect
the community and enforce the just laws of the guardians. In the individual, courage is a quality
of will, an essential drive that provides a person with stamina and energy.( So courage will also
good for the state especially when enforcing laws right? You might be thinking it’s the best
among the three.)

Prudence is the virtue associated with the guardians who are called the philosopher kings. In the
individual, prudence is present when the rational part of the soul is healthy and in control.
Wisdom is found only in a community ruled by those fit by nature training to guide it: the
Philosopher king who have seen the good. (Might changing decision yet?)
Lepiten, Rosalito P.
PL2A
Justice is the result of other three cardinal virtues, in much the same that bodily health is the
result of the proper functioning of all organs and systems. Justice is excellence of function for
the whole. (Now you probably thinking what I’m thinking) Each essential element works well,
and together all elements blend into a balanced system in the just state and in the just in just
individual.

Now have you made your decision? Let’s read the importance both of them.

The importance of prudence. Prudence might be the important among them because in a leader
of a state he or she should have the ability to have consent on his people. The important of this
virtue, is that by getting the consent of the people of the state then the leaders may successfully
judge correctly on what is wrong and right in any given situation. Because it is so easy to fall
into error, prudence requires us to seek the counsel of others, particularly those we know to be
sound judges of morality. Disregarding the advice or warnings of others whose judgment does
not coincide with ours is a sign of imprudence.

The importance of Justice. In a state, there should be a justice that functioned because it cares
about the rights of every people that live in the control of the government it cares about his or her
rightful due when a state have a justice then it helps to promote the equality of rights on its
people. Justice is connected to the idea of rights. While we often use justice in a negative sense
("He got what he deserved"), justice in its proper sense is positive. Injustice occurs when we as
individuals or by law deprive someone of that which he is owed. Legal rights can never outweigh
natural ones.

The importance of Fortitude. The third cardinal virtue, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, is
fortitude. While this virtue is commonly called courage, if we apply this in a state or in ideal
stsate the leader must have this kind of cardinal virtue. Why? Because through fortitude, it
allows us to overcome fear and to remain steady in our will in the face of obstacles, but it is
always reasoned and reasonable; the person exercising fortitude does not seek danger for
danger's sake. Prudence and justice are the virtues through which we decide what needs to be
done; fortitude gives us the strength to do it.
Lepiten, Rosalito P.
PL2A
The importance of Temperance. Temperance, Saint Thomas declared, is the fourth and final
cardinal virtue. While fortitude is concerned with the restraint of fear so that we can act,
temperance is the restraint of our desires or passions. Food, drink, and sex are all necessary for
our survival, individually and as a species; yet a disordered desire for any of these goods can
have disastrous consequences, physical and moral.

Therefore I conclude that among of these four cardinal virtues of Plato. The most important
virtue to for establishing an ideal state is the virtue of Prudence. Through the virtue of prudence a
good leader can justify or make a judgment for the justice or a person. A leader can make use of
prudence to enforce law or think quietly to overcome fear or have fortitude. Lastly through
prudence, a leader may judge quickly in any given situation in order to gain temperance or
restraint of our desires.

Finally here we already can make decision hope you too. Thank you for spending time reading
this concept paper.
Reference:

Carr, D. (1988). The Cardinal Virtues and Plato's Moral Psychology. The Philosophical
Quarterly (1950-), 38(151), 186-200. doi:10.2307/2219923

AUSTIN, N. (2017). Rational Virtue. In Aquinas on Virtue: A Causal Reading (pp. 109-129).

Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctt1t89k5h.12