WHAT ARE THE MORAL VIRTUES? MAIN FEATURES - PHILOSOPHY - 2026

The moral virtues are those qualities that the human being possesses, either by nature or acquired, that lead him to act in accordance with morality. They are what make man behave correctly, leaning towards the good.

Although these moral virtues have been spoken of since the Greek philosophers, it is in the writings of some Christian thinkers that they are given a more universal nature.

For Christian thinkers there are four moral virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance.

They are also known as cardinal virtues, as they are the main ones to achieve exemplary behavior.

What are the moral virtues?

There are different definitions of the moral or cardinal virtues, depending on the time and the school of thought.

In general, they are ways of behaving within what is considered moral and in accordance with ethics.

Moral Virtues in Ancient Greece

For Aristotle and Plato, moral virtues were due to the habits of people, who had to strive to achieve them.

This was in contrast to the so-called intellectual virtues, which would be intrinsic to each person.

They were called earrings (excellence) and were three different: courage, moderation and justice. Plato adds a fourth and changes some of the others.

For this philosopher they were necessary to be a good citizen. He emphasized justice, temperance, prudence, and fortitude. As can be seen, they are the same that later the Christians would establish in their doctrine.

Christian moral virtues

It is especially from the Middle Ages that theologians echo these cardinal virtues, especially from Saint Thomas Aquinas.

For these authors, it is the behaviors that will make man good, thus bringing him closer to what God wants.

They should not be confused with the so-called theological virtues, which would be those that have God as their ultimate meaning and that make man behave like his son.

The 4 main moral virtues

1- Justice

For Plato it is the most important of all and is fundamental for the human being. It is not justice from the outside, but from the inside. He sums it up by asking each one to know himself.

For Christians, on the other hand, it is about giving each person what they deserve. You have to treat everyone the same, being honest with them. It is opposed to selfishness and lust.

2- Fortress

It consists, on the one hand, in the ability to overcome difficulties, persevering in the objectives that have been set.

On the other hand, especially among Christians, he also emphasizes resisting temptations, staying on the straight path.

3- Prudence

This virtue explains that one must be moderate and fair in all circumstances. It also helps to judge correctly and without prejudice. It is very necessary when making decisions, even in economic matters.

4- Temperance

Temperance is responsible for controlling the attraction of the pleasures that are presented to the human being.

In general, it is the one that puts the will above material temptations and helps to preserve the balance between the soul and the body.

References

1. Wikipedia. Republic (Plato). Obtained from es.wikipedia.org

2. VOICE. Moral virtues. Obtained from mercaba.org
3. Cline, Austin. Ethics, Morals, and Values: How do they relate ?. Retrieved from thoughtco.com
4. All About Philosophy. Moral Values. Retrieved from allaboutphilosophy.org
5. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The Definition of Morality. Retrieved from plato.stanford.edu