REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is virtue?

In general, the excellence of perfection of a thing, just as vice,

denotes a defect or absence of a thing. In a strict sense, virtue is a
habit superadded to the faculty of the soul, disposing it to elicit
readiness acts conformable to our rational nature. For St.
Augustine, virtue is a good habit consonant with our nature; it is a
good quality of the mind by which one lives rightly, which no one
can use badly, and which God accomplishes in us, without us. For
St. Thomas Aquinas, virtue is a good operative habit; such is taken
from Aristotle which is stated thus: “A virtue is that which makes
the possessor good, and what he does is good as well.”

2. What are natural virtues? What are their classifications?

Define.

A good habit of the mind which always inclines to do well. Natural

virtues are classified into intellectual virtues and moral virtues.

3 What are intellectual virtues? What are the 5 intellectual

virtues? Define.

Habits perfecting the intellect to elicit with readiness acts that are
good in reference to their proper object, namely, truth. The
intellect is called speculative or practical according as it confines
itself to the sole contemplation of truth in reference to action.

Science – is the habit of conclusions drawn by demonstration

from first principles; it is the habitual knowledge of the particular
sciences
Understanding – is the habit of first principles; it is the habitual
knowledge of primary self-evident truths that lie at the root of all
knowledge
Wisdom – is the habit of knowing things in their highest causes; it
is the organized knowledge of all principles and conclusions in the
truth called philosophy
Art – is the habit of knowing how to make things in their highest
causes; it is the organized knowledge of all principles and
conclusions in the truth called philosophy
Prudence – is the habit of knowing how to do things, how to
direct activity that does not result in tangible products; it enables
one to live a good human life and is the only one of the
intellectual virtues that cannot exist apart from the moral virtues

4. What are moral virtues? What are the four moral virtues?
Define.

Moral virtues refer to human behavior and are in themselves

morally good. The moral virtues are the inclinations of the human
faculties that tend toward the right behavior in what refers to the
means to reach the objective last end.

Prudence – the right judgment on actions

Fortitude – the virtue that strengthens the will so that it does not
give up in its pursuit of a good that is seen as difficult by natural
reason
Justice – the perpetual and constant will to render to each one his
right
Temperance – the virtue that regulates the pursuit of pleasure
according to right reason or reason enlightened by faith

5. What are the subjects of the 4 moral virtues?

Prudence – intellect
Fortitude – irascible appetite
Justice – will
Temperance – concupiscible appetite
6. What is the meaning of the integral parts of moral virtues?

They are those acts or inclinations that are required for a perfect
act of a certain virtue.

7. What do you mean by the subjective or essential parts of

moral virtues?

The essential or subjective parts are the different species into

which a cardinal virtue is subdivided according to the material
division of its object.

8. What do you mean by the potential parts of moral virtues?

Potential parts of a cardinal virtue are annexed (derived) virtues

that are concerned with secondary acts or secondary matters.

9. What is the mean of the moral virtues?

The mean is a mean of reason, what reason considers as the right

ordination to an end.

10. What are supernatural virtues?

The virtues, i.e. faith, hope, and love, infused into the human
intellect and will by a special grace of God.

11. What are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit? Describe.

Wisdom – illumines the mind and instills an attraction to the

Divine
Understanding – helps one relate all truths to one’s supernatural
purpose
Counsel – functions as a sort of supernatural intuition to enable a
person to judge promptly and rightly, especially in difficult
situations
Fortitude – allows people the firmness of mind that is required
both in doing good and in enduring evil
Knowledge – allows a person to understand the meaning and
purpose God has for him and to live up to this meaning
Piety – accords to God that which is due to God
Fear of the Lord – one is made aware of the glory and majesty of
God

12. What are the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit?

Love – denotes an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable

goodwill that always seeks the highest good for others
Joy – a lasting kind of happiness that can only be realized when
we put God at the center of our lives
Peace – the tranquility that can be experienced when we put our
complete trust in God
Patience – allows us to have compassion over people in spite of
their flaws and weaknesses
Kindness – acting for the good of people regardless of what they
do
Goodness – the state or quality of being good in which the
general character is recognized in quality or conduct
Longanimity – a disposition to bear injuries patiently
Gentleness – to be mild in behavior and having a heart of
forgiveness and grace
Faith – to live in accord to the will of God and believing that He si
the master of our life
Modesty – the belief that any of our successes, blessings, and
talents are gifts from God
Self-control – the virtue to control sexual and other appetites in a
holy manner
Chastity – indulging our physical desires within the right context
13. What is prudence as a moral virtue?

It is the right judgment that ordains human acts to the last end of
human life.

14. What are the three acts of prudence? Describe.

Deliberation – to take counsel carefully, to ask, to gather

information, to seek advice, to study the means that are needed
to perform an action in a virtuous way
Judgment – to sift through the facts and data and come to a
conclusion, to reach the conclusion after deliberation
Command – to apply those counsels and judgments to action, to
direct the order issued to the faculties so that the action is
performed according to the judgment; this is the chief and most
characteristic act of prudence

15. What are the subjective parts of prudence? Describe.

They are the specific kinds of prudence that apply to specific

human actions. These are personal prudence and political
prudence. The latter is sometimes subdivided into military,
legislative, and economic prudence.

16. What are the potential parts of prudence? Describe.

They are annexed virtues that are concerned with secondary acts
or matters. The three potential parts of prudence are:

Eubulia – the habit of seeking right counsel

Synesis – or good sense, the virtue of judging aright according to
ordinary rules
Gnome – the virtue of judging aright from the higher principles,
the unbiased judgment or the sense of making proper exception,
being able to distinguish those cases that go out of common
norms
17. What are the sins against prudence? Describe.

By defect: precipitation, inconsideration, inconstancy, negligence

By excess: carnal prudence, craftiness, excessive solitude

18. What is justice?

It is the constant and perpetual will to render to everyone what is
his due.

19. What are the essential properties of justice?

a. Justice always refers to another person. Strictly speaking, there

are no obligations of justice toward oneself.
b. The object of justice is not a free gift, but something that is
strictly due.
c. Justice does not demand an approximate compensation, but
only what is exactly due, neither more nor less.

20. What are the 3 kinds of justice? Define.

General – a virtue which directs human acts owed to the common

good to that end
Distributive – the virtue by which society distributes goods and
burdens among its members according to the merit, dignity, and
need of each
Commutative – the virtue whereby man renders to each one, by a
constant and perpetual will, what is his exact due in the
exchanges that can take place between two persons

21. What are the potential parts of justice? Define.

Religion – is the virtue that inclines man to give to God his due;
but we will never be able to give God what he deserves, or even
something equivalent to what we have received from him
Piety – inclines man to give to his parents what is their due; again,
children cannot give to their parents something that is equivalent
to what they have received from them—life
Reverence – inclines one to give due honor to persons of great
virtue and dignity but virtue can never be properly rewarded in
this life
Sincerity – inclines one to say the truth and always avoid lies
Gratitude – inclines one to reward in some way the benefits that
have been received
Vindication – moves one to seek restitution for the sins of others
Generosity – inclines one to moderate love for earthly goods and
use them properly for one’s own and others’ benefit, and for
honoring God
Politeness – inclines one to be pleasant in dealing with others
Equity – or epikeia inclines one to ignore the letter of the law
when there is a just cause, in order to better follow the presumed
intention of the legislator

22. What are the sins against justice? Describe.

Favoritism – occurs whenever other motives irrelevant to the

demands of distributive justice are used in the distribution of
societies benefits and burdens
Suicide – an action or omission which of its nature will cause
one’s own death
Murder – direct intention of killing a human being
Injuries Short of Death – short of death, there are lesser
injustices, all of which may be reduced to the following: dueling,
mutilation, physical assaults
Theft and Robbery – the act or crime of stealing or the purposeful
taking away of property
Injustice in Judicial Proceedings – includes injustice in judges,
injustice of plaintiffs, witnesses, and in lawyers
Injustice outside Judicial Proceedings – include detraction,
whispering, derision, and cursing
23. What is injustice?

Is any action that is contrary to the cardinal virtue of justice.

24. What is restitution?

An act by which a return of property is made to him who has been

deprived of it, or by which an unjust damage is made.

25. What are the ways to make restitution?

a. Item or money be sent through mail without further

explanation
b. A gift can be bestowed
c. Free labor can be given
d. Could be made according to the statutes of law if the law so
provided

26. What is war?

War, in its juridical sense, is a contention carried on by force of

arms between sovereign states, or communities having in this
regard the right of states.

27. What are the conditions that must be met for a war to be
just before, during and after its execution (jus ad bellum, jus in
bello and jus post-bellum)

JUS AD BELLUM
Just Cause, Proportionality, Legitimate Authority, Probability of
Success, Comparative Justice, Last Resort, Right Intention

JUS IN BELLO
Proportionality, Discrimination or Distinction (Military Targets,
Combatants and Non-Combatants, Innocent Civilians)s
JUS POST-BELLUM
Just Cause for Intervention, Right Intention, Public Declaration
and Authority, Discrimination

28. What is fortitude?

It is the cardinal virtue that strengthens the will so that it does not
give up in its pursuit of a good that is seen as difficult by natural
reason or by reason enlightened by faith.

29. What are the potential parts of fortitude? Define.

Magnanimity – the virtue that inclines man to undertake great

deeds in every virtue
Munificence – the moral virtue that inclines man to undertake
great and costly works in spite of the effort or expenses that are
required
Patience – the moral virtue that inclines people to suffer present
evils without excessive sorrow
Perseverance – the moral virtue that inclines man to continue in
the exercise of virtue according to the dictates of right reason in
spite of the wear and tear and the monotony of repetition

30. What are the vices contrary to fortitude? Describe.

Cowardice or timidity – an inordinate fear of temporal ills

Fearlessness or impassability – a lack or disregard of fear when
fear is reasonable
Recklessness or temerity – consists in risking danger without a
proportionate cause

31. What is temperance?

The cardinal virtue that regulates the pursuit of pleasure

according to right reason or reason enlightened by faith.
32. What are the integral parts of temperance? Define.

Sense of shame – a worthy feeling that makes people shy away

from base and lewd things
Honesty – the love of propriety and of anything clean, beautiful,
and well-done

33. What are the potential parts of temperance? Define.

Continence – the virtue that inclines the will to resist passions,

especially those concerned with touch
Meekness – the moral virtue that moves the will to resist the
passion of anger
Clemency – the virtue that inclines to reducing or even remitting
due punishment insofar as this is reasonable
Modesty – regulates external physical movements and
appearance, and moderation regulates the use of external things,
so that both are in line with one’s state and situation in life
Humility – the virtue that inclines man to curb his inordinate
desire for personal excellence, and recognize his own
insignificance in the face of God and his right standing in relation
to others

34. What are the subjective parts of temperance?

Abstinence – controls the use of food

Sobriety – regulates the use of intoxicating drinks
Chastity – moderates the use of reproductive power
Modesty – governs other acts that are connected in some way
with the sexual act
35. What are the sins against purity?

Impure Imagination (delectatio morosa) – taking pleasure in

imaginative representations
Impure Memory (gaudium peccaminosum) – the deliberate
complacency in a previous sin of impurity, either one’s own or
another’s
Impure Desire (desiderium pravum) – the deliberate complacency
in an impure act that one wishes or intends to do