What Is Prudence? Prudence is from Latin prudentia, contracted from providentia, meaning seeing ahead. One of the four cardinal virtues. Definitions of it are plentiful from Aristotle down. His “recta ratio agibilium” has the merits of brevity and inclusiveness. Father Rickaby aptly renders it as “right reason applied to practice”. A fuller description...
Prudence: Mother of All Virtues Prudence, the “mother” of all of the virtues, is the virtue by which a person recognizes his moral duty and the good means to accomplish it. I keep hearing about the importance of virtue and being virtuous, but no one explains what virtue is. Why...
![Seven Virtues by Francesco Pesellino and workshop, c. 1450 [Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama]](https://slife.org/wp-content/uploads/SAN_VOL2BMA_Repositorydb_photod5759u105575901961.102_01_t03_o2-520x147.jpg)
The Seven Catholic Virtues The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines virtue as “a habitual and firm disposition to do the good.” Traditionally, the seven Christian virtues, heavenly virtues (or The Seven Catholic Virtues) combine the four classical cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and courage (or fortitude) with the three theological...
The Virtue Of Prudence This article covers The Virtue Of Prudence. The mould and mother of all the virtues is prudence. It is defined as the intellectual virtue which rightly directs particular human acts, through rectitude of the appetite, toward a good end. Emotional well-being, we will argue, comes about...
What Is Prudence? Prudence (prudentia, contracted from providentia meaning “seeing ahead, sagacity”) is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. It is classically considered to be a virtue, and in particular one of the four Cardinal virtues (which are, with the three theological virtues, part of...
Prudence Quotes We have collected and put the best Prudence Quotes. Enjoy reading these insights and feel free to share this page on your social media to inspire others. May these Prudence Quotes inspire you to never give up and keep working towards your goals. Who knows—success could be just...
Agony, Anxiety, And Decisiveness This article covers Agony, Anxiety, And Decisiveness for healthy living. Do you agonize over big decisions or get anxious about the future? Are you afraid of commitments? Do you change your mind a lot? These tendencies may be an indication of a lack of prudence. In...
Heroic Virtue The notion of heroicity is derived from hero, originally a warrior, a demigod; hence it connotes a degree of bravery, fame, and distinction which places a man high above his fellows. St. Augustine first applied the pagan title of hero to the Christian martyrs; since then the custom...
Cardinal Virtues Cardinal virtues are four virtues of mind and character in both classical philosophy and Christian theology. They are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance. They form a virtue theory of ethics. The term cardinal comes from the Latin cardo (hinge); virtues are so called because they are regarded as the basic virtues required for a virtuous life. These principles derive initially from Plato in Republic Book IV, 426–435. They...