The Cardinal Virtues

In The Four Cardinal Virtues, Joseph Pieper delivers a stimulating quartet of essays on the four cardinal virtues. He demonstrates the unsound overvaluation of moderation that has made contemporary morality a hollow convention and points out the true significance of the Christian virtues.

Exploring the history of the cardinal virtues from patristic times to the late fourteenth century, this book offers a comprehensive view of the development of moral debate in the Latin Middle Ages.

In this new book by bestselling author, Edward Sri, we discover the close connection between growing in the virtues and growing in friendship and community with others. A consummate teacher, Dr. Sri leads us through the virtues with engaging examples and an uncanny ability to anticipate and answer our most pressing questions. Dr. Sri shows us in his inimitable, easy-to-read style, that the virtues are the basic life skills we need to give the best of ourselves to God and to the people in our lives. In short, the practice of the virtues give us the freedom to love.

"These translations from the Latin works of Thomas Aquinas, Albert the Great, and Philip the Chancellor concentrate on the four cardinal virtues - prudence, justice, courage, and temperance - first identified by Plato as essential requirements for living a happy and morally good life." "An historical introduction traces the development of the doctrine of four cardinal virtues from Greek philosophy through the thirteenth century. The treatment isolates three stages in this development: (1) Greek and Roman Philosophi: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, early Stoics, Cicero, and Seneca; (2) early Christian Sancti: Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and Gregory; and (3) medieval schoolmen (Magistri): Master Peter Lombard, Philip the Chancellor, Albert, and Aquinas."--BOOK JACKET

What it means to be a man or a woman is questioned today like never before. While traditional gender roles have been eroding for decades, now the very categories of male and female are being discarded with reckless abandon. How does one act like a gentleman in such confusing times? The Catholic Gentleman is a solid and practical guide to virtuous manhood. It turns to the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church to answer the important questions men are currently asking. In short, easy- to-read chapters, the author offers pithy insights on a variety of topics, including • How to know you are an authentic man • Why our bodies matter • The value of tradition • The purpose of courtesy • What real holiness is and how to achieve it • How to deal with failure in the spiritual life

This newly translated and streamlined compilation of the texts on prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance from the Summa Theologica II-II follows the question-and-answer format of the original while omitting almost all appeals to authority. Minor objections and replies have also been omitted. A general Introduction to the moral thought of Thomas Aquinas, introductory notes on the texts, an extensive glossary of key terms, and a selective bibliography supplement the texts.

"Arranged for beginners, Aquinas on the Cardinal Virtues contains select passages from the treatment of justice, temperance, courage, and practical wisdom found in Thomas's Summa theologiae. Copious footnotes treat matters of historical, philosophical, and theological interest to the contemporary reader making this book ideal for classroom use or individual study."--Publisher description

It is an excellent book – highly intelligent, interesting and original. Expressing high philosophy in a readable form without trivialising it is a very difficult task and McAleer manages the task admirably. Plato is, yet again, intensely topical in the chaotic and confused world in which we are now living. Philip Allott, Professor Emeritus of International Public Law at Cambridge University This book is a lucid and accessible companion to Plato’s Republic, throwing light upon the text’s arguments and main themes, placing them in the wider context of the text’s structure. In its illumination of the philosophical ideas underpinning the work, it provides readers with an understanding and appreciation of the complexity and literary artistry of Plato’s Republic. McAleer not only unpacks the key overarching questions of the text – What is justice? And Is a just life happier than an unjust life? – but also highlights some fascinating, overlooked passages which contribute to our understanding of Plato’s philosophical thought. Plato’s 'Republic': An Introduction offers a rigorous and thought-provoking analysis of the text, helping readers navigate one of the world’s most influential works of philosophy and political theory. With its approachable tone and clear presentation, it constitutes a welcome contribution to the field, and will be an indispensable resource for philosophy students and teachers, as well as general readers new to, or returning to, the text.