WHAT IS VIRTUE?
HOW TO THINK ABOUT DECISIONS, MORALITY, PROGRESS, AND GROWTH.
Virtue comes from the Latin word vir, which means man. When ancient people spoke of virtues they were listing words, concepts, ethical qualities that made a person a better human being. The Greek language informed much of Latin and Roman thinking. After the Romans conquered Greek, they adopted the literature, philosophy, and worldview of the Hellenized culture which had come to permeate the ancient world. In Greek, virtue is arete (ἄρετὴ), which meant excellence in any art or skill. Over time, it especially signified moral excellence. And so the Latin word “vir” and the Greek word “arete” both came to mean human moral greatness.
Clearly defining and striving towards the virtues became a noble pursuit, as did avoiding the opposite negative qualities, the vices. Under the concept of virtue, came lists of qualities that would describe a virtuous person; words like wisdom and justice and courage and temperance or piety and righteousness. And on the other hand, came lists of vices such as foolishness, injustice, cowardice, a lack of self-control, ignorance of the divine, and unrighteousness. A source, probably falsely, attributed to Aristotle says that
Fine things are the objects of praise, base things of blame; and at the head of the fine things stand the virtues, and at the head of the base things the vices. Consequently, the virtues are objects of praise, and also the causes of the virtues are objects of praise, and the things that accompany the virtues and that result from them, and their works, while the opposite are the objects of blame.
On Virtues and Vices, 1.1-8
Consider closely what this ancient wisdom reveals: Striving for virtue leaves a wake of good. Virtue is worthy of praise because it is a fine or noble thing, sure enough— but so is everything that brings about virtue and is caused by virtue. The effort, learning, pain and gain, regret and recalibration— the struggle for virtue is praiseworthy. Every step, encounter, and time you try is a bright and beautiful thing. The striving is a goodness unto itself.
Actually, everything that happens when you become virtuous will start to be marked by goodness. When you become a person who is just— who gives everyone a fair deal— the world gets better around you. Your neighborhood is better when you practice justice. Your marriage is better when you practice justice. Your kids do better when you practice justice. And on down the list. Become a person who seeks the highest self, the one that exemplifies virtue, and every relationship you have will be as a reward.
On the other hand, vices come with habits, ways of thinking, and patterns of living that break you and break the world. When you come to have a character dominantly defined by vice, it is only after a wake of decisions which neglect virtuous effort. And it affects more than you, it brings about poor relationships with your family, your community, and the world.
So what is virtue? Virtue is an excellent person choosing the best possible life, every day.
How do you know when you have gained virtue, my friend? Hear the genuine voice of Aristotle:
“You are what you repeatedly do.”
