The 60-Second Aquinas
Lesson
Justice as a Virtue
October 5, 1998
It is good to be fair with others. It is evil to be unfair to others. Both of these – fairness and unfairness – seem to be qualities that an individual can have.
In this way, justice, which Aquinas defined essentially as equality with relation to others, is a virtue, and injustice is a vice.
Also, having determined that justice alone cannot make a man good (since he could be unjust to himself or evil in actions that do not affect others), it is evident that justice is not the only virtue.
In fact, Aquinas cites Pope St. Gregory I (who died in 604) as defining four virtues: "the entire structure of morality rises from the four virtues, namely prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance" (ST II-II, Q. 58, Art. 3).
Of these, justice is the virtue at work in actions dealing with others, when those actions are in line with right reason. That is, a man’s dealings with others are good when he allows his reason and the virtue of justice to guide his actions.
Explanation of The 60-Second Aquinas Lesson
