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Often appears with: will, choice, and freedom · virtue as operative habit · rational soul · power to act · justice as a virtue
Usually: argument (1) · detachment (1)
“Wherefore human virtue does not imply reference to being, but rather to act. Consequently it is essential to human virtue to be an operative habit.” Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) · insight
Aquinas argues that human virtue is essentially an operative habit: since human rational soul provides the form and principle of action, virtue disposes to acts rather than merely to being.
time. Now as natural virtue is in natural things, so is human virtue in rational beings. Therefore also human virtue is referred not only to act, but also to being. Obj. 3: Further, the Philosopher says (Phys. vii, text. 17) that virtue "is the disposition of a perfect thing to that which is best." Now the best thing to which man needs to be disposed by virtue is God Himself, as Augustine proves (De Moribus Eccl. 3,…