Editing Cardinal virtues (section)

{{Short description|Virtues of mind and character}}
[[File:Figure_des_quatre_Vertus_from_Ballet_comique_de_la_reine.JPG|thumb|upright=1.25|An image personifying the four virtues (''[[Ballet Comique de la Reine]]'', 1582)]]
{{Catholic philosophy|expanded=Ethics}}

The '''cardinal virtues''' are four [[virtues]] of mind and character in [[classical philosophy]]. They are [[prudence]], [[Justice (virtue)|justice]], [[Courage|fortitude]], and [[Temperance (virtue)|temperance]]. They form a [[Virtue ethics|virtue theory]] of ethics. The term ''cardinal'' comes from the Latin {{lang|la|cardo}} (hinge);<ref>{{etymonline|Cardinal}}</ref> these four virtues are called "cardinal" because all other virtues fall under them and hinge upon them.<ref>[https://catholicstraightanswers.com/what-is-virtue-and-what-are-the-four-cardinal-virtues/ Catholic Straight Answers website]</ref>

These virtues derive initially from [[Plato]] in ''[[The Republic (Plato)|Republic]]'' Book IV, 426-435.{{efn|See also ''[[Protagoras (dialogue)|Protagoras]]'' 330b, which also includes [[piety]] ({{Transliteration|grc|hosiotes}}).}}  [[Aristotle]] expounded them systematically in the ''[[Nicomachean Ethics]]''. They were also recognized by the [[Stoicism|Stoics]] and [[Cicero]] expanded on them. In the Christian tradition, they are also listed in the [[Deuterocanonical books]] in {{Bibleverse|Wisdom of Solomon|8:7}} and {{Bibleverse|4 Maccabees|1:18-19}}, and the [[Doctor of the Church|Doctors]] [[Ambrose]], [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], and [[Thomas Aquinas|Aquinas]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Thomas Aquinas|title=Summa Theologica|title-link=Summa Theologica|at=II(I).61}}</ref> expounded their supernatural counterparts, the three [[theological virtues]] of faith, hope, and charity.