This week I have been in a Studies of Philosophy class at Lubbock Christian University with Dr. Guy Brown (who probably is the most knowledgable person I have ever met & possibly the greatest teacher I have had). Today we talked about the Four Cardinal Virtues (ideas that were initially derived from thoughts of Plato). The Four Virtues are the moral excellence of a human being. The four virtues are:

1) Prudence (Foresight)
2) Meditation
3) Courage
4) Justice

When Dr. Brown began to talk about these he only talked about the 1st three virtues. We asked about the 4th virtue and he aid it is justice but can’t exist standing alone. When you look at Dante and his thoughts on reading, one sees that Dante talks about writing having four folds to it. The point is made here as well. These virtues work in a system or circle to produce something. The point was that the only way we can have justice is in this way:

If a human is a being of prudence, mediation, and courage; these things will produce justice within that human.

What I took from this was that I personally become so focused on Justice and the idea of justice and bringing about justice (which obviously is a good thing and am all for it and I will continue to pursue justice in the world) but what I need to also be is a person looking to become the whole person, become the excellent way. So while I need to be a person that pursues justice, one way in which justice can come out in my life and the people I come in contact with is to be a person with the virtues of prudence, mediation, and courage. This will help bring about justice…the excellent way.