Alphabet of Virtues - Starting with P?

"Patience is a virtue."
My mother used to say this to me all the time. The funny thing was, I understood the meaning of the word patience. I just had no clue what a virtue was.
So, let's google this word and see what the internet comes up with, shall we?

According to Google, it is "Behavior showing high moral standards."

Going down the list to Wikipedia, it reads: "A virtue is a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being.
Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting collective and individual greatness. The opposite of virtue is vice."

And apparently the Catholic church has a more specific distinction about virtue, listing Seven Heavenly Virtues.

Ok...but what determines if something really is a virtue? I mean, according to Relativism, there is no absolute truth, but concepts of right and wrong are based off of culture.

So let's look at the definitions for virtue again and analyze their points of reference.

First Google's definition. This is behavior showing high moral standards. What is a standard? And what are morals? You see, whenever you define something, each word using to define it has meaning which implies something else.

A standard, defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, is a good number of things (paraphrased):

1  A conspicuous object (as a banner) formerly carried at the top of a pole and used to mark a rallying point especially in battle or to serve as an emblem

2.  Something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example :  criterion <quite slow by today's standards>

 

3.  Something set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality

 

4.  A structure built for or serving as a base or support, such as  a shrub or herb grown with an erect main stem so that it forms or resembles a tree

 

5. A musical composition (as a song) that has become a part of the standard repertoire

 

If you look at all the definitions of standard, they all contain one common element. That the item is usually something looked to as an accepted reference point. Like a flag, you look to it to rally the forces and avoid chaos on the battlefield. Like standards of measurements, we follow them to avoid chaos and make things fair. As a base of support in plants, it strengthens and organizes the plant to grow better. And even with the music, it creates a familiar, common thing which all can join in and recognize. All of these indicate a common source to either look to or follow. So it can be safely said, a standard, no matter what type, gives the group a rallying point to follow.

 

Moral, according to Google is "concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character."

 

Morality, according to Wikipedia, is "is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are "good" (or right) and those that are "bad" (or wrong). Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion, culture, etc., or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal. Morality may also be specifically synonymous with "goodness" or "rightness." Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. opposition to that which is good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any set of moral standards or principles."

 

Notice it mentions how it is derived from a "body of standards or principles" that are part of a "code of conduct" from a particular philosophy, religion, or culture. To be clear, it means, according to Wikipedia, Morality is relative to the source in which you base it on. 

 

So, this is where you have to ask, is there Ultimate Truth? Or are all things relative? Are there virtues? Or is that just a cultural norm, a construct to make us feel superior to others?

 

Here's what I think.

 

A virtue is a trait that improves upon the quality of human life.

A vice is a trait that damages the quality of human life.

 

Patience is a virtue in that it helps us endure the boring times. It also helps us not to get angry so much, as while being patient we have time to see more points of view, more time to think about the consequences of our actions, and more time to understand the circumstances. Patience rewards hard work, and is often coupled with persistence and growth. Patience is a friend of time. It is also kind to others.

 

The vice opposite of patience? Impatience, of course. Impatient people are impossible to live with. They get angry fast. They are cranky, often unhappy, complain all the time, and often jump to conclusions. Impatient people are often unkind.

 

Virtues benefit human life. Vices harm it.

 

Here's an added dimension to my POV. Virtues are Godly traits. They are the traits that make us more like God...the perfect example of patience.

 

Agree? Disagree? Indifferent?

 

I'll be starting on A next. I just have to think of an A virtue. Hmmmm.....