Plato's Four Cardinal Virtues
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Plato describes the four cardinal virtues in The Republic to be:
- Wisdom (calculative) - see the whole
- Courage (spirited) - preserve the whole
- Moderation (appetitive) - serve the whole
- Justice (founding/preserving virtue) - "mind your own business" ie "tend to your soul"/"know yourself"
Justice is described by Plato to be the founding and preserving virtue because only once someone understands justice can he or she gain the other three virtues, and once someone possesses all four virtues it is justice that keeps it all together.
Wisdom is the virtue that will be found in the Philosopher Kings and Queens. Courage will be found in the Philosopher Kings and Queens and the guardians. Moderation and justice will be found in all of the above and the artisans.
See also: Cardinal virtues
