The Cardinal Virtues and Living Life Well I Prof. Raymond Hain

Jul 29, 2025

Raymond Hain, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Providence College, dives deep into the four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. He explores their philosophical roots and relevance to living a flourishing life, incorporating insights from Plato, Cicero, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Hain draws connections between these virtues and themes from literature, including Tolkein's enchanting tale 'Smith of Wooten Major,' revealing how tales can embody moral lessons and the essence of character development.

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INSIGHT

Cardinal Virtues Perfect Soul Parts

The cardinal virtues perfect distinct parts of our soul: intellect, will, spirit, and desire.
Prudence aligns with intellect; justice with will; fortitude with spirit; temperance with desire, shaping human excellence holistically.

INSIGHT

Prudence Sees The Big Picture

Prudence is practical wisdom enabling us to choose what leads to true happiness here and now.
Unlike craftiness, prudence sees the big picture and the means fitting into a flourishing life.

ANECDOTE

Omelas Story Illustrates Craftiness

Ursula Le Guin's "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" illustrates craftiness tolerating evil for happiness.
Those who accept the town's condition are crafty, unlike the prudent who see and avoid such trade-offs.

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Prof. Raymond Hain examines the four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—tracing their philosophical and theological roots while exploring their essential role in living a morally excellent and flourishing human life.

This lecture was given on March 27th, 2025, at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speaker:

Raymond Hain is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Associate Director of the Humanities Program at Providence College in Providence, RI. Educated at Christendom College, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Oxford, he is the founder of the PC Humanities Forum and Humanities Reading Seminars and is responsible for the strategic development of the Humanities Program into a vibrant, world class center of teaching, research, and cultural life dedicated to the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. His scholarly interests include the history of ethics (especially St. Thomas Aquinas), applied ethics (especially medical ethics and the ethics of architecture), Alexis de Tocqueville, and philosophy and literature (especially Catholic aesthetics). His work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Templeton Foundation, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Charles Koch Foundation. His essays have appeared in various journals and collections including The Thomist, International Journal of Applied Philosophy, and The Anthem Companion to Tocqueville. He is the editor of Beyond the Self: Virtue Ethics and the Problem of Culture and is currently working on a monograph titled The Lover and the Prophet: An Essay in Catholic Aesthetics. He joined Providence College in 2011 and lives just across the street with his wife Dominique and their five children.

Keywords: Aquinas' Moral Philosophy, Cardinal Virtues, Common Good, Formation of Virtue, Les Misérables, Moral Exemplars, Peter Geach, Prudence and Practical Wisdom, Smith of Wootton Major, Virtue Ethics