|
Objection 1: It seems that vainglory is not a capital vice. For a
vice that always arises from another vice is seemingly not capital.
But vainglory always arises from pride. Therefore vainglory is not a
capital vice.
Objection 2: Further, honor would seem to take precedence of
glory, for this is its effect. Now ambition which is inordinate
desire of honor is not a capital vice. Neither therefore is the desire
of vainglory.
Objection 3: Further, a capital vice has a certain prominence.
But vainglory seems to have no prominence, neither as a sin, because
it is not always a mortal sin, nor considered as an appetible good,
since human glory is apparently a frail thing, and is something outside
man himself. Therefore vainglory is not a capital vice.
On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi) numbers vainglory among
the seven capital vices.
I answer that, The capital vices are enumerated in two ways. For
some reckon pride as one of their number: and these do not place
vainglory among the capital vices. Gregory, however (Moral.
xxxi), reckons pride to be the queen of all the vices, and
vainglory, which is the immediate offspring of pride, he reckons to be
a capital vice: and not without reason. For pride, as we shall state
farther on (Question 152, Articles 1,2), denotes inordinate
desire of excellence. But whatever good one may desire, one desires a
certain perfection and excellence therefrom: wherefore the end of every
vice is directed to the end of pride, so that this vice seems to
exercise a kind of causality over the other vices, and ought not to be
reckoned among the special sources of vice, known as the capital
vices. Now among the goods that are the means whereby man acquires
honor, glory seems to be the most conducive to that effect, inasmuch
as it denotes the manifestation of a man's goodness: since good is
naturally loved and honored by all. Wherefore, just as by the glory
which is in God's sight man acquires honor in Divine things, so too
by the glory which is in the sight of man he acquires excellence in
human things. Hence on account of its close connection with
excellence, which men desire above all, it follows that it is most
desirable. And since many vices arise from the inordinate desire
thereof, it follows that vainglory is a capital vice.
Reply to Objection 1: It is not impossible for a capital vice to
arise from pride, since as stated above (in the body of the Article
and FS, Question 84, Article 2) pride is the queen and mother
of all the vices.
Reply to Objection 2: Praise and honor, as stated above (Article
2), stand in relation to glory as the causes from which it proceeds,
so that glory is compared to them as their end. For the reason why a
man loves to be honored and praised is that he thinks thereby to acquire
a certain renown in the knowledge of others.
Reply to Objection 3: Vainglory stands prominent under the aspect
of desirability, for the reason given above, and this suffices for it
to be reckoned a capital vice. Nor is it always necessary for a
capital vice to be a mortal sin; for mortal sin can arise from venial
sin, inasmuch as venial sin can dispose man thereto.
|
|