Whether Vainglory Is a Capital Vice?
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.
Obj. 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.
Obj. 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 (Q.
152, AA. 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 Obj. 1: It is not impossible for a capital vice to arise from
pride, since as stated above (in the body of the Article and I-II, Q.
84, A. 2) pride is the queen and mother of all the vices.
Reply Obj. 2: Praise and honor, as stated above (A. 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 Obj. 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.
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