St. Thomas Aquinas elaborates his own theory of virtue by applying the four cardinal virtues of Aristotle and the three Christian theological virtues Aristotle by which true perfection and the ultimate end of human life are achieved. "The intellectual and moral virtues," which can be subsumed under the category of cardinal virtues, are also called pagan virtues (virtutes gentilibus) proportionate to human nature apart from divine assistance by the infusion. of Christian sanctifying grace. According to some traditions, all forms of excellence or perfection qualified to be virtues should be informed by charity and point to the ultimate blessed happiness in afterlife rather than the ostensible happiness obtained in this earthly life. Thus Aristotle "pagan virtues" are by no means virtues at all. In recent times the question, "whether St. Thomas believes that the belief that pagans could acquire genuine virtues" is under ardent debate within English-speaking academic circles. Aristotle's basic proposition that "the pagan can possess true but imperfect virtues (vera virtus, sed impetfecta)" has been concentrated upon by most of the academic discourses addressing the issue. This article attempts to investigate in what sense St Thomas articulates the theory of pagan virtues as being "true but imperfect" by some academic contributions on this philosophical perspective. Pagan virtues as acquired virtues, with their indwelling orientation towards the divinity, can be goodpreparation for the transformation by infused virtues and unification with them.
