Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that gluttony is not a capital vice. For capital vices denote those whence, under the aspect of final cause, other vices originate. Now food, which is the matter of gluttony, has not the aspect of end, since it is sought, not for its own sake, but for the body's nourishment. Therefore gluttony is not a capital vice.

Objection 2: Further, a capital vice would seem to have a certain pre-eminence in sinfulness. But this does not apply to gluttony, which, in respect of its genus, is apparently the least of sins, seeing that it is most akin to what is in respect of its genus, is apparently the least gluttony is not a capital vice.

Objection 3: Further, sin results from a man forsaking the food of virtue on account of something useful to the present life, or pleasing to the senses. Now as regards goods having the aspect of utility, there is but one capital vice, namely covetousness. Therefore, seemingly, there would be but one capital vice in respect of pleasures: and this is lust, which is a greater vice than gluttony, and is about greater pleasures. Therefore gluttony is not a capital vice.

On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 45) reckons gluttony among the capital vices.

I answer that, As stated above (1.2, Question 84, Article 3), a capital vice denotes one from which, considered as final cause, i.e. as having a most desirable end, other vices originate: wherefore through desiring that end men are incited to sin in many ways. Now an end is rendered most desirable through having one of the conditions of happiness which is desirable by its very nature: and pleasure is essential to happiness, according to Ethic. i, 8; x, 3,7,8. Therefore the vice of gluttony, being about pleasures of touch which stand foremost among other pleasures, is fittingly reckoned among the capital vices.

Reply to Objection 1: It is true that food itself is directed to something as its end: but since that end, namely the sustaining of life, is most desirable and whereas life cannot be sustained without food, it follows that food too is most desirable: indeed, nearly all the toil of man's life is directed thereto, according to Eccles. 6:7, "All the labor of man is for his mouth." Yet gluttony seems to be about pleasures of food rather than about food itself; wherefore, as Augustine says (De Vera Relig. liii), "with such food as is good for the worthless body, men desire to be fed," wherein namely the pleasure consists, "rather than to be filled: since the whole end of that desire is this---not to thirst and not to hunger."

Reply to Objection 2: In sin the end is ascertained with respect to the conversion, while the gravity of sin is determined with regard to the aversion. Wherefore it does not follow that the capital sin which has the most desirable end surpasses the others in gravity.

Reply to Objection 3: That which gives pleasure is desirable in itself: and consequently corresponding to its diversity there are two capital vices, namely gluttony and lust. On the other hand, that which is useful is desirable, not in itself, but as directed to something else: wherefore seemingly in all useful things there is one aspect of desirability. Hence there is but one capital vice, in respect of such things.

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod gula non sit vitium capitale. Vitia enim capitalia dicuntur ex quibus alia oriuntur secundum rationem causae finalis. Sed cibus, circa quem est gula, non habet rationem finis, non enim propter se quaeritur, sed propter corporis nutritionem.

Ergo gula non est vitium capitale.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, vitium capitale aliquam principalitatem habere videtur in ratione peccati. Sed hoc non competit gulae, quae videtur esse secundum suum genus minimum peccatorum, utpote plus appropinquans ad id quod est secundum naturam.

Ergo gula non videtur esse vitium capitale.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, peccatum contingit ex hoc quod aliquis recedit a bono honesto propter aliquid utile praesenti vitae, vel delectabile sensui. Sed circa bona quae habent rationem utilis, ponitur unum tantum vitium capitale, scilicet avaritia.

Ergo et circa delectationes videtur esse ponendum unum tantum vitium capitale. Ponitur autem luxuria, quae est maius vitium quam gula, et circa maiores delectationes.

Ergo gula non est vitium capitale.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Gregorius, XXXI Moral., computat gulam inter vitia capitalia.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, vitium capitale dicitur ex quo alia vitia oriuntur secundum rationem causae finalis, inquantum scilicet habet finem multum appetibilem, unde ex eius appetitu homines provocantur multipliciter ad peccandum. Ex hoc autem aliquis finis redditur multum appetibilis quod habet aliquam de conditionibus felicitatis, quae est naturaliter appetibilis. Pertinet autem ad rationem felicitatis delectatio, ut patet in I et X ethic..

Et ideo vitium gulae, quod est circa delectationes tactus, quae sunt praecipuae inter alias, convenienter ponitur inter vitia capitalia.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod ipse cibus ordinatur quidem ad aliquid sicut ad finem, sed quia ille finis, scilicet conservatio vitae, est maxime appetibilis, quae sine cibo conservari non potest, inde etiam est quod ipse cibus est maxime appetibilis; et ad hoc fere totus labor humanae vitae ordinatur, secundum illud Eccle. VI, omnis labor hominis in ore eius.

Et tamen gula magis videtur esse circa delectationes cibi quam circa cibos.

Propter quod, ut Augustinus dicit, in libro de vera relig., quibus vilis est corporis salus, malunt vesci, in quo scilicet est delectatio, quam saturari, cum omnis finis illius voluptatis sit non sitire atque esurire.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod finis in peccato accipitur ex parte conversionis, sed gravitas peccati accipitur ex parte aversionis.

Et ideo non oportet vitium capitale, quod habet finem maxime appetibilem, habere magnam gravitatem.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod delectabile est appetibile secundum se.

Et ideo secundum eius diversitatem ponuntur duo vitia capitalia, scilicet gula et luxuria. Utile autem non habet ex se rationem appetibilis, sed secundum quod ad aliud ordinatur. Et ideo in omnibus utilibus videtur esse una ratio appetibilitatis. Et propter hoc circa huiusmodi non ponitur nisi unum vitium capitale.