Aquinas and Natural Virtue

I was thinking about Aquinas' theory of natural virtue. He had the idea that reason, unaided by revelation, was perfectly adequate to construct a lot of ethical truth.

Aquinas thinks that some virtues are aimed at the limited human happiness achievable in this life through our natural capacities. He calls these "natural virtues" and follows Aristotle and Plato in his account of them.

Thomas Aquinas
thought happiness a universal goal.

Without divine guidance,
setting reason in the ruling role,

The mind defines virtue,
building habits for a happy soul.