Jean-Francois Orsini	Apr 22, 2024, 2:16 PM (11 days ago)
to me

Dear Excellency,I am all set up to sell the use of my AlexTest of personality based on the Cardinal Virtues.But backtracking one step, I realized the need to promote first that the Cardinal Virtues are the best elements for a theory of personality… from there then the proposition of a test based on the Cardinal Virtues should be readily accepted.I must add that it took me time and money but I had the test statistically validated and proven reliable. That validation makes certain to all – and in particular to the materialistic world – that the test is “Scientific”.I am very happy to introduce the theory and the test in the very unChristian world of the “Human Resources”. This worldly world by many means introduces the regular person as a future and actual employee to the world of work without any spiritual basis. (although I have to defend the point that good Cardinal Virtues do not make a saint.. but would certainly help to rise to the state of grace for Christians).Maybe some of your readers might be interested. I am grateful for any help in this matter.God blessJean-Francois

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Advocating for a Cardinal Virtues Theory of Personality

Jean-Francois Orsini, Ph.D.

The significance of centralizing the Cardinal Virtues within a Theory of Personality cannot be overstated. Our initial reference point will be the Wikipedia article on Personality. It is imperative to acknowledge that Wikipedia pages exhibit a distinct secular bias; however, they do effectively articulate the perspectives of worldly intellectuals on any given subject.

The Wikipedia article on Personality acknowledges the absence of a consensus definition for personality. Nonetheless, insight into various personality theories can be gleaned by examining the specific psychological variables these theories address. The article enumerates several tests, including the Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), the Rorschach Inkblot test, the Neurotic Personality Questionnaire KON-2006, and Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R), all designed to study abnormal psychology in patients. Eysenck’s test also assesses temperament, a stable trait distinct from personality. However, these tests fail to illuminate the construct of a healthy, serene personality, which lies at the core of an inquiry into a theory of personality.

It is notable that the Myers-Briggs test, despite its popularity, is absent from this list. This omission raises the question of whether the listed tests are esteemed for their reliability and validity, attributes which the Myers-Briggs test may lack due to its origins in informal observation by its creators, Myers and Briggs, who lacked formal training in psychology.

The article also references the Big Five Inventory (BFI), which incorporates some virtues, warranting closer examination. The development of the Big Five test involved analyzing the relationships among numerous personality-related words, employing factor analysis to distill these words into five categories. This method prioritized statistical efficacy over reasoned selection of personality traits, akin to a sleight of hand that circumvented rigorous conceptual deliberation.

The resulting five groups are: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. While Neuroticism pertains to mental health issues best addressed at the physiological level, Extraversion represents a temperament inherent from birth. Discriminating based on temperament in employment contexts would be unjust and diminish organizational diversity, although such information may be valuable for coaches and mentors.

Conscientiousness encompasses a spectrum of virtues, including fairness, perseverance, foresight, understanding, circumspection, and firmness of resolve. Similarly, Openness to Experience embodies virtues such as affability, docility, sagacity, gratitude, liberality (non-politically construed), reasoning, magnificence, and audacity. Agreeableness is niceness/meekness, gratitude, and fairness. These fifteen intertwined virtues within the Big Five framework render the retained three to lack precision and comprehensiveness, falling short of a robust theory of personality, which ideally encompasses at least thirty virtues or traits.

According to Aristotelian philosophy, virtues are stable habits cultivated through confronting life’s challenges, whether pleasurable or painful. Developing virtuous habits demands effort, such as cultivating courage in the face of danger, justice in the midst of personal interest, good judgment in decision-making, and temperance in self-restraint.

It is important to emphasize that a virtue theory of personality is not inherently tied to any doctrinal bias. The Cardinal Virtues, originating from ancient Greek philosophy, transcend specific religious doctrines and find promotion across diverse belief systems, ranging from the Catholic Church to the Freemasons. Hence, it is ideally suited for widespread adoption.

Employees who actively cultivate virtuous habits demonstrate self-engagement and a commitment to personal growth, fostering a readiness to engage meaningfully in their work. Therefore, virtues, particularly the Cardinal Virtues, warrant inclusion in a theory of personality. Psychologists should strive to deepen their understanding of virtues and embrace a virtue-based approach to personality theory.

“Personality might be defined as the sum total of all of rational habits grouped around the axis of intellect” (Brennan Robert Edward, OP, Thomistic Psychology, 1941).