Studiousness

Studiousness is the virtue which disposes a person toapply his mind for the purpose of acquiring and extendingknowledge.

The virtue of studiousness is a part of thevirtue of temperance. For it is the function of temperance tomoderate appetite, to prevent excess, in the use of material goods.In reference to the spiritual appetite for knowledge, studiousnesshas this temperance-function of moderating desire and preventingexcess. The tie-up of studiousness with temperance is effectedthrough the virtue of modesty (See above, q. 160).