Practical%20wisdom

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Practical wisdom

• Michael Lacewing
• enquiries_at_alevelphilosophy.co.uk

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Aristotle on phronesis

• Practical wisdom is a true and reasoned state of
  capacity to act with regard to the things that
  are good or bad for man (Nicomachean Ethics
  VI.5)
• It is not merely theoretical knowledge of what is
  good or bad, but also the capacity to act on such
  knowledge.

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Features of practical wisdom

• a general conception of what is good or bad,
  which Aristotle relates to the conditions for
  human flourishing
• the ability to perceive, in light of that general
  conception, what is required in terms of feeling,
  choice, and action in a particular situation
• the ability to deliberate well and
• the ability to act on that deliberation.

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Demanding

• Type of insight into the good and relation to
  virtues is very complex
• Cannot be taught, but learned through experience
• Only the good person knows what is truly good

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Objection

• Without virtue, we cant know what is good so
  not everyone knows what is good
• True, but this knowledge comes in degrees, and we
  can hold most people responsible
• And people can improve their knowledge of what is
  good by trying to become better people

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Insight

• Understanding human flourishing in general
• Understanding what is required in a particular
  situation in light of a general understanding of
  what is good
• There are no rules
• Understanding how to act in this situation

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Insight

• There are no true generalizations about good and
  bad
• Moral (practical) reasoning is a form of
  intuitive reason, grasping what is required in
  each case
• As with perception, argument may not convince
  you need to see
• What is not general cannot be taught

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Insight

• Understanding what counts as a virtue
• Which character traits are necessary for a good
  life
• Which emotional responses are good here and now
• The virtuous person feels and chooses at the
  right times, with reference to the right objects,
  towards the right people, with the right motive,
  and in the right way

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The doctrine of the mean

• You can feel anger too much (common!) or too
  little (rare)
• About too many people
• Too often
• Too angry
• Short-tempered
• Being good-tempered doesnt mean only getting
  moderately angry or only moderately often, but as
  the situation requires.

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The doctrine of the mean

• Virtues tend to lie between two opposing vices,
  e.g. honesty
• Too much tactlessness
• Too little deceitfulness

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Objection

• The doctrine of the mean is no practical help
  how often or how angry should we get?
• Aristotle says the mean is where the person with
  practical wisdom judges it to be
• The mean is meaningless Too much and too
  little arent actually quantities on a single
  scale

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Guidance

• The theory of practical wisdom and virtue
  provides no guidance for life
• Reply not true we should think of situations
  in terms of the virtues
• What if the virtues seem to conflict, e.g.
  justice and mercy?
• This is where practical wisdom is needed most
  but did you think life wouldnt be messy?