emilyryann

[emilyryann]

Prudence: An overlooked virtue

Pictured above: A painting of a woman that embodies the idea of virtue, with a snake in one hand representing wisdom, and a mirror in the other representing clarity.

Prudence is one of the four cardinal virtues that Aquinas wrote about and I believe it is an often overlooked virtue. Prudence, as I would define it, is using common sense and having the wisdom to make a decision that is good for you and others, not just what brings a good feeling or happiness at that moment. To quote Aristotle, prudence is recta ratio agibilium or"right reason applied to practice." Having prudence requires one to have the wisdom to look at their own experiences and the experiences of others in order to make a reasonable and informed decision. Cultivating prudence is difficult because it requires wisdom, which is something that comes with age and experience. In order to grow in your own prudence you must seek the counsel of those wiser than you and those who have more experience. One can also cultivate prudence in their life by getting to know themselves better and reflecting on what is good for themself and what is not. That way when the time comes for decisions, you will know yourself and will be able to make a more informed decision. Anscombe writes in her article modern moral philosophy that "in fact rather generally it must be good for anyone to think 'Perhaps in some way I can't see, I may be on a bad path, perhaps I am hopelessly wrong in some essential way'" and I think the idea of self-reflection and logic being applied to every thought and action is what prudence is.

It is difficult to pick a role model for prudence because everyone is very flawed and often times people's flaws stem from a lack of prudence and an inability to use practical wisdom. I have chosen to look into the fictional realm in search of a model of prudence and a character that came to mind was Samwise Gamgee, the companion of the Lord of the Rings protagonist Frodo Baggins. There are many fictional characters that exercise prudence but I believe Samwise is a particularly good example because J.R.R. Tolkien writes his character to be a voice of reason throughout the novel. He understands what is best for his life and the lives of those around him. Despite some insecurity and irrationality from his companions, he fulfills his purpose. This may be seen as fortitude to some, but I see it as prudence because while he is completing his goals despite adversity, it is because he is making wise choices and using reason that he is able to complete his journey. Throughout their journey, Samwise is concerned with not only the struggles at present but the struggles to come and makes a calculated decision based upon that. This is a perfect example of prudence in my mind because it is logical thought and self-governance in a time of difficulty, and one who continues to make wise choices while having every reason not to is an exemplar of prudence.

As far as models of human flourishing, I think the virtue of prudence best fulfills the independent esteem need on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Prudence is the ability to make sound choices for yourself and this allows for one to achieve success and well-being without depending on someone or something else to motivate you to make those smart choices. It is hard to fit prudence into just one category of human flourishing on any of the three models (Maslow, Seligman, and Galtung) because some degree of prudence is needed in almost every category. For example, in Seligman's PERMA model, you need good judgment to form positive relationships and to be able to find meaning. In Galtung's core needs model, you need prudence to make decisions to better your well-being and take care of yourself. I do think that prudence extends beyond physiological needs and survival though, it is a virtue that cultivates a higher level of well-being. You don't necessarily need prudence to have your physical needs met, you need some decision-making skills maybe, but not as a virtue. If one has prudence it allows them to make the difficult choices that allow them to grow into a better person. It is a clarity of mind that is needed as you develop self-actualization, freedom, and identity.

Pictured above: My placement of prudence in Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Galtung's table of basic human needs.

"Entering the forest" in terms of prudence is another difficult task. I think when we look for prudence throughout history we should look for the mundane people who made a difference not by surmounting great obstacles but by continuing to live and do the right thing for themselves and others. I think "entering the forest" for prudence requires one to enter not a war or major world event but at a person who listened to reason and made logical choices when faced with troubles. Prudence is a virtue that is not as often displayed in modern media, but it can be found throughout history in everyday people who do great things just by having practical wisdom when others do not.

Note: Underlined phrases are hyperlinked to web pages with more about that topic.

[emilyryann]

Virtue In Our Lives

A key aspect of the Aretaic idea of virtue is the fact that virtue is on a scale, where too much or too little is a vice. This idea is something that connects very strongly to the world we live in today. There is major polarization on most topics in today's world, especially when you're talking about politics, life is increasingly becoming "black and white". There are extremes everywhere and I think most people would agree that humanity is at its worst when it is at an extreme, whether it is political, social, or even something personal. I think that Aristotle and other more modern philosophers like Anscombe argue that the best way to live is somewhere in the metaphorical "gray area".

In G.E.M Anscombe's article "Modern Moral Philosophy" She picks apart some of the Deontic theories because they don't allow for accounting of circumstance, they are too rigid. She talks a great deal about how instead of "morally right" and "morally wrong" we should think in terms of "just" and "unjust". There needs to be some allowance for what the situation is, for there may be cases where doing something illegal, or "wrong" may be for the best and may be the most just course of action. This is what it means to live in the gray area, in my opinion, to do what is best and not what is defined as "right". I think this "gray area" embodies the idea of virtue being on a scale and being to a degree. I agree with the idea that virtue shouldn't just be reduced to whether an action is good or bad, it's not realistic since the world will always present difficult and ambiguous situations. In an ideal world where everything is perfect and nothing is ever horribly complicated, I think Deontic ideas of virtue would be perfect, but the world is not that way in my experience.

I never realized how much these modern notions of virtue appear all around and I think it is important to recognize virtue and what it means to you as an individual.

G.E.M. Anscombe

[emilyryann]

Reflections on Positive Psychology

Something that really struck me was the quote from Jane Addams:

"The world progresses, in the slow and halting manner in which it does progress, only in proportion to the moral energy exerted by the men and women living in it."

I think this quote really speaks to the idea of positive psychology and the effect that it has on history. Martin Seligman is the founder of positive psychology and he focuses a great deal on personal happiness and how positive psychology contributes to our happiness. He uses the acronym PERMA to help explain the "elements of well-being" as he called them. PERMA stands for Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. I agree that these elements will increase our happiness and I have no issue with it being presented in that way, but I think there is so much more potential for positive psychology.

What if instead of focusing positive psychology on our own happiness we focused it on the betterment of mankind? I think this is what Jane Addams is getting at without realizing it. In my mind, the idea of moral energy is the strength of a person to do what is right in the face of adversity and to march forward with courage doing what is best for others. I think PERMA is very much applicable to this idea as well. What if we form positive relationships with others who want to do good? Or find meaning and make accomplishments that go beyond ourselves? I think this is the key to positive history. Once we have that positive psychology set in our own mind it doesn't need to end once we achieve happiness (if that is even possible). It should be a continual journey for the betterment of others. It doesn't have to rock the world or fundamentally change the society we live in, it can be something small because those small acts will add up and contribute to progress.

Jane Addams and other peace delegates on the oceanliner NOORDAM