Like Schopenhauer would do twenty-four centuries later, Aristotle regarded practical wisdom (“phronesis” in Greek) as a crucial ingredient of a happy life.
In his “Nicomachean Ethics,” Aristotle defined phronesis as a skill that enables us to choose timely the correct course of action and for the correct reasons. In other words, phronesis is the daily implementation of general moral principles.
How do you develop practical wisdom? Through experience and rational reflection, answered Aristotle. It is not something that you can learn by heart. It does not consist of a series of rules that can be memorized and implemented blindly.
To cultivate phronesis, you need to exercise judgement on a case-by-case basis, draw lessons from each experience, and adapt those lessons to the context of each situation.
Practical wisdom, according to Aristotle, will not only help you attain your own happiness, but also about contribute to the common good. It will guide you to a flourishing, thriving life, which will surely impact the community positively.
Virtue and Aristotle’s concept of practical wisdom
Aristotle emphasized the role played by virtues in practical wisdom. Virtues such as courage, temperance and justice will guide you in each case, as general principles, so that you can make wise decisions and achieve happiness (“eudaimonia” in Greek).
Although Aristotle linked practical wisdom to the pursuit of the golden mean, I strongly recommend you to ignore his ideas about the golden mean. They don’t make any sense and cannot be implemented consistently.
The golden-mean principle consists, according to Aristotle, in finding the mid-point between extremes. For instance, if you take the virtue of courage, the mid-point should lie somewhere between cowardice and recklessness. Thus, Aristotle’s advice is that your actions should be neither excessive nor deficient.
If you accept the golden-mean theory, practical wisdom will take a different shape in each situation. Virtue will be context-dependent and constantly variable. It will be driven by the ups and downs of life and your ability to cope with them.
Aristotle didn’t view practical wisdom as purely intellectual because it is linked to one’s character and moral values. Since life prompts us to make quick decisions once and again, one needs strong ethics in order to find the right answers.
Examples of Aristotle’s concept of practical wisdom
If we let ethics guide our decisions and actions, we’ll walk the path to happiness. When virtue is systematically integrated in someone’s personality, we can say that “this is a person of character.” We mean that this person is reliable because he can systematically make right choices.
Practical wisdom, according to Aristotle, is different from theoretical or scientific knowledge. While the latter focus on universal truths and principles, practical wisdom does not go beyond solving short-term problems; it cannot give you a sense of purpose nor deep psychological satisfaction.
Practical wisdom can help you determine the right personal conduct in social situations. It won’t necessarily turn you into a brilliant conversationalists, but it will help you avoid offending important people.
It will steer you away from controversial subjects and drive you to remain silent when your opinions might undermine your reputation or create problems in the future.
In interpersonal relationships, practical wisdom will tell you how to act in various social settings, understanding when to be assertive and when to compromise to prevent disproportionate conflicts.
When faced with ethical dilemmas, practical wisdom can help you choose the safest path. It does not necessarily mean that, if you are confronted with the same dilemma a week later, you will arrive at the same conclusion.
If the context changes, or if your perception of the situation changes, the same theoretical virtues can drive you to different practical outcomes. According to Aristotle, such variability is to be expected and should not be criticized.
Practical wisdom is also essential for the good governance of countries, regions, municipalities, corporations, associations and any other type of group. It will prompt you to consider the pros and cons of the situation, and arrive at balanced decisions.
In legal procedures, practical wisdom enables the judge to assess the evidence correctly and apply the law to the specific case, but leaving the door open for different decisions if a similar case arises in the future.
Similarly, Aristotle’s concept of practical wisdom is vital in education and parenting. Wise educators and parents will know when to encourage and when to restrain the young, so that they can stay on the right path.
In the areas of work and business, practical wisdom guides individuals to profitable decisions that do not conflict with the well-being of employees, the community, and the company’s long-term success.
Aristotle’s concept of practical wisdom compared to Plato’s
Despite its imprecision and vagueness, Aristotle’s concept of practical wisdom remains superior to that of Plato. Practical wisdom in Plato’s works pursues the understanding of eternal truths and ideal, perfect concepts (which he called “forms” that the material world merely imitates.
For Plato, wisdom is the comprehension of high truths and ideals beyond the physical realm. Practical wisdom involved aligning one’s life with those eternal truths, trusting that such alignment will lead to happiness.
Plato’s concept of practical wisdom goes hand in hand with the pursuit of abstract, theoretical knowledge. It does not place any emphasis on learning from experience.
In his work “The Republic,” Plato favoured entrusting the government responsibility to a philosopher-king who possesses an understanding of the “forms” and views such knowledge as superior to practical wisdom acquired through trial and error.
Practical wisdom, according to Plato, is a bridge between knowledge and action. It helps individuals apply their grasp of the “forms” to the physical world.
In “The Republic,” Plato presents his theory of the tripartite soul (reason, spirit, and desire), assigning to practical wisdom the role of achieving harmony amongst those three elements.
Aristotle’s concept of practical wisdom compared to Socrates’
Socrates, the predecessor of Plato and Aristotle, believed that the first step to practical wisdom is the recognition of one’s own ignorance.
His approach to practical wisdom revolves around curiosity and self- self-examination. You develop wisdom by looking at your actions and other people’s actions, asking questions, and figuring out what’s correct.
If you fail to ask questions, you’ll behave automatically and make severe mistakes. Happiness starts by examining one’s life and looking for ways to improve it.
According to Socrates, the unexamined life is barely worth living. If you want to attain wisdom and happiness, you should question beliefs and assumptions, and seek knowledge. Only through introspection can one attain practical wisdom.
Socrates’ method involves relentless questioning of others’ beliefs. He wants to stimulate critical thinking by uncovering contradictions and inconsistencies.
Practical wisdom, according to Socrates, is as much about knowledge as about understanding its limitations. This is why he placed great emphasis on humility and continuous learning.
The Socratic paradox, “I know that I know nothing,” shows that one must understand one’s ignorance as the foundation for seeking knowledge and attaining practical wisdom.
Of all three major Greek philosophers, Aristotle remains the most practical. His approach to practical wisdom uses ethical and intellectual principles, remains adaptive to each situation, and has been proven correct by history with the sole exception of the golden-mean doctrine, which remains the weakest point in his chain of thoughts.
If you are interested in learning about practical wisdom in daily situations, I recommend you my book “The 10 principles of rational living”
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