Prudence
47. The Virtue of Prudence
1. Prudence is the knowledge of how to act, how to conduct one's life rightly. St. Augustine says that prudence is "the knowledge of what to seek and what to avoid." Prudence belongs to the knowing faculty of the soul, rather than to the appetitive faculty; that is, it belongs to the intellect rather than to the will. Since intellect (as the thinking mind that enlightens the will for its choice) is called reason, prudence, properly speaking, is in reason as in its proper subject.
2. Prudence is no mere knowledge of what things are (of what is so), but of how to act (of what to do). Hence, prudence belongs to the practical intellect or reason, not to the speculative intellect.
3. Prudence is not just a general grasp or understanding of right procedure. It serves a man in the concrete and individual situations that make up his daily life.
4. Prudence is one of the cardinal virtues. While, as we have seen, it is, strictly speaking, in the intellect, it is a guide to right action on the part of the will, and hence it shares the nature of a moral virtue, that is, a will-virtue.
5. Although prudence suffuses the other moral virtues, it is a distinct and special virtue on its own account.
6. Prudence does not set up the end and purpose of the moral virtues, but regulates the means by which these virtues operate to their determinate ends. It does not indicate what the moral virtues are to do, but shows them the right way to do it.
7. Prudence discerns the mean or measure of moral virtues, and sees how their action can be reasonable, and not marred either by excess or deficiency. For prudence is the knowledge of how things ought to be done.
8. And prudence, as Aristotle says (Ethic. vi), gives orders. Prudence commands. It does not, indeed, take over the work of the will. It shows with certitude and authority how the will ought to choose. And, to a reasonable will, this amounts to a command. This function of commanding is really the chief act of prudence.
9. Prudence gives her commands in no aloof, detached fashion. Prudence is ever careful, watchful, solicitous that a person's conduct be right.
10. Prudence is not only a private virtue, looking solely to the individual good conduct of a person; it also serves the common good. St. Paul (I Cor. 10:33) indicates the social function of prudence when he says: "Not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that they may be saved."
11. Indeed, prudence is of different species according as it serves a person in his personal conduct, or serves the good of the home (domestic prudence), or the good of the commonwealth (political prudence).
12. Political prudence is itself of two kinds, for it must be in the rulers and legislators on one hand, and in the citizens on the other hand. Aristotle (Ethic. vi) says that prudence is like a mastercraft in rulers, and like a handicraft in those who are ruled.
13. True prudence, as a virtue, is only in the good. Serious sin casts out prudence. A sinful person in his evil life may exercise a kind of craftiness that has the outer look of prudence, but it is not the genuine article.
14. A person in the state of grace has prudence, for he has charity, and charity cannot exist without prudence. Prudence suffuses all virtues; it is a kind of bond that links them together, and it is necessary to them all.
15. Prudence is a natural virtue, too. We have been speaking chiefly of supernatural prudence, but we must notice that there is a natural prudence also. This natural prudence is called natural, not because it belongs necessarily to human nature, but because it can be acquired by the powers of human nature. It is acquired by being taught, or by learning through experience, or in both ways.
16. Prudence is not forgotten. Forgetfulness may, indeed, hinder prudent action, but the virtue itself is not lost through forgetting.
48. The Parts of Prudence
1. The parts of prudence are certain faculties, perfections, or qualities that belong to prudence, or are somehow associated with it. Among these things, some seem to be almost an element of prudence itself; these are called its quasi-integral parts. There are eight of these quasi-integral parts of prudence: memory, understanding, docility, shrewdness, reason, foresight, circumspection, caution. Other parts of prudence are called its subjective parts; these are its species or kinds of varieties, as, for example, domestic prudence, reigning prudence, military prudence, political prudence, etc. Still other parts of prudence are called its potential parts; these are virtues connected with prudence, or subordinate to prudence, which produce what can be called its secondary effects; these are: good counsel, which throws a kind of headlight; synesis, which guides judgment in ordinary matters; and gnome, which guides judgment in exceptional matters.
49. The Quasi-Integral Parts of Prudence
1. Prudence deals with immediate situations and the means needed to guide a person through them in right and reasonable fashion. Experience serves a person here, and experience is recorded in memory. Hence, memory belongs to prudence.
2. Understanding, not as the faculty of intellect or mind, but as a knowledgeable grasp of things, is manifestly necessary for prudent action. Hence, understanding pertains to prudence.
3. Docility, or readiness to be taught, makes experience fruitful. A stubborn and opinionated person is never a prudent person. Docility serves prudence, and thus belongs to it.
4. Shrewdness, not in an ugly sense as low craftiness, but as the quick and ready estimate of what is suitable in a situation, belongs to prudence as a quasi-integral part.
5. Reason, not as the thinking mind which guides the will, but as the right use of that mind, is clearly a part of prudence.
6. Foresight, or the clear view of how future contingencies may bear upon the present occasion, or may depend on how the present situation is met, is a part of prudence.
7. Circumspection stands to present action as foresight stands to future contingencies. It sees what is suitable here and now in existing circumstances. Hence circumspection is a quasi-integral part of prudence.
8. Caution looks to avoid evil, especially evil that wears the mask of good. Hence, caution pertains to prudence.
50. The Subjective Parts of Prudence
1. Reigning prudence belongs to those that legislate and exercise government. Aristotle (Polit. iii) says: "Prudence is a virtue proper to the person who rules."
2. Political prudence, in its widest meaning, includes reigning prudence. But, in a stricter sense, it is that species of prudence which guides citizens in their loyal obedience to the requirements of government.
3. Domestic prudence is the virtue which governs the reasonable activities of life in a household. It stands midway between the prudence of the individual and the political prudence which guides the rule of city, state, or kingdom.
4. Scripture says (Prov. 24:6): "War is managed by due ordering, and there shall be safety where there are many counsels." Hence, there is a kind of prudence to be called military prudence.
51. The Potential Parts of Prudence
1. The potential parts of prudence are the virtues connected with prudence. One of these is good counsel. Prudence uses this virtue.
2. Good counsel is a virtue distinct from prudence itself, but closely associated with prudence. It is often called by its Greek name of euboulia.
3. Another virtue, called by the Greek name synesis, is good judgment in particular and practical matters. It follows upon euboulia, but is distinct from it, and from prudence. It serves prudence, and thus is called one of its parts.
4. In practical cases not covered by the common laws, a more discriminating judgment than synesis is required. This judgment is called gnome. Gnome is distinct from prudence, and from euboulia and synesis. It serves prudence, and is one of its potential parts.
52. The Gift of Counsel
1. The gifts of the Holy Ghost dispose the soul to act virtuously in accordance with the movements of grace. Now, as natural counsel is the research of reason (that is, the thinking mind) which precedes the decision of the will, and is therefore a kind of self-advice, so supernatural counsel is the divine advice and guidance imparted by the Holy Ghost. Supernatural counsel is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost.
2. The gifts are, as we have seen, a help to the virtues. The gift of counsel is, in a particular manner, a help to the virtue of prudence.
3. The blessed in heaven no longer need the guidance of the gift of counsel, for their end is attained. Yet the supernatural enlightenment that guided them home remains in them. Therefore, the blessed in heaven retain the gift of counsel.
4. Counsel shows the way to use means that an end may be attained. Now, the works of mercy, spiritual and corporal, are of the greatest service to man as means to get him on to heaven and his last end. Therefore, counsel is particularly concerned with the works of mercy. It is right to say that counsel corresponds to the fifth beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
53. Imprudence
1. Imprudence is the absence or lack of prudence. When this lack is a person's own fault, it is a sin.
2. Sinful imprudence is a special sin, for it stands opposed to the special virtue of prudence. Yet, in one sense, imprudence is a general sin, for it takes in several other sins. These sins are: precipitation, thoughtlessness, inconstancy, and negligence.
3. Precipitation is an inordinate rushing into action under the impulse of will or passion. It is plain to see that this sin has the character of imprudence.
4. Thoughtlessness, as a sin of imprudence, is a willful failure to judge a situation rightly because of a contempt for, or a neglect of, the things on which right judgment depends.
5. Inconstancy, as a sin of imprudence is the unwise ceasing from, or withdrawal from, a good purpose that has been prudently taken up. Inconstancy results from appetite uncontrolled by prudent reason.
6. All these imprudences-precipitation, thoughtlessness, inconstancy-are born of appetite inordinately given to pleasures of sense, and especially lustful appetite. We may justly say that these sins of imprudence are largely from lust.
54. Negligence
1. Negligence is a lack of due care, a culpable absence of solicitude, in meeting or performing the practical duties of life.
2. Solicitude or proper carefulness is allied to prudence. Hence, a sin against solicitude is a sin against prudence.
3. Although negligence is often a venial sin, it is possible that it may be a mortal sin; this is the case on two occasions: (a) when negligence is concerned with something necessary to salvation, and (b) when negligence is a complete remissness about the things of God.
55. Carnal Prudence
1. Carnal prudence or prudence of the flesh is sham prudence. It is not a virtue, but a vice which wears the mask of prudence. It is the vice of a person who regards fleshly goods as the chief end of existence. It is a sin, for it is a fundamental disorder in a person, and one that is the person's own fault.
2. To hold carnal goods as the complete end of existence would be a mortal sin. But prudence of the flesh hardly ever goes to such extremes. Commonly, it is an inordinate estimate of the importance and value of some particular carnal good, and stands opposed to some special kind or variety of prudence. And usually it is a venial sin.
3. When a man uses trickery, or counterfeits honesty, when working for an end, he is guilty of craftiness. This is a special sin against prudence, distinct from carnal prudence but like it in masking itself as true prudence. St. Gregory includes carnal prudence and craftiness under the title of worldly prudence.
4. Craftiness is chiefly in the tricky mind of the crafty man; it is a quality of his plans and projects. But when plan or project is carried out in fact, then it appears as guile.
5. Guile may take the form of words or deeds. When it appears in deeds, it has the special name of fraud.
6. We are divinely instructed to rely upon God, and not to be overanxious about material things; we are not to be over-solicitous, for this is a kind of worldly prudence, and not true prudence. In St. Matthew (6:31) we read: "Be not solicitous, therefore, saying what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed?"
7. Nor are we to be over-anxious about the future, for we read (Matt. 6:34): "Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself."
8. Carnal prudence, craftiness, guile, and fraud are sins of false prudence. And yet they are essentially contrary to justice. Their source is the chief of sins against justice, that is, covetousness. Although these sins are imprudences, they are called the "daughters of covetousness."
56. Precepts of Prudence
1. Prudence suffuses all the moral virtues. Hence the precepts of the Decalogue, that is, the Ten Commandments, which direct virtuous acts, are all implicitly precepts of prudence.
2. Even the Old Law has definite precepts against false prudence- craftiness and allied vices-and thus, indirectly, expresses precepts of prudence.