Importance of Prudence

Prudence is one of the most important virtues that a man can have. human being. A virtue is a positive quality that helps to have a better life. Prudence is the ability of a person to take their time to judge a reality or to get to know a person as they are. Prudence is a very important virtue for thinkers like Socrates or Plato, a hallmark of the virtuous man who is thoughtful in decision making. Prudence is the wisdom of reflecting to make decisions optimally.

Aristotle also refers to prudence in the Nicomachean Ethics in which he explains that the virtue of prudence has inherent all the other positive virtues to the point that the prudent man can be called ethically good. The prudent man is one who seeks the good in his actions according to the criteria of the justice. That is to say, he has the necessary wisdom to do the right thing according to the norms that differentiate good from evil. Thomas Aquinas believes that prudence consists in finding the middle ground.

The value of the prudence

It is fundamental in a fully conscious life because the prudent person is one who reflects on the consequences of his actions before carrying them out. How to train the virtue of prudence?

1. In the first place, using reason as a light on the feelings and the heart. Take your time to deliberate on important decisions and do not act on impulse.

2. Prudence is also acquired through the maturity of the experience and the wisdom that the years bring. Usually, a sixty-year-old is more prudent than a twenty-year-old because he has lived longer.

3. Analyze a specific event from different points of view to have a global and not a partial vision of reality.

4. Prudence is also cultivated in the personal relationships. In this sense, avoid indiscreet questions in front of another person and respect the privacy of others.

5. Haste and prudence are not good advisers because living with wisdom implies taking your time and your rhythm to reflect on reality in depth.

6. Ask yourself questions to establish a dialogue interior that allows you to reach the truth of things.

7. Seek the advice of a mentor, that is, from a person with experience and wisdom who can advise you with his life experience. It is a humbling gesture to ask for help.