9/11

[GMDino]

(09-12-2018, 03:48 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: Do you know about "prudence"?

Modern definitions can vary widely. Google defines prudent as "acting with or showing care and thought for the future.". Cicero identified it as one of the 'key virtues' alongside fortitude, temperance and justice.

In the ancient world, it as widely held that prudence was defined as being made of three qualities: memory, intelligence and foresight. You recall what happened in the past (the precedent), you analyze the past events in context of the current situation (analysis), and you make logical decisions about what will occur in the future based upon the analysis (foresight). The quality and quantity of each part of the chain determines the level of prudence.

(In the ancient world, it was difficult for artists to convey prudence through their mediums as it is an abstract concept. What they often did was to convey prudence in a figure by showing the figure as having three heads: one look back, one looking straight and one looking forward.)

The thing with prudence is that if there is a weakness in one of the links (precedent, analysis or foresight), the process is a failure. The benefits of the great virtue are lost. Like a ship sailing without a navigator, map or compass.

What I try to teach my kids is foresight and planning.

Think about what you need to happen, where you need to go or be and use what you know to plan ahead for that thing.

Be on the lookout for changing variables, but have a plan before you start.

Meanwhile I've made two careers out of flying by the seat of my pants over 80% of the time!  

But even the best improv is based in solid past information and situational data!