Understanding phronesis
phronesis;
(a) true state, reasoned, and capable of action with regard to things that are good or bad for man"
Aristotle1
Our name, derived from the ancient Greek term phronesis meaning "practical wisdom", encapsulates the essence of our approach – knowledge, practical experience, and a deep understanding of the intricacies of business, enriched by psychological insights.
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The term is most closely associated with one of the most influential philosophers in Western history, Aristotle (384 - 322 B.C.E), who believed that practical wisdom was the highest intellectual virtue or personality trait. His studies have contributed to psychology, physics, astronomy, politics and rhetoric among others, and many of his teachings have become embedded in everyday quotes and sayings that characterise his teachings even to this day.
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The art of phronesis
Aristotle had a lot to say about wisdom and virtue, defining a number of intellectual or knowledge-based virtues including craftsmanship or art (techne), scientific knowledge (episteme), theoretical wisdom (sophia), intellect or understanding (nous), and practical wisdom (phronesis)(2).
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According to Aristotle, phronesis is required to deal successfully with practical matters(3) and the concept has become increasingly popular in organisational psychology research. ​Phronesis itself is not a defined set of techniques; practical wisdom belongs to individuals and is developed over the course of life experience and in patterns of behaviour over time. Practicing phronesis incorporates your education, experiences, thoughts, and reasoning as part of a cognitive, reflective process(4).
Practical experience and wisdom, when harnessed appropriately, can drive breakthroughs in thinking and creativity, enabling people to make good judgments about the right course of action for success.
At Phronesis we act as guides for problem-setting, problem-solving, choice and evaluation. The art of phronesis requires consideration of specific situations and goals to determine the best course of action, incorporating internal reasoning, logic, and a deeper reflection of how people might choose to act in the face of challenge.
Did you know...?
01.
Aristotle is credited with the founding of formal logic, developing a system for reasoning and argument and contributing to the discipline of formal rhetoric (the art of persuasion).
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"Socrates is a man; Socrates is a man; therefore Socrates is mortal."
03.
Aristotle believed in three forms of friendship: fun friendships, strategic friendships, and true friendship. According to Aristotle, a true friend is someone who cares deeply for you and empathises with you in your pain(5).
02.
Aristotle equated moral goodness with habit. One of his most famous quotes is actually a reinterpretation:"we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit" was revised by the writer Will Durant from the original"virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions."
04.
When Aristotle died in 322 B.C.E, his works were almost lost to history, having been stored in a cellar for almost 200 years. Thankfully their discovery revealed his teachings to the world and ensured his legacy lives on in philosophy, psychology, history, and science (5).
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Aristotle (2009) The Nicomachean Ethics, Oxford University Press
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Dennison (2013) It’s all Greek to me: The terms ‘praxis’ and ‘phronesis’ in environmental philosophy. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). https://ian.umces.edu/blog/its-all-greek-to-me-the-terms-praxis-and-phronesis-in-environmental-philosophy/
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Tsoukas H, Cummings S (1997) Marginalization and recovery: the emergence of aristotelian themes in organization studies. Organ Stud 18(4):655–683
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Massingham (2019) An Aristotelian interpretation of practical wisdom: the case of retirees. Nature, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.
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10 Things You Might Not Know About Aristotle, https://simplycharly.com/facts/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-aristotle