Presented at the 2024 CiRCE National Conference: A Contemplation of Prudence.

Prudence in the Latin is prudentia but prudentia is a contraction of providentia which is the virtue of seeing with foresight, or seeing things before they happen. One key element of prudence is the ability to accurately see what is real, to know what the actual state of affairs is, to face and deeply understand what is the case, what is real. The prudent person sees not just external circumstances but the human heart, human tendencies, human proclivities. The prudent person is no prude; the prudent person sees through people and circumstances and therefore is in the best possible position… to know what to do. In this seminar we will consider the ways in prudence as “the virtue of the real” leads to the development of other virtues like justice, temperance, and courage and makes us wise.