Why Phronesis?

Phronesis means prudence or practical judgment. When Aristotle divided human virtues into those of intellect and those of character and morals, he marked out phronesis as the special virtue that bridges the intellectual and moral virtues, between the powers of the mind, such as sofia (wisdom), episteme (knowledge), and techne (art), and the powers of human choice, such as justice, courage, and temperance. Phronesis was possessed to a supreme degree by our nation's first President, George Washington. It is the virtue of statesmen, and it is the virtue most needed in public policy and in the government of the American Republic today. 

Phronesis is exemplified by deliberation—applying experience, knowledge, and reason—to find the mean between excess and deficiency to accomplish the good. It is clear-sighted, knowing when and how to engage daringly to achieve success, or knowing how to bring about patiently a matter’s ripening so that success is likely when the time for engagement arrives. Cicero counts this virtue as first among the cardinal virtues, being concerned with "the search after truth and its discovery. ... For the more clearly anyone observes the most essential truth in any given case and the more quickly and accurately he can see and explain the reason for it, the more understanding and wise he is generally esteemed, and justly so" (On Duties, I.15). St. Thomas Aquinas affirms this understanding and the role of practical wisdom in government: "It belongs to prudence rightly to counsel, judge, and command concerning the means of obtaining a due end," in charity. Prudence is the key, he argues, for guiding both "the private good of the individual" and "the common good of the multitude" (Summa Theologica, II-II, Q.47, A.10).

In this spirit, Phronesis Insights, LLC aims to draw upon extensive legislative, political, economic, and academic experience to develop policies that serve the public good, especially in the areas of fiscal policy (budget, tax, and spending), economic policy, and monetary policy, with additional expertise in financial services, health care, education, and various cultural issues. Through research, writing, custom graphics, public presentations, and private counsel, Phronesis offers insights that are both aligned with the principles of the American Founding, as understood by the nation's Founding Fathers, and in tune with current economic and political realities.