As a young man, Benjamin Franklin set out to make himself more virtuous. The future scientist was characteristically methodical about it. He concentrated on one virtue at a time and prioritized virtues that would help him acquire subsequent ones. Franklin first focused on the virtue of temperance and gave good reasons for that choice. Another logical starting point would be the virtue that has been called “the charioteer of the virtues”: namely, prudence.
In modern usage, the word “prudence” has come to mean “being cautious.” But its meaning in moral philosophy is much broader than that. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, defined prudence as “wisdom concerning human affairs” or “right reason with respect to action.”
As Shawn Floyd wrote, explaining Aquinas’s analysis in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
In order to make good moral judgments, a twofold knowledge is required: one must know (1) the general moral principles that guide actions and (2) the particular circumstances in which a decision is required.
As Aquinas put it:
…actions are about singular matters: and so it is necessary for the prudent man to know both the universal principles of reason, and the singulars about which actions are concerned.
Thus, prudence, according to Aquinas, consists of three “acts”:
counsel, which is the inquiry into and appraisal of the singular conditions of any given action;
judgment, which is the application of general moral principles to those specifics to ascertain right action; and
command, which is acting in a manner that accords with that counsel and complies with that judgment.
As Joseph Delany, wrote in the Catholic Encyclopedia, prudence is:
…an intellectual habit enabling us to see in any given juncture of human affairs what is virtuous and what is not, and how to come at the one and avoid the other.
That is why prudence has been designated, not only one of the four cardinal virtues, but “the charioteer of the virtues.”
In order to have the other three cardinal virtues of temperance, courage, justice, one must act temperately, courageously, and justly. And to do that in any given situation, one must first be able to appraise the singular circumstances of that situation and, given those circumstances, ascertain which courses of action would be temperate, courageous, and just. That ability is called prudence.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church sums it up:
Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; "the prudent man looks where he is going." (Prov. 14:15) "Keep sane and sober for your prayers." (1 Pet 4:7). Prudence is "right reason in action," writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle. (STh II-II, 47, 2) It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid.
To become more virtuous in general, an excellent way to start would be to work on your prudence. By strengthening the charioteer of the virtues, you can seize the reins of your conduct from your compulsive urges and establish your more deliberate and devout self in the driver’s seat of your life.