Phronesis

 I have recently read about the term "phronesis", a Greek word which refers to practical wisdom in decision making. In other words, phronesis asks the question: what qualities make one's decisions most in alignment with wisdom? And what kinds of emotions are most in alignment with wise, practical decision making? If I understand the concept correctly, I believe that there are many aspects of Buddhist teaching  and cultivations that lend themselves to tools for practical decision making. Three I will describe below:

   First is equanimity. To make a good decision, I believe, requires a sense that all outcomes, in fact, have advantages and disadvantages. To look at possibilities with equanimity involves calming the mind so that each aspect of the decision can be weighed carefully with some peace of mind. If I am attached to one outcome, then naturally, I will be somewhat impervious to the drawbacks of that outcome, and will also be oblivious to the advantages of the other outcomes. So, this sense of equanimity might be summed up as saying, "Whether it's A or it's B or C, there is something to be said for each choice. Each choice surely has both positive and negative. Let's explore each choice with a sense of care and deliberation."

    A second aspect is the Buddhist notion of operating without a strong self-reference. When I make decisions with the self in mind (or a concept of self), I am usually attending to the decision with a sense of attachment to "my" likes and dislikes. I operate from a self-referential point of view: rejecting what feels uncomfortable to me and craving what feels good for me. If, on the other hand, I move beyond the self and consider the self as something interconnected with whole systems, I am no longer operating from a narrow view of the self as being separate from wholes. Instead, I see this body as only one part in a larger system that is continually in flux. This idea touches upon both the notions of no-self and impermanence.

    A third aspect of decision making that relates to Buddhism is impermanence (anicca). When I understand that the factors that go into a decision are continually shifting, I become less paralyzed in making the decision. People who tend to be perfectionists or indecisive often operate from the view that decisions have fixed, predictable outcomes that can be definitely known before they come to fruition. In reality, this is hardly the case, and one can only really approximate what could happen. Knowing that even one's decisions operate in a state of flux might mitigate the sense of paralysis that might sometimes come from decision making.

   Finally, decisions need not be made in isolation. According to the Buddhist ideas of dependent origination, decisions are in fact the result of many causes and conditions working together in the given moment. With the idea of interconnection comes the need to know as many factors and experiences as we can before we can make a decision. Building consensus and getting others to support the decision can be important steps.

   A preliminary survey at best! But I hope to expand upon this theory of how practical wisdom might touch upon or draw from Buddhist themes.