Phronesis Definition and Examples

Phronesis Definition and Examples In classical rhetoric, phronesis is prudence or practical wisdom. Adjective: phronetic. In the ethical treatise On Virtues and Vices (sometimes attributed to Aristotle), phronesis is characterized as the wisdom to take counsel, to judge the goods and evils and all the things in life that are desirable and to be avoided, to use all the available goods finely, to behave rightly in society, to observe due occasions, to employ both speech and action with sagacity, to have expert knowledge of all things that are useful (translated by H. Rackam). Etymology:From the Greek, think, understand Practical Wisdom [The] concept of persuasion points . . . to the human capacity for practical judgment. By judgment I mean the mental activity of responding to particular situations in a way that draws upon our sensations, beliefs, and emotions without being dictated by them in any way reducible to a simple rule. This kind of judgment may involve integrating new information into existing patterns of thought, readjusting those patterns to make room for a new perspective, or both. There are several sorts of judgmentlogical, aesthetic, political, and perhaps othersbut the concept I have in mind is linked most closely to what Aristotle called practical wisdom, or phronesis, and what Aquinas discussed as prudence, and it is also linked to our idea of common sense.(Bryan Garsten, Saving Persuasion: A Defense of Rhetoric and Judgment. Harvard Univ. Press, 2006) Phronesis in Speakers and Audiences To the extent that rhetoric is conceived as an art, capable of practical refinement, phronēsis, or practical wisdom, is often considered to be one of the by-products or relational goods enhanced and cultivated through rhetorical conduct. For Aristotle, practical wisdom was one of the rhetorical constituents of ethos. But perhaps most important, this overriding intellectual virtue was also cultivated in audiences through the practice of deliberation. In fact, the methods of invention and argument, along with the vast array of commonplaces and topoi, may all be conceived as devices for the enhancement of phronēsis in speakers and audiences.(Thomas B. Farrell, Phronēsis. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition: Communication from Ancient Times to the Information Age, ed. by Theresa Enos. Routledge, 1996) Phronesis and Invented Ethos Reasoning persuades because we think it is a sign of character. No one infers that because someone is a doctor and knows health, that the doctor is therefore healthy. But we make that ​inference all the time with respect to rhetoric and phronēsis. We assume that if someone can give good advice, he or she must be a good person. Such inferences are grounded in the belief that phronēsis and goodness are more than knowledge. Reasoning is persuasive to us because it is evidence, fallible and defeasible as all such evidence must be, of phronēsis and character.It is evidence for the character created in the speech [that is, invented ethos].(Eugene Carver, Aristotles Rhetoric: An Art of Character. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1994) The Example of Pericles In the Rhetoric [of Aristotle], Pericles is an exemplary figure of rhetorical effectiveness both for his skillful choice of persuasive strategies and for the persuasive appeal of his own character. That is, Pericles exemplifies how closely successful rhetoric is tied to phronēsis: the best rhetors possess a practical wisdom that can discern the most effective means of persuasion in any specific situation, including an appeal to their own reputations as persons of practical wisdom. Aristotle builds the phronetic power of discernment into his influential definition of rhetoric as the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion . . ..(Steven Mailloux, Rhetorical Hermeneutics Still Again: or, On the Track of Phronēsis. A Companion to Rhetoric and Rhetorical Criticism, ed. by Walter Jost and Wendy Olmsted. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004)

Young Surname Meaning and Origin

Young Surname Meaning and Origin Derived from the Middle English yunge or yonge (Old English word geong),  meaning young, the Young surname was used as a descriptive name to distinguish father from son or to the younger of two relatives with the same first name (similar to the usage of Junior). In many cases, Young can also be an Anglicization of one of several like-sounding surnames, such as the German Jung, Dutch Jong, and French Lejueune. Young is the 31st most popular surname in the United States and the 19th most common surname in Scotland. Surname Origin:  English, Scottish Alternate Surname Spellings:  YOUNGE, YOUNGE, YONG Famous People with the Surname YOUNG Neil Young - American folk-rock singer/songwriterJohn Young - American astronautBrigham Young - second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsLester Young - American jazz saxophonistWhitney Young Jr. - Civil rights activistPaul Young - English singer Where Do People With the Young Surname Live? Young is the 590th most common surname in the world, according to surname distribution data from  Forebears, and is found in the greatest numbers in the United States. It is most prevalent based on percentage of population. However, in the Pitcairn Islands, where it ranks 3rd, and is borne by 1 of every 10 residents. Young also ranks highly in Belize (4th), New Zealand (11th), Australia (22nd), Scotland (22nd), Canada (23rd), England (49th) and Wales (58th). WorldNames PublicProfiler identifies the Young surname as being most common in Australia and New Zealand, followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. The world region with the largest population of Youngs is Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, followed by Clutha District, New Zealand, and then Scotland. Within the United States, Young is most common in the state of Hawaii. Within Scotland, the name is most prevalent in the Scottish Borders, followed by East Ayrshire and Midlothian. Genealogy Resources for the Surname YOUNG 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their Meanings: Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census?Young Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Young family crest or coat of arms for the Young surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.  Young Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Young surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Young query.FamilySearch - YOUNG Genealogy: Access over 9 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Young surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.GeneaNet - Young Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Young surname, with a concentration on records and families from France, Spain, and other European countries. YOUNG Surname Family Mailing Lists: RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Young surname.DistantCousin.com - YOUNG Genealogy Family History: Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Young.The Young Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Young from the website of Genealogy Today.