Filosofia pratica e phrónesis

Abstract

In his book Truth and Method, H.-G. Gadamer promoted the renaissance of Aristotle’s practical philosophy. In his interpretation, however, practical philosophy tends to be identified with phrónesis, i.e. with practical wisdom. For Aristotle practical philosophy is a scientific knowledge (epistéme), although less rigorous than theoretical philosophy, and uses demonstrations, though its demonstrations are valid in most cases, but not always. Practical philosophy, moreover, employs a dialectical method, consisting in the discussion of different opinions (phainómena) in the light of the most reputed premises (éndoxa). Phrónesis, on the other hand, is a virtue, i.e. an excellence of reason, consisting in the capacity of good deliberation, i.e. of choosing the means which are the most apt to aĴain a right goal. Consequently, for Aristotle, the phrónimos (wise man) does not need to be a philosopher, whilst a philosopher, if he wants to attain the sophía (theoretical wisdom), must be a phrónimos.