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Good morning
I’m sorry but I need to have a clarification. After searching on the web, I still couldn’t figure out the difference between prudence and eubulia. It seems to me that they’re exactly the same. What is this eubulia concretely? Thank you.
Francesco
Priest’s answer
Dear Francesco,
1.Eubulía, that in Italian is translated as good advice, is considered to be a potential part of the virtue of prudence.
2. Potential parts of a cardinal virtue, such as prudence, are virtues that have similarities with the cardinal virtue, but are not a subspecies nor they identify with it.
3. There are four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance. They’re said cardinal because all of our life turns around some of them as well as an open door, moving on its cornerstones. They’re also called auxiliary virtues.
4. Each cardinal virtue can comprise some virtues that are said to be integral parts, subjective parts and potential parts. Integral parts are those virtues that are involved every time a cardinal virtue is exercised.
Subjective parts are those which each one of us is called to practice.
Potential parts have mechanisms similar to the mother virtue, but they don’t identify with it completely.
5. Eubulía or good advice is that good quality of the soul, for which someone is willing to ponder and accept some advice. The goodness of counsel lies within the goodness of the purpose and the means. It’s a different virtue from prudence, even though it’s helpful to it, because its task is to ask for advice (“to advise each other”), whilst it’s specific to prudence to lead and take charge of the action.
6. Saint Thomas states that “the practical act of prudence consists in applying to action the things counseled and judged” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, 47, 8; www.newadvent.org). This means that it would be imprudent, that is to say, not wise, whoever doesn’t direct to draw on the good that has been judged dutiful for themselves and the others.
7. Some people get stuck on the advice. Giving advice is a good thing, but then it’s necessary to make some decisions. Some ask for advice from everyone, but never make decisions. That’s why they can lack wisdom, or prudence. This is the reason why eubulia or good advice, despite being an excellent thing, is considered a potential part of prudence, that is, a virtue that has similarities with prudence.
I wish you the best, I bless you and remember you in prayers.
I wish you the best, I bless you and remember you in prayers.
Padre Angelo
