phronesis
“… a state of grasping the truth,
involving reason, concerned with
action, about what is good or bad for a
human being.” - Aristotle
Think of a problem you encountered
in your field setting last week
How does a teacher decide what to do
in situations such as these?
What is needed in order for a teacher to make
effective decisions in situations that are as
complex and as important as those that arise in
teaching?
W.W.A.S.?
The virtues:
courage, justice, temperance,
and prudence. (phronesis)
“practical wisdom,”
“knowing how to apply general
principles in particular
situations.” (MacIntyre)
Thomas Aquinas identified it with
“right reasoning about what is
to be done.”
W.W.A.S.?
“… a state of grasping
the truth, involving
reason, concerned with
action, about what is
good or bad for a human
being.” - Aristotle
Episteme
techne
phantasia
Dewey’s oft cited definition of
reflective thinking
“active, persistent and
careful consideration of any
belief or supposed form of
knowledge in the light of the
grounds that support it and
the further conclusions to
which it tends.”
Dewey, J. (1933).
apathy
wholeheartedness
obsessiveness
“buoys [the] mind up and gives an onward
impetus to thinking.”
“requires consistency, continuity and community
of purpose and effect.”
Dewey, J. (1933).
rigidity
open mindedness
impulsivity
“freedom from prejudice, partisanship and
other habits as close the mind.”
“enables us to direct our activities with foresight
and to plan according to ends-in-view or
purposes of which we are aware.”
Dewey, J. (1933).
irresponsibility
intellectual responsibility
undue control
“the quality that secures integrity, consistency,
and harmony in belief”
“consider the consequences of a projected step
… willing to adopt these consequences when
they follow reasonably from any position
already taken.”
Dewey, J. (1933).
phronesis
• Enables the determination of the virtuous
mean;
• Enables one to mediate between conflicting
virtues;
• Enables the coordination of the virtues in
order to achieve action or consistent thought.
Zagzebski, L.T. (1996).
necessary ambiguity
“One of the criticisms commonly leveled at
virtue-centered ethics is that it is a system
that is too vague, too subject to
interpretation, not easily enough pinned
down, and thus, not useful in resolving
complicated moral dilemmas or identifying
appropriate moral actions and solutions.” (p. 318)
Birmingham, C. (2004).
necessary ambiguity
“What should I do?”
“Do what a virtuous person would do.”
“Who is the virtuous person?”
“The person who does what is right.”
“The way to become virtuous is to imitate the
virtuous person.”
“Although this imprecision is often regarded as a
limitation of the virtue-centered approach, proponents of
virtue-centered ethics view it as a strength for it
accurately reflects the uncertainties involved in living a
moral life.” (p. 318)
Birmingham, C. (2004).
necessary (and sufficient ;-) ambiguity
“Phronesis is not a moral panacea. It will not
obliterate moral dilemmas, erase moral
quandaries, or undo the damage that has been
caused by immoral or incompetent decisions.
However, the moral complexity of teaching
requires phronesis to achieve moral goodness,
promote excellence in teaching and learning and
advance human flourishing. Reflection – as
phronesis – is both essentially moral and morally
essential.” Birmingham, (2004).
References
Aristotle. (1999). Nicomachean ethics (T. Irwin, Trans.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett.
Birmingham, C. (2004). Phronesis: A model for pedagogical reflection. Journal of Teacher Education, 55
(4), 313-324.
Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative
process. Boston, MA: D.C. Heath & Co.
Harford, J. MacRuairc, G. & McCartan, D. (2010). ‘Lights, camera, reflection': using peer video to
promote reflective dialogue among student teachers. Teacher Development 14, (1), 57 - 68
Harford, J., and G. MacRuairc. (2008). Engaging student teachers in meaningful reflective practice.
Teaching and Teacher Education 24, (7), 1884–92.
Newhouse, C.P., J. Lane, & C. Brown. (2007). Reflecting on teaching practices using digital video
representation in teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 32, (3) 1–12.
Rich, P. & M. Hannafin (2009). Video Annotation Tools: Technologies to Scaffold, Structure, and
Transform Teacher Reflection. Journal of Teacher Education, . 60, (1) 52-67.
Yost, D. S., Sentner, S. M., & Forlenza-Bailey, A. (2000). An examination of the construct of critical
reflection : Implications for teacher education programming in the 21st century. Journal of Teacher
Education, 51 (1), 39-49.