ANDRÉ BOTELHO SCHOLZ

The aim of this research is to understand prudence as conceived by John of Salisbury in his Metalogicon and Policraticus. At first, we investigate the conception of prudence presented in Metalogicon IV, seeking to understand prudence as an affection of the soul, particularly as the core of the doctrine of probable knowledge. We aim to explain how the author uses a Ciceronian definition of prudence and elaborates it in the context of his philosophy, mainly based on the concepts of inquisitio, perspicientia and solertia. Secondly, we pay attention to the use of prudence as a model of action, starting from Policraticus VIII and the concepts of actioni rectitudinem, sermoni cautelam and habitui modestiam. Thus, it is our intention to verify the organic character of John of Salisbury's prudential skepticism.