What is considered a prudential judgment?

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Outside the magisterium there are things called prudential judgments.

What are these exactly? How are they not in the realms of morals/faith?

For instance, isn’t the application of a moral rule properly a matter of morals?

Isn’t a political policy also an obvious matter of morals? And yet the Church has no power in these -why?
 
fakename said:
Outside the magisterium there are things called prudential judgments.

What are these exactly? How are they not in the realms of morals/faith?

For instance, isn’t the application of a moral rule properly a matter of morals?

Isn’t a political policy also an obvious matter of morals? And yet the Church has no power in these -why?
Click to expand...
A judgment of the prudential order is the use of reason to evaluate temporal circumstances. The Magisterium cannot judge every situation of each and every person at all times. So the Magisterium teaches basic principles of ethics, which are used with reason and one’s knowledge of the particulars of a situation in order to decide the best course of action. This is not outside of morals.

There are three fonts of morality:
  1. intention - if the intention is bad, the act is a sin.
  2. moral object - if the moral object is evil, then the act is intrinsically evil and always a sin.
  3. circumstances - but the circumstances are evaluated based on a judgment of the prudential order as to the possible consequences of an act, according to their moral weight and likelihood. If the reasonably anticipated bad consequences morally outweigh the reasonably anticipated good consequences, then the act is a sin.
Judgments of the prudential order are also used to decide which of several moral acts is more pleasing to God, that is to say, which is the best course of action. Prudential judgment is also used by the temporal authority of the Church, when persons in authority in the Church make decisions, issue rules or rulings. These types of actions are not teachings, under the Magisterium (the spiritual authority), and so they fall under the temporal authority. The Church has two types of authority, spiritual and temporal.
 
CCC:

1806 Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; "the prudent man looks where he is going."65 "Keep sane and sober for your prayers."66 Prudence is “right reason in action,” writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle.67 It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid.
 
fakename said:
Outside the magisterium there are things called prudential judgments.

What are these exactly? How are they not in the realms of morals/faith?

For instance, isn’t the application of a moral rule properly a matter of morals?

Isn’t a political policy also an obvious matter of morals? And yet the Church has no power in these -why?
Click to expand...
Prudence is (if one as much of it) to be involved in life --includling say finding the right means to live what is taught by the Church.

So it is not prudence handles that which is not matters of moral and faith…it is to be involved in pretty well much of life. As to politics…yes it needs to be involved there too…and I think you are meaning here those prudential judgments (which involve of course the living of all sorts aspects of the moral life) in various contingent things …again one is seeking the good or even better way to the good end.

It is not the case that the Church has not authority in the area of politics…but it is also not the like the Church will say tell its member who to vote for etc. There is though certainly an authority.
 
fakename said:
Isn’t a political policy also an obvious matter of morals? And yet the Church has no power in these -why?
Click to expand...
The clergy have the right to make prudential judgments although they need to be cautious about doing so and while we should take their opinions seriously, we need not give them our assent. We are justified in coming to our own conclusions on prudential matters. As for political policies, in most cases, no, they are not matters of morality.

Ender
 
Colorado Catholic Conference: “In some moral matters the use of reason allows for a legitimate diversity in our prudential judgments. Catholic voters may differ, for example, on what constitutes the best immigration policy, how to provide universal health care, or affordable housing. Catholics may even have differing judgments on the state’s use of the death penalty or the decision to wage a just war. The morality of such questions lies not in what is done (the moral object), but in the motive and circumstances. Therefore, because these prudential judgments do not involve a direct choice of something evil, and take into consideration various goods, it is possible for Catholic voters to arrive at different, even opposing judgments.” (Moral Principles for Catholic Voters, p. 2)
 
fakename said:
Outside the magisterium there are things called prudential judgments.

What are these exactly? How are they not in the realms of morals/faith?

For instance, isn’t the application of a moral rule properly a matter of morals?

Isn’t a political policy also an obvious matter of morals? And yet the Church has no power in these -why?
Click to expand...
mnmnmn
 
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