"What is justice?” asked Socrates, the self-described “gadfly” of ancient Athens. For centuries, great thinkers from Plato and Aristotle to Machiavelli and Nietzsche have addressed such fundamental questions as the nature of war and peace, the relation between freedom and authority, and the origins of moral and political order. Students in the Phronesis program are part of a vibrant intellectual community that explores these questions from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The program's name, Phronesis, is the Greek word for prudence or practical wisdom, the quality distinctive of good citizens and political leaders. Drawing on the foundation of the Human Situation, the curriculum aims to attract high-achieving undergraduates who wish to probe more deeply into issues of ethics and politics that focus the most profound, enduring questions of public life.
The program is housed in the Honors College as an interdisciplinary minor, established with the cooperation of faculty in Political Science, Philosophy, and Classical Studies. Students of all majors are welcome.
