In Response

I read Andressa Quadros' blog Rules Get in the Way and I don't exactly agree with all of her points. It was in response to chapter seven in the book and made the point that it is not always possible to be practically wise because rules and other things beyond our control get in the way. Heinrichs states that practical wisdom "is when the audience thinks you know how to solve the problem at hand" and that it "entails the sort of common sense that can get things done" (67). I think Andressa had this a little confused in her response. She claimed that it was impossible to be practically wise in her experience at Columbia this summer: "How on earth are we supposed to 'make the right decision on every occasion' (68) when rules and regulations cloud our sense of judgment by turning reason into a yes or no answer?"

This is not the way that I interpreted Heinrichs' meaning of practical wisdom. According to the way I understood practical wisdom, it is being able to make the right decision in the context of the situation. For example, although it was impossible for Andressa to get back to Columbia from Six Flags because the locker system broke down there are ways she could have avoided receiving such a harsh punishment from the summer program. Upon finding out that the locker system was not working and that they would be unable to make the curfew, it would have been wise considering the situation for someone to use a payphone to call a member of the Columbia staff to let them know about the dilemma. If there was no money to be found, the group could have gone to an information or help point and tell a member of Six Flags staff what had happened to see if they could lend a phone. If they didn't know the number to call, they could have looked up the number for Columbia university in the phone book and been directed to the office of summer programs from the main line.

So it's clear that rules do not have to get in the way. Practical wisdom is finding a way to make the right decision even when it appears impossible.