Practical judgment and the well-rounded life

Even though grit is an important resource in our practical arsenal, I argue that practical judgment is an even more important capacity that we need in order to live well because it allows us to effectively pursue our various long-term ends. To show this, we will examine a theory of instrumental rationality that differs from the decision theory that underlies recent accounts of grit. This theory is Tenenbaum’s (2020, Rational Powers in Action: Instrumental Rationality and Extended Agency. Oxford University Press) Extended Theory of Instrumental Rationality. I will then expand on Tenenbaum’s account of the instrumental virtue of practical judgment and show how developing it can help us achieve a well-rounded life.