Attention
As a precaution the human ability is called to consider the consequences of an action or an utterance and act accordingly. It is related to prudence and cautiousness .
In most cases, caution is considered a virtue , but (like almost all human traits) it can also have a downside. Excessive caution tends to lead to fearfulness , indecision or fickleness , while a lack of caution can lead to carelessness .
Courage is often mistakenly seen as the opposite of cautious behavior, but ideally it is linked to prudence.
Erich Fried describes in his poem Was es ist, caution as a limiting element of love , in a row with fear or pride .
Legally reasonable
The legal systems of Central Europe speak - for example on the subject of malice and fraud - of "reasonable caution", in the absence of which criminal law grants no protection; that of civil law remains unaffected. The Swiss BGE 72 formulates this principle with the words “... who would have protected himself with a minimum amount of attention” or “could have avoided the error with a minimum of reasonable caution”.
As acclamation "Caution" means the warning of a danger and to the attention increase the warned person.
Films, TV series, theater
- Films: Beware of Neighbors (US comedy 1994), Beware of Longing (France 1996), Beware of Mr. Dodd! (Heinz Rühmann 1964), Girls Club - be careful! (US comedy 2004), Watch out for mother-in-law! (German comedy 2005), Careful, car thief! (Russia 1966)
- Television: watch out, music (ZDF broadcast 1982-84), watch out for the trap! (ZDF 1964–1997, warning of tricksters)
- Theater: watch out, drinking water! (US comedy, Woody Allen 1966)
- Music: be careful, step! (Album by the German rapper FR, 2008)
Idioms
- Carelessness: Disregard all caution
- Skepticism: (extreme) caution is required here (or: to be treated with caution )
- Precaution: I take a tablet as a precaution (to be on the safe side)
- Proverbs: Caution is the mother of wisdom (coll .: ... the porcelain box )
- Warning labels: watch out for glass, watch out for your dog
See also
- Social behavior
- Principle of caution , cautionary motive (in finance)
- Road safety , caution signal
- warning
