Final answer:
Perspicacity involves the sharp insight and understanding of complex situations, as seen in expert judgment and literary characters. It can also manifest in the ability to laterally think and side-step problems without directly confronting their origins.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of perspicacity is when an individual demonstrates keen insight or a sharp understanding of a complex situation. For instance, a detective accurately deducing the motives and methods of a crime from a few subtle clues exhibits perspicacity. In literature, a character like Phoenix Jackson in "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty shows perspicacity through her determination and ability to navigate obstacles on her journey, representing the indomitable human spirit.
Similarly, expert judgment in decision-making often reflects perspicacity. An expert's ability to sense the right answer before conducting a detailed analysis is a form of it. This intuitive grasp, however, should be critically examined, especially in academic pursuits like philosophy, to avoid errors caused by heuristic thinking or cognitive biases.
Another illustration is the approach to a problem that cannot be directly solved, such as practicing lateral thinking to side-step a predicament without necessarily addressing its root cause. This strategy exemplifies the sophisticated problem-solving aspect of perspicacity by finding alternative solutions when direct answers are unavailable.