We intend Wisdom as the Greek ‘phronesis’ or ‘sophia’ and the Latin ‘prudentia’ or ‘sapientia’.

We consider WISDOM the final target of our philosophical efforts. In fact, WISDOM is the combination of all virtues. WISDOM is CONCRETENESS experience, knowledge, education, moderation, tranquillity, ponderation, calmness, patience, mediation, prudence, expertise and so on.

One of the features we associate with WISDOM is self-constraint. We intend here the ability to wait and calm down instead of following impulsive emotions. But WISDOM is more than this. And it is particularly manifest in people with many experiences. In fact, more than resulting from studies, WISDOM is the outcome of the practical occurrences of life.

We intend Wisdom as the Latin ‘sapientia’. Wise people should be able to convey their views to others. Yet, a sage (<SOPHOS>) might express WISDOM in cryptical ways, through a metaphor, an aphorism, an APOPHTHEGMA. The effort to grasp the meaning is a mental TRAINING.

Ageing can produce not only wisdom but negative effects. Here is Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (Marcus Aurelius) Meditations 3, 1. “Every day more of our life goes away and less of it is left. But if we live longer, can we be sure our mind will still be up to understanding the world? Up to the contemplation that aims at divine and human knowledge? If our mind starts to wander, we’ll still go on breathing, go on eating, imagining things, feeling urges. But getting the most out of ourselves, calculating where our duty lies, analyzing what we see, deciding whether it’s time to call it quits. All these things needing a healthy mind for are not available anymore“.

This is Sokratiko’s way to interpret the notion of WISDOM. Please continue to browse our list of philosophical TOPICS by clicking on the other entries of our list.