Theories Of Wisdom And My Opinion On It

Socrates’ teachings on wisdom are enormously valuable regardless if one agrees with them or not. Because Socrates’ ideas were very specific, they left room for intelligent discussions that can expand upon his definitions. Socrates’ ideas primarily aligned with two of the five theories: wisdom as epistemic humility and wisdom as epistemic accuracy. In Plato’s The Apology Socrates was described as the wisest individual and he denied this portrayal as he was aware of too many wise individuals within the community. He proceeded to talk with the otherwise individuals, which led him to realize those with immense wisdom are not often claiming they are one of the wise. This revelation led Socrates to believe that wisdom is directly associated with humility.

While I do agree with Socrates’ definitions, my opinion on the topic tends to relate to the hybrid theory the most. Because the hybrid theory includes factual and theoretical knowledge, knowing how to live well, success at life and living well, and limiting one’s amount of unjustified beliefs, I feel as though it expands on Socrates’ ideas as if they were basic foundations for wisdom. I believe not one person is all-knowing and wise. Everyone will have faults; it is identifying, embracing, and potentially overcoming these faults by using their knowledge that truly gives a person wisdom. However, it is the knowledge one possesses and implements in order to overcome any issues that dissipates the recipe to a good life. One must have the capability to think for themselves without the direct guidance of a mentor, as this allows the individual the knowledge necessary to live well on their own (excluding physical/mental disabilities and the social status they were born into). Finally, having few unjustified beliefs is important as it portrays an overall comprehension on numerous aspects necessary to form an opinion and come to a conclusion. Given the immense change of culture and beliefs, I feel as though Socrates would mostly agree with the reasonings as to why I define wisdom the way that I do.

My definition of wisdom has changed slightly from the start of this philosophy class until now. I began taking philosophy classes in elementary school which ultimately helped me from my assessment on what wisdom is. Prior to beginning this class, my definition of wisdom was quite simple; everyone has their own version of wisdom, meaning some individuals are more gifted at particular specialties than others, and that it cannot be justified as being solely based on knowledge. After reading pieces of literature to include Plato’s Phaedo and The Apology, I feel as though my prior understanding was still pertinent as the class’ teachings only expanded upon it. My newly-shaped definition of wisdom would be an innate characteristic that harmoniously utilizes knowledge and experience in order to work for the greater good and ultimately benefit others. Many of Socrates’ teachings expand upon this idea by presenting theories of what wisdom is and what wisdom is not. For instance, Socrates was well-known as being a wise individual, yet he was quick to deny the label he was given. He truly believed others were in the wrong because he knew of wise men, and did not feel as though he was comparable. By definition, this is the theory of humility. In addition, Socrates believed every individual is only as wise as their awareness of their ignorance. Similar to Socrates, I find that individuals that claim they have immense knowledge are often boisterous about their reputation, which likely influences the people around them to believe they know what they are teaching.

Philosophy has often been defined as the love of knowledge or the pursuit of wisdom. Merriam-Webster provides several definitions for wisdom: having the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships, or having insight; having a good sense, specifically of judgment; a generally accepted belief, challenges what has become accepted wisdom among many historians; accumulated philosophical or scientific learning, or knowledge; a wise attitude, belief, or course of action; and the teachings of the ancient wise men. While the dictionary provides several definitions for wisdom, there are innumerous ways in which they can be expanded upon, thus creating copious definitions for wisdom. There are several major ideas within the Western philosophical tradition that focus on different approaches to understanding wisdom. Individuals with backgrounds in philosophy, such as spiritual leaders, poets, novelists, philosophers, and psychologists, generally agree with the following collections: wisdom as epistemic humility, wisdom as epistemic accuracy, wisdom as knowledge, hybrid theory, and wisdom as rationality.

The various theories of wisdom are all plausible even though they are different from one another. The humility theory, for instance, expresses wisdom is often found in individuals that are not aware of their own, personal wisdom. They may believe there are others that are more capable than they are, and may be surprised to learn they are often portrayed as being comparable to their mentors. The theory of accuracy details wisdom as not necessarily constantly being correct, but knowing when oneself is either correct or incorrect. In other words, according to this theory, an individual is aware of their knowledge and does not pretend to know more than he actually does. The theory of knowledge is comparable to how wisdom might be defined by most people today; wise people are very smart, intelligent individuals. This theory requires intelligence as a necessary condition, while the previous two theories did not. The hybrid theory combines all of the aforementioned theories; one must portray various aspects, including pure knowledge, success, few unjustified beliefs, and living well.

The last aspect has created criticism because every individual has the potential to be wise, regardless of their life conditions. Wisdom could arguably be compared to the concept of beauty; every individual has an opinion on the necessary foundations. For instance, while one person may define wisdom as having the ability to strategically balance intellect with problem-solving skills, another person may define wisdom as pure knowledge one possesses and what they do with it. The combinations are virtually endless.