Wisdom Is Philosophy That Works

The meaning of philosophy is (philia) love of (sophia) wisdom. But it has developed in a different direction. Today, philosophy deals with the fundamental ideas and concepts of our world. What are the axioms of our universe, and what does it mean to have them? What is God, and if so, how many?

But wisdom has a different character. Wisdom is applied. It is interested in how to navigate life wisely. It is not interested in fundamental truths. It claims that the search for truth is chasing the wind. Ancient Greek philosophies were mostly true philosophies. Thus, Stoicism is hardly a topic in philosophy today but very much in coaching. Dealing with feelings and things beyond our control is of utmost interest to a wise person but impure to a modern philosopher. It mixes ideas with feelings. Our world today is unfortunately undernourished in wisdom. There is hardly an influencer known for wisdom. Scientists, motivational speakers, and idols are known.

Scientists spread facts. Occasionally, they dip their toes into the waters of wisdom but feel committed to their craft and therefore only give tips supported by studies.

Motivational speakers lean towards wisdom, but they have an unmistakable tendency towards action. They want to get people to do things, which is a subset of wisdom but inappropriate in certain life stages. Wisdom must also teach how to deal with given limits. Where to break them and where to accept them because the limits may even be good. But such things do not fit into the mind of a motivational speaker.

Idols are people who are particularly beautiful or have achieved a lot. A wise person can study and use them. They are like the North Star. They indicate a direction. An idol shows an extreme in terms of certain qualities. A wise person can study the idol for this quality. And thus, an idol carries wisdom within it, but only as the sky carries a beautiful painting. It takes an art to make a masterpiece out of it. They themselves are not the bearers of wisdom but an object to study or imitate, depending on the evaluation.