Single Idea 6200

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 1. Nature of Wisdom]

Full Idea

Wisdom, theoretically regarded, means the knowledge of the highest good and, practically, the conformability of the will to the highest good.

Gist of Idea

Wisdom is knowing the highest good, and conforming the will to it

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Practical Reason [1788], I.II.II.V)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Practical Reason (Third edition)', ed/tr. Beck,Lewis White [Library of Liberal Arts 1993], p.137


A Reaction

This seems a narrow account of wisdom, focusing entirely on goodness rather than truth. A mind that valued nothing but understood everything would have a considerable degree of wisdom, in the normal use of that word.