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Single Idea 22496

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 1. Nature of Wisdom ]

Full Idea

Wisdom implies no more knowledge and understanding than anyone of normal capacity can and should acquire in the course of an ordinary life.

Gist of Idea

Wisdom only implies the knowledge achievable in any normal lifetime

Source

Philippa Foot (Natural Goodness [2001], 5)

Book Ref

Foot,Philippa: 'Natural Goodness' [OUP 2003], p.72


A Reaction

Have philosophers stopped talking about wisdom precisely because you now need three university degrees to be considered even remotely good at phillosophy? Hence wisdom is an inferior attainment, because Foot is right.


The 14 ideas from 'Natural Goodness'

Moral reason is not just neutral, because morality is part of the standard of rationality [Foot, by Hacker-Wright]
Moral virtues arise from human nature, as part of what makes us good human beings [Foot, by Hacker-Wright]
Moral evaluations are not separate from facts, but concern particular facts about functioning [Foot]
Practical rationality must weigh both what is morally and what is non-morally required [Foot]
Good actions can never be justified by the good they brings to their agent [Foot]
All criterions of practical rationality derive from goodness of will [Foot]
Virtues are as necessary to humans as stings are to bees [Foot]
Sterility is a human defect, but the choice to be childless is not [Foot]
Wisdom only implies the knowledge achievable in any normal lifetime [Foot]
Someone is a good person because of their rational will, not their body or memory [Foot]
Deep happiness usually comes from the basic things in life [Foot]
Happiness is enjoying the pursuit and attainment of right ends [Foot]
We all know that just pretending to be someone's friend is not the good life [Foot]
Refraining from murder is not made good by authenticity or self-fulfilment [Foot]