Wisdom

In non-church use, wisdom is a superlative degree from wisdom (mind, ability, talent, wisdom and experience in life).

According to the source, the use of other Greek. σοφία as applied to both people and the Almighty is not accompanied by any special reinforcement. The same word is used, for example:

• and in other Greek. Σοφία Σειράχ - the title of the “ Book of the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach ”,
• and as applied to the people ("... the people of Israel should be glorified for their education and wisdom") - other Greek. "Δέον ἐστὶν ἐπαινεῖν τὸν Ἰσραὴλ παιδείας καὶ σοφίας " ( Sir 1: 2 ),
• and to the Lord (“Great is the wisdom of the Lord ...”) - dr. “Ὅτι πολλὴ σοφία τοῦ Κυρίου” ( Sir 15:18 ).

At the same time, in Russian theological vocabulary - if the special term Sophia is not used (see below) - there is a well-known separation of the terms "wisdom" and "wisdom", when the latter is given a special sacred meaning - cf. the exclamation “Wisdom, forgive” when reading the Gospel, etc. However, this in no way diminishes the degree of filling the very concept of “wisdom”, as in any case

For its part, the concept of prudence denotes qualities acquired by a person through life (cf. English mind ), while the “higher mind” of God in Abrahamic religions is a priori equal to infinity and does not have the properties of further improvement in time.

In English wisdom, “wisdom” goes back to the same Indo-European root as the German wissen “know” and Russian words are seen and known, and in Greek - history ( ἱστορία , historia ) ^[2] .

In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus , having swallowed his first wife Metis , personifying wisdom (thus taking her, Metis, into himself), received from her the proclamations of good and evil - “that is evil and that is good” ^{[3] [4]} .

To be wise is the highest virtue ; wisdom is to speak the truth and coordinate with it their actions, questioning nature in order to know the truth.

- Heraclitus ^[5]

In Hellas, the word “sofos” was used by the sage to be a craft , a practical lesson - the word “wise” (who knows how to do something) was used like the word “smart,” says prof. M. I. Shakhnovich ^[6] .

Ancient philosophers attached great importance to wisdom: the very word " philosophy " ( dr. Greek φιλοσοφία ) meant "love of wisdom."

The Hellenes considered wisdom the highest good: “To the wise man the whole earth is open” ^[6] .

Wisdom revolves around the first causes and beginnings ... And the most basic of knowledge and prevailing over official knowledge is that which contains an understanding of the purpose, for which everything separately should be done.

- Aristotle ^[5]

Epicurus believed that wisdom, as a result of studying philosophy, heals from spiritual suffering ^[7] . “He who first found that foundation of intelligent life. What we now call wisdom, ”writes Lucretius ,“ On the Nature of Things, ”V ^[8] .

In Roman mythology, the personification of wisdom was Minerva (later identified with Greek Athena ). The Etruscans revered her as the patroness of useful discoveries and inventions. The main festival in honor of Minerva - Quinquatria, held from March 19 to 24 - was a celebration of artisans and artists, as well as schoolchildren , who were exempted from classes during the festivities and at the same time brought their teachers a minerval fee .

The symbol of Minerva was an owl , which was considered a symbol of wisdom, since this bird is able to see in the dark ^[9] .

In different historical periods, different philosophical schools have different approaches to the consideration of the subject of wisdom. In the pre-Socratic era, wisdom was synonymous with "knowledge" and "experience." Pythagoras already indicates a person’s unattainability of wisdom, perceiving it as the highest degree of cognition of the universe. This position is accepted by Socrates . Plato , in the framework of the theory of ideas, argues that wisdom is an inherent property of the soul, manifested in the contemplation of ideas (thus, wisdom is attainable only after death). The following philosophical schools could share both opinions. So, cynics and stoics believed that wisdom is achievable in life, but only in theory. At the same time, Cyrenaics and peripatetics considered wisdom incomprehensible. The religious philosophy of the Middle Ages recognized wisdom after God, but man is only able to partly partake of divine wisdom. In the following centuries, philosophy focuses more and more on natural science issues and the problem of cognition ( epistemology ), while the subject of wisdom goes by the wayside. Most often, wisdom was defined as “omniscience” or as virtue acquired in the process of studying the world. According to Kant , the highest level of moral perfection of a person is wisdom; it is not contagious, it cannot be instilled, "everyone must remove it from himself" ^[10] .

In Christianity, the personified wisdom of God (cf. above “ Wisdom ”) can also be called the transcription of the original Greek. Σοφία (Sofia) - “mastery”, “knowledge”, “wisdom”). The idea of ​​Sofia as the “Wisdom of God” was particularly developed in Byzantium and in Russia .

It is a cardinal (basic) virtue (usually as “prudence”) ^[11] .

• Ganesha - God of Wisdom in Hinduism
• Prajna - the highest wisdom in Buddhism
• Prajnaparamita - “beyond wisdom” in Buddhism
• The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra is “all-hearted”, personifying Total Compassion, Wisdom in Buddhism
• Bodhichitta "enlightened understanding, wisdom" - the philosophical and worldview doctrine of Buddhism
• Akshobya - one of the five Buddhas of Wisdom in Buddhism
• Paramita is Liberation, Enlightenment, Wisdom
• The Heart Sutra of Perfect Wisdom, one of the most famous primary sources of Buddhism
• Manjushri is the legendary companion of Buddha Gautama. It represents wisdom, reason and will.
• Nagas - in Hinduism and Buddhism, mythical creatures, snakes symbolizing wisdom
• Dhyani Buddhas of the Buddha of Higher Wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism

• Mimir - Wisdom in German-Scandinavian Mythology
• Kvasir - in Germanic-Scandinavian mythology, wisdom
• Tyr - in German-Scandinavian mythology, the god of wisdom
• Bragi - in German-Scandinavian mythology, a god glorified by wisdom
• Metis - in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of wisdom
• Naboo - in Akkadian mythology, the god of wisdom
• Seshat - the goddess of wisdom in ancient Egyptian mythology
• Mnemosyne - the goddess in ancient Greek mythology personified Memory, She possesses Omniscience, Wisdom.
• Merodach - the god of wisdom in Babylon

• Luckman is a prophet in Islam. According to the Qur'an, Luckman was a sage who comprehended the existence of one God.
• House of Wisdom in Islam

• Seven wise men
• Solomon

• Plato. Apology of Socrates
• Aristotle "Metaphysics"
• Wisdom // Biblical Encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nicephorus . - M. , 1891-1892.

• Minerva
• Experienced knowledge
• Dikw
• Common sense