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On Wisdom - The Keystone Virtue of LCHS

On Wisdom - The Keystone Virtue of LCHS

By Bob Schaffer, Headmaster

Making the best use of knowledge is the essence of wisdom. Plato described wisdom as knowing about what is good and perfect, then summoning the courage to seek goodness and perfection accordingly.

He analyzed wisdom by evaluating the quality of relationships. The wise man, he reasoned, is inclined toward perfection in key relationships such as friendships, neighborliness, government, love, and the Divine.

Socrates believed wisdom also entails awareness of what one does not know – having an appreciation of what information is missing when analyzing a particular question. One of his more famous quotes is, “I know that I am intelligent because I know that I know nothing.”

Some say wisdom is a gift with which, or without which, one is born. Others ascribe a kind of intuition to those perceived to be in possession of wisdom. Some people seem to instinctively know good from bad, right from wrong, and how to make the best choices.

Under any circumstances, it is clear wisdom stems from knowledge. Wisdom can be imparted, improved, and enhanced. The more one knows, the more prepared he will be to successfully negotiate a broader range of situations and on a broader range of subjects. More knowledge makes one wiser and more courageous.

Wisdom is necessary to fully appreciate that which is beautiful, true, and perfect. The ability to appreciate noble objectives also requires a moral outlook informed by virtue. Thomas Jefferson observed, “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”

Wisdom is associated with informed, gallant leadership. It is “the supreme part of happiness,” according to Sophocles who also said, “Wisdom outweighs any wealth.”

If the dissemination of knowledge from one generation to the next is the underlying purpose of education, then wisdom is a complete expression of the core academic objective of any worthy academic institution.