Book Alpha
2. Characteristics of ‘wisdom’ (philosophy)
Notes:
- the wise man’s knowledge is not of particulars
- the wise man’s knowledge knows things that are difficult, not things common to know (i.e. knowledge gleaned from the senses)
- the man who is able to teach causes is generally the wiser
- the higher form of knowledge is knowledge for its own sake, rather than knowledge for achieving results
- the most exact of the sciences are those that deal with primary things
- theoretical knowledge is more capable of teaching causes
- through primary things and causes we know other things and causes
- the most fundamental science is the one that “discerns the end for which each thing must be done”
- philosophy arose out of wonder at the heavenly bodies and curiosity about the origins of the universe, and is therefore knowledge for its own sake
- this is the one science that is divine if any science is