91. Seven Places Where the Wise Proceed Slowly

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

Wisdom as Slowness #

• Wisdom is characterized by deliberate slowness, not stupidity or hesitation
• Sapida scientia (savory knowledge): knowledge that is sweet and worth savoring, not to be rushed through
• The study of logic and foundational principles should be a lifelong avocation
• Returning to foundational texts reveals deeper meanings with each encounter

The Seven Places Where the Wise Proceed Slowly #

1. When Many Things Must Be Considered Before Judgment #

• Multiple factors must be weighed before reaching sound conclusions
• Example: moral decisions require careful consideration of circumstances and consequences
• The wise person does not jump to conclusions prematurely

2. When Something Is Difficult to Know #

• Difficulties arise either from the nature of the thing itself or from weakness of our mind
• Small mistakes at foundational levels magnify into great errors
• Modern philosophers (e.g., Descartes) dismiss difficult concepts too quickly rather than patiently studying them

3. When a Small Beginning Has Great Power #

• The axiom “it is impossible to be and not be” is small in size but extends to all knowledge
• A small error at the beginning produces great error at the end
• Understanding foundational principles is essential to everything that follows

4. When Knowledge Follows a Road #

• All knowledge travels along a road from the senses into reason
• One must know the road before following it well; cannot simultaneously travel the road and know it
• Logic is about the common road of reasoned knowledge; each science has its own particular road
• Plato’s Timaeus and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics both emphasize knowing the road before acquiring knowledge
• Modern philosophers often follow the wrong road (e.g., Descartes applying mathematics everywhere)

5. When Moving from General to Particular Knowledge #

• Must first move from confused to distinct knowledge at the level of the general
• Define triangle before dividing into equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles
• Must understand the general definition to see the basis for division into particulars
• Example: understand virtue in general before discussing particular virtues like courage or justice
• Most thinkers jump directly from confused general knowledge to particular knowledge, missing the intermediate step
• Wise thinkers remain at the level of the general, moving from confused to distinct, before descending to particulars

6. When Encountering Words Equivocal by Reason #

• Most common words (being, one, part, whole, end, in, out) are equivocal by reason
• Words equivocal by reason have multiple connected meanings that follow an order
• The wise person carefully distinguishes central meanings and their order
• Aristotle devotes the entire fifth book of Metaphysics to distinguishing equivocal words used in wisdom
• Thomas Aquinas orders the eight meanings of in in his commentary on natural philosophy
• Confusion of word senses leads to the fallacy of equivocation and constant stumbling in thought
• Example: “end” means both the last thing and the purpose; “nature” has multiple meanings from birth to essence

7. When Reading the Words of Wise Authors #

• Should read Aristotle, Augustine, and Christ carefully, frequently, and with reverence
• The words of wise authors often cannot be improved upon and should be preserved as stated
• One never completely unfolds all the meaning in the words of Christ
• Example: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” can mean asking for God’s mercy (as in heaven) rather than His justice (as in hell)
• Shakespeare’s words are often better stated than any paraphrase

Key Arguments #

Nature and Equivocation: “Revolts from True Birth, Stumbling on Abuse” #

• Shakespeare’s phrase from Romeo and Juliet expresses the relationship between nature and misuse
• “Birth” in Shakespeare moves from first meaning (biological birth) to final meaning (nature/essence of a thing)
• Things have natural purposes; to use something contrary to its nature is to “stumble on abuse”
• Examples of abuse:
  • Hands: naturally for feeding oneself and caring for children; misused in drug addiction or abortion
  • Vocal cords and tongue: naturally for communication; misused in lying
  • Sexual organs: naturally for reproduction; misused in contraception or perversion
• In the life of the mind: modern philosophy revolts from three natural things:
  1. Wonder as the natural beginning of philosophy (the natural desire to know causes)
  2. The natural road from senses to reason
  3. Natural understanding of axioms (being and non-being, whole and part)
• When one revolts from nature, one stumbles in thought and action

The Problem of Modern Philosophy #

• Modern philosophers have explicitly rejected wonder (Hobbes, Marx) in favor of knowledge for power and doing
• Heisenberg notes that the union of natural science and technical science changed attitudes from contemplative to pragmatic
• When philosophers reject natural axioms, they undermine all knowledge
• Example: rejecting that “the whole is greater than the part” undermines the foundation of all reasoning

Important Definitions #

Wisdom (Sapientia) #

• Sapida scientia: savory knowledge, knowledge worth lingering over and returning to
• Knowledge of God and the highest causes
• Characterized by deliberate slowness and careful deliberation
• Involves understanding the road of knowledge and the order of concepts

Equivocal by Reason (Aequivocum per analogiam) #

• A word with multiple meanings connected by a reason or relationship
• Distinguished from equivocal by chance, where meanings happen to share a name
• The meanings are ordered, with later meanings defined in reference to earlier ones
• Example: “in” - “in my power” (sixth meaning) connects to the basic meaning of being inside or contained

The Road of Knowledge (Via Scientiae) #

• The method or path by which knowledge is acquired
• All knowledge travels from senses through reason
• Each science has its own particular road
• One must understand the road before traveling it well
• Logic concerns the common road of reasoned knowledge

Examples & Illustrations #

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet #

• Friar Lawrence: “Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast”
• Romeo’s desperate haste leads to tragedy
• Romeo describes his reason as a “desperate pilot” running the ship on rocks, contrasting with “bitter conduct” and “unsavory guide”
• Friar Lawrence’s discussion of plants and their uses illustrates the principle that all things have natural purposes
• The friar’s warning demonstrates how ignoring natural principles and acting in haste produces error

Geometric Examples #

• Euclid defines triangle before dividing into equilateral, isosceles, scalene
• Euclid defines quadrilateral before dividing into square, oblong, rhombus, rhomboid, trapezium
• Without understanding the general definition, one cannot see the basis for the division into particulars
• This illustrates the proper order: general confused knowledge → general distinct knowledge → particular knowledge

The Eight Meanings of In #

• Thomas Aquinas orders eight meanings in his commentary on natural philosophy
• Sixth meaning: “in my power” (to have power over something)
• Understanding “to fall in love” as coming under the power of love draws from this meaning
• “Think out something” requires understanding the meanings of “out” (seven meanings)

Modern Mistakes from Equivocation #

• Student error: “nature doesn’t act for an end, because if it did, all things would have come to an end, but they haven’t, therefore nature doesn’t act for an end” (confusion between “end” as final/death and “end” as purpose)
• Russell’s attack on “the whole is greater than the part” (rejecting a natural axiom)
• Descartes’ application of mathematical method everywhere (following the wrong road for all knowledge)

Notable Quotes #

“Nowhere is it more dangerous to make a mistake, and nowhere is it more fruitful to see something of the truth.” — Augustine, on the study of the Trinity

“Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast.” — Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

“For not so vile that on the earth doth live, but to the earth some special good doth give. Nor ought so good, but strained from that fair use, revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse.” — Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence

“You should read the words of Aristotle carefully, frequently, and with reverence.” — Thomas Aquinas

“Wisdom is to speak the truth and to act in accord with nature, giving ear to nature.” — Heraclitus

“Nature loves to hide.” — Heraclitus

“The union of natural science and technical science turned natural science from a contemplative to a pragmatic attitude.” — Heisenberg, Gifford Lectures

Questions Addressed #

Why must the wise person proceed slowly in these seven places? #

• Because wisdom involves savoring knowledge (sapida scientia), not rushing through it
• Because foundational principles and proper method are prerequisite to all subsequent knowledge
• Because small errors at the beginning multiply into great errors at the end
• Because understanding the road of knowledge is prerequisite to traveling it well
• Because equivocal words require careful attention to multiple meanings and their order

What happens when philosophers reject natural principles? #

• They stumble in thought and action
• They undermine the foundation of all knowledge
• They produce error and confusion through equivocation
• They abuse reason itself by going against its natural operation

How does one avoid the modern philosophical mistakes? #

• Maintain wonder as the beginning of philosophy
• Respect the natural road from senses to reason
• Preserve the natural axioms (being and non-being, whole and part)
• Carefully distinguish the meanings of equivocal words
• Read wise authors with reverence and care
• Proceed from general distinct knowledge before descending to particular knowledge