6. The Natural Road of Knowledge: From Sensation to Wisdom

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Natural Road of Knowledge #

Knowledge in humans progresses through distinct stages:

• Sensation (αἴσθησις): The immediate foundation, shared with all animals; loved for itself, not merely for utility
• Memory (μνήμη): Retention of past sensations; present only in some animals; enables prudence and learning from experience
• Experience (ἐμπειρία): Arises from many memories of the same kind gathered together; knowledge of singulars
• Universal Knowledge: Emerges from experience; knowledge of what is common to many particulars
• Wisdom (σοφία): The highest stage; knowledge of causes and first principles

This progression reflects that man is by nature a rational animal—he has both sensation (like other animals) and reason (which is unique to him).

Experience vs. Art/Science #

A crucial distinction separates two types of knowledge:

The Man of Experience:

• Knows that something is so (knows singulars)
• Cannot necessarily explain why it is so
• May actually perform better in practice with individuals because everything done or made is singular
• Is not able to teach effectively

The Man of Art (τέχνη) or Science (ἐπιστήμη):

• Knows the cause of why something is so (knows universals)
• Understands principles that apply to many cases
• Is able to teach and explain
• Exceeds the man of experience in knowing, even if not always in doing
• Example: The political scientist may know why governments change, while the senator knows how to get a bill through; the scientist is wiser though the senator may be more effective

The Chief Artist and the Handicraftsman #

Among those with art, there is a further distinction:

The Chief Artist (ἀρχιτέκτων - the word “architect” comes from this):

• Knows why something should be done a certain way
• Understands causes and can initiate new procedures
• Can teach subordinates
• Is wiser and more honorable

The Handicraftsman/Subordinate:

• Knows that it should be done a certain way but not why
• Follows instructions
• Can continue work once shown how
• Like inanimate things once set in motion (example: fire burns without knowing what it burns)

The Role of Causes in Wisdom #

Wisdom is fundamentally about understanding causes. The progression in knowledge shows that:

• Experience knows particulars but lacks understanding of why
• Art/science begins to grasp causes
• Wisdom involves knowledge of first causes—ultimately the very first cause
• Knowing causes makes one able to teach, because causes are universal and apply to many cases

Key Arguments #

The Superiority of Universal Knowledge Over Experience in Knowing #

• Everything done or made concerns singulars (individuals)
• Experience gives knowledge of singulars; art gives knowledge of universals
• While the man of experience may succeed better in practice (dealing with the singular), the man of art is wiser in knowing
• Therefore: wisdom is about knowing causes (which are universal), not about doing particular actions

The Sign of True Knowledge: Ability to Teach #

• The man of art can explain why something should be done a certain way
• The man of experience can only say “do it this way”
• The sign of true, reasoned knowledge is the ability to teach and explain causes
• This distinguishes epistemic superiority from practical superiority

The Hierarchy Among Practitioners #

• The chief artist is wiser than the handicraftsman because he knows causes
• Those receiving knowledge blindly (without understanding why) are treated like inanimate things once set in motion
• This shows that wisdom involves understanding, not mere skill or following rules

Important Definitions #

Sensation (αἴσθησις): The immediate awareness of sensible qualities through the five senses; the natural foundation of all human knowledge; pursued even when not practically useful, showing we desire to know.

Memory (μνήμη): The retention and recollection of past sensations; present in some animals; necessary for prudence because it allows learning from past experience.

Experience (ἐμπειρία): Knowledge arising from gathering together many memories of the same kind of thing; knowledge of singulars; seems like science but lacks universal understanding; sufficient for practical action but differs from true art or science.

Art/Science (τέχνη/ἐπιστήμη): Knowledge of universals and causes; enables teaching and explanation; superior to experience in understanding why things are so (even if experience may excel in practical doing).

Cause (αἴτια): That by virtue of which something is so; what explains why something is the case. Knowledge of causes distinguishes the wise man from the merely experienced man.

Universal (καθόλου): That which applies to many things; knowledge of what is common across many particulars. Universals are the proper object of art and science, not mere experience.

Examples & Illustrations #

The French Fry Maker #

Berquist’s brother Marcus became skilled at making French fries through repeated practice in their father’s California restaurant. His mother recognized his excellence. However, while he could perform the task excellently (experience), he may not have known scientifically why certain methods produce better results. This shows practical excellence through experience.

The Tea Drinker #

Berquist knows from experience that tea steeped too long tastes bad (roughly 4 minutes is optimal; 10+ minutes produces bad taste). However, he didn’t know why until a chemist explained: different chemicals are released at different times. What seemed merely too strong is actually a different character of flavor. This perfectly illustrates the difference between knowing that (experience) and knowing why (science).

The U.S. Senate vs. the Political Scientist #

A senator with 20 years of experience would be better at getting a bill through the Senate (dealing with the singular Senate and its peculiarities). A professor of political science might better understand why governments change and fail (universal knowledge). The senator excels in doing; the professor in knowing. The professor is wiser even if the senator is more effective.

The Psychologist vs. the Friend #

A psychologist knows different kinds of mental disease. A friend knows an individual deeply—say, a depressed spouse, child, or friend. The friend might better help that individual out of depression, but the psychologist possesses superior universal knowledge. The doctor cures singulars (this man, that woman), not “man in general.”

The Chief at the Factory #

In Berquist’s father’s factory, there was a man brought in to start new procedures. He would initiate the procedure and teach the workers, then move to the next thing. The father paid him considerably more because he understood why the procedures should be done a particular way and could teach others. Once the procedures were established, the workers could continue (like inanimate things set in motion). This exemplifies the chief artist’s superiority.

The First Grade Teacher and Letter Formation #

A sister teaching first grade ensured children formed the letter “C” from the top down rather than bottom up. The assistant enforced this rule without knowing why. The teacher understood: this motion prepares for cursive writing where this trajectory is necessary. The teacher is the chief artist (wise about causes); the assistant is the subordinate.

The Popcorn Discovery #

Berquist wondered about who first discovered how to make popcorn. It likely began by chance, then through repeated observation and memory of what happens when you heat kernels, the art of popcorn-making emerged. This shows how experience can give rise to art through gathering many observations of the same phenomenon.

The Sunset and the View #

Berquist mentions buying a house for its beautiful view and a spectacular sunset witnessed with “folds of red all the way up the sky.” These show that we pursue knowledge and observation of beautiful things simply to know them, not to do anything with that knowledge. This demonstrates that the desire to know is genuine and not merely instrumental.

The Cat’s Prudence #

A cat jumped on a hot stove burner, burned her paws, and never repeated the action. Another time, when unable to reach her litter box, the cat jumped into the bathtub drain. Both examples show how memory enables prudence—the ability to learn from past experience—even in animals. They remember what happened and adjust future behavior accordingly.

Notable Quotes #

“Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast.” — Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Friar Lawrence). Berquist uses this to show multiple meanings: literally stumbling in running up stairs too fast; acting in haste (practical action); jumping to conclusions (reason itself). The greatest minds (like Thomas Aquinas, “the dumb ox”) proceed slowly and wisely.

“Everything done and made is something singular.” — Aristotle, paraphrased. The doctor does not cure “man” in general but Callias or Socrates—some particular individual. This explains why experience with singulars may excel in practice even though science with universals is epistemically superior.

“Experience makes art, as Polus says, rightly.” — Aristotle, Metaphysics I.1, cited by Berquist. Experience provides the foundation from which universal art and science arise.

Questions Addressed #

Why is the man of art wiser than the man of experience if the experienced person often performs better in practice? #

Because everything done or made is singular, and experience concerns singulars. However, wisdom is about knowing why things are so, not about doing them. The man of art knows causes; causes are universal; therefore the artist is wiser even if the experienced person acts more effectively. Wisdom is primarily epistemic (knowing), not practical (doing).

How does one distinguish between knowing that something is so and knowing why it is so? #

The man of experience knows that (e.g., tea steeped too long tastes bad). The scientist knows why (different chemicals release at different times, changing the flavor’s character, not merely its strength). The sign of truly knowing why is the ability to teach and explain causes.

Why do we value the chief artist more than the subordinate? #

The chief artist knows why the work should be done a certain way; the subordinate merely knows to do it that way. The chief can initiate new work and teach others because he understands causes. Once procedures are established, subordinates can continue like inanimate things already set in motion. Understanding causes—wisdom—makes one superior.

How does Aristotle’s account explain the progression from experience to art and science? #

Many memories of the same kind (experience) begin to gather what is common across cases. From this gathering, one universal understanding emerges—this is the beginning of art. Art involves knowledge of causes because causes are what make many particular cases instances of the same universal principle.

What role does teaching play in distinguishing true knowledge from mere experience? #

True knowledge (art/science) allows one to teach because one understands causes. Experience alone does not enable teaching—one can only say “do it this way.” Teachability is the sign of true reasoned knowledge because causes, being universal, can be explained and communicated to others.

Why can a friend help a depressed individual better than a psychologist, yet the psychologist possesses superior knowledge? #

Because the friend knows this individual deeply while the psychologist knows depression universally. Everything healed or helped concerns a singular. But the psychologist is wiser because he knows causes and universal principles. Practical effectiveness (doing) differs from epistemic superiority (knowing).