spockrates
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Don’t you agree? If you do, you may let me know what a wise man is, or I have a definition in mind, if you’d like to consider it.**
A wise man knows the prudent thing to think, say, or do when prudence is required.
But wisdom should not be confused with courage. A wise man might know what to think, say, or do, in a certain circumstance, but may not have the courage to do it. Wisdom and courage are different virtues. Solomon had wisdom, but seemed to lack the courage to act as a wise man should act.
What’s your definition?
Yes, I think you are right that wisdom is not courage any more than foolishness is cowardice. A missionary to China, whose name I do not recall, was putting his life in danger but said, “Without risk, there is no need for faith.” It seems to me, then bravery is a product of faith. And the proof that courage is not wisdom is seen in those who are foolhardy. For they have great courage, yet take foolish risks that are not prudent.
Peter showed such foolish bravery when he drew a knife and attacked those who came to arrest Jesus. Later he showed cowardice when he refused to admit he even knew Jesus. In the former case, I believe he had faith that God would give him victory in the battle against the enemies of Christ. In the later case he feared that he would suffer crucifixion.
Peter was foolish to attack the authorities who arrested Jesus, since Jesus previously told him he would be arrested, crucified and rise from the dead. He showed great bravery, yet he was still unwise. I think also he knew the truth, since Jesus told him how it was going to go down:
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
(Mark 8)
So here is my definition: Wisdom is knowing what to say, think and do. A wise man is one who not only has wisdom, but who also says, thinks and does what the wisdom he has tells him to say think and do. The paradox is that a man who has a great deal of wisdom can still play the fool! It sounds odd to say one with extraordinary wisdom can be unwise, but I think this is exactly what happened in the case if Solomon.
4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
(Ecclesiastes 2)
What do you think of this definition? Are we getting closer to the full truth about what a wise person is?
Socrates would not approve. 
