What does it mean to be wise in one's own eyes?

[fisherman_carl]

Scripture tells us not to be wise in our own eyes. For instance Proverbs says

"Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him. "

Does it mean someone who doesn’t acknowledge God as the source of all wisdom and instead thinks wisdom comes from himself?

Does it mean someone who thinks more highly of himself, his intellect, than he should?

I think this question is particularly apt in the philosophy section which means love of wisdom. Wisdom is something we should all seek. But where does it come from, but God?

How do we who seek wisdom avoid becoming wise in our own eyes?

 

[fisherman_carl]

Scripture says this world’s wisdom comes to folly because it does not know Him who created it. The world thinks that knowledge can only come from that which can be reasoned with one’s own mind while rejecting the true knowledge that comes from no man’s mind but from God.

 

[Nigel7]

"Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him. "

It means don’t be a mister know-it-all.
Like you said, OP, to not think too much of our own intellect. I.e. becoming arrogant, egotistical, full of one’s self.

 

[fisherman_carl]

"Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him. "

It means don’t be a mister know-it-all.
Like you said, OP, to not think too much of our own intellect. I.e. becoming arrogant, egotistical, full of one’s self.

Isn’t that what we do when we put ourselves above God? When we think we know better?

 

[GEddie]

If someone thinks they are wise, that alone means they are not.

ICXC NIKA

 

[JuanFlorencio]

Scripture says this world’s wisdom comes to folly because it does not know Him who created it. The world thinks that knowledge can only come from that which can be reasoned with one’s own mind while rejecting the true knowledge that comes from no man’s mind but from God.

But, are wisdom and knowledge the same kind of thing in the Holy Scripture? Or, do these words have the same meaning they had for the old Greeks, or for us?

I tend to think that in the Scripture “this world’s wisdom” consists in behaving as if we were self sufficient with all our belongings and the power we have developed at a given moment, forgetting that one day we will surely die.

On the opposite side, wisdom is, first, the realization that this world -and we ourselves-, is absolutely insufficient; and, second, a certain openness to a reality which, being transcendent to this world and to our mundane will (a reality which is above and beyond our power), nevertheless gives meaning and orientation to them.

 

[vz71]

Pride.

 

[fhansen]

Scripture tells us not to be wise in our own eyes. For instance Proverbs says

"Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him. "

Does it mean someone who doesn’t acknowledge God as the source of all wisdom and instead thinks wisdom comes from himself?

Does it mean someone who thinks more highly of himself, his intellect, than he should?

I think this question is particularly apt in the philosophy section which means love of wisdom. Wisdom is something we should all seek. But where does it come from, but God?

How do we who seek wisdom avoid becoming wise in our own eyes?

The catechism teaches that, in Adam’s act of disobedience (original sin) he *preferred himself *to God. Aquinas calls pride “inordinate self-love” or the wish to appear above what one is, an “immoderate desire of one’s own excellence, a desire, to wit, that is not in accord with right reason.” Plain old human self-righteousness is at the heart of all sin, because man must feel justified in order to sin.

True wisdom can only be obtained by humility. The wisest of humans still acknowledges his lack of wisdom relative to his Creator. We don’t need to think ourselves wise, in order to be wise.

 

[inocente]

I think it just means that if someone is certain he is wise, his mind is closed to any counsel.

 

[JuanFlorencio]

I think it just means that if someone is certain he is wise, his mind is closed to any counsel.

If someone is wise and he does not realize that he is wise, then he is not so wise.

And if someone is wise and he realizes that he is wise, then he will know when he needs counsel and when he is able to give counsel.

Besides, the wise is able to accept good counsel and reject bad counsel; and the individual who, on the contrary, accepts bad counsel and rejects good counsel is not so wise.

Isn’t it the wise the one who can give good counsel? But if he is not certain of his wisdom, how will he dare to give any counsel to others? Counseling would be an activity of the fool. And if the wise allows such a situation to prevail, shall him be wise at all?

Furthermore, if it was only the fool the one who dares to give counsel, then it would certainly be wise to be closed to any counsel.

 

[LethalMouse]

If someone is wise and he does not realize that he is wise, then he is not so wise.

And if someone is wise and he realizes that he is wise, then he will know when he needs counsel and when he is able to give counsel.

Besides, the wise is able to accept good counsel and reject bad counsel; and the individual who, on the contrary, accepts bad counsel and rejects good counsel is not so wise.

Isn’t it the wise the one who can give good counsel? But if he is not certain of his wisdom, how will he dare to give any counsel to others? Counseling would be an activity of the fool. And if the wise allows such a situation to prevail, shall him be wise at all?

Furthermore, if it was only the fool the one who dares to give counsel, then it would certainly be wise to be closed to any counsel.

I knew a boss, he was very wise. He knew so. He took counsel. For the intents of this passage he was not “wise in his own eyes”

I had another boss, I went to tell him something to which he said “you dont tell me stuff, I know everything that happens on my planes”

I walked off and said “well, I guess he has a grand master plan about our oxygen levels not being flyable”

He did not know, he found out very late. The flight was delayed, and he got chewed out…

He was “wise in his own eyes”

 

[ynotzap]

It is the essence of wisdom to know that one can not judge the wisdom of his own judgement.

 

[JuanFlorencio]

It is the essence of wisdom to know that one can not judge the wisdom of his own judgement.

“can not” in which sense? Is it in the sense of “not being able to” or in the sense that one acknowledges “a prohibition” to make a certain judgement?

If it is in the first sense, then as soon as one makes the negative judgment it becomes apparent that one is able to make the positive judgement as well. If it is in the second sense, then once one is conscious of the prohibition, one has already transgressed it.

 

[inocente]

If someone is wise and he does not realize that he is wise, then he is not so wise.

And if someone is wise and he realizes that he is wise, then he will know when he needs counsel and when he is able to give counsel.

Besides, the wise is able to accept good counsel and reject bad counsel; and the individual who, on the contrary, accepts bad counsel and rejects good counsel is not so wise.

Isn’t it the wise the one who can give good counsel? But if he is not certain of his wisdom, how will he dare to give any counsel to others? Counseling would be an activity of the fool. And if the wise allows such a situation to prevail, shall him be wise at all?

Furthermore, if it was only the fool the one who dares to give counsel, then it would certainly be wise to be closed to any counsel.

I’d have thought the opposite. Only a man open to being wrong can learn to be wise, whereas a man who is certain he is wise has a closed mind, never doubts himself, and so will remain a fool:

*“The way of fools seems right to them,
but the wise listen to advice.” - Proverbs 12:15

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.” - Is 5*

John Gill goes further: “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit,… Or “in his own eyes” … As by a “fool” in this book [the bible] is generally understood a wicked profane man, so by a wise man is meant a good and righteous man, and may be so understood here; and many there are who are good and righteous only their own conceit and esteem … there is more hope of a fool than of him; of a profane sinner than of a self-righteous person; for Christ came to save sinners, to call them to repentance, and he receives them as such; but not self-righteous persons;” - biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/26-12.htm

 

[ynotzap]

“can not” in which sense? Is it in the sense of “not being able to” or in the sense that one acknowledges “a prohibition” to make a certain judgement?

If it is in the first sense, then as soon as one makes the negative judgment it becomes apparent that one is able to make the positive judgement as well. If it is in the second sense, then once one is conscious of the prohibition, one has already transgressed it.

Wisdom in a general sense is the best form of knowledge, specifically, the intellectual virtue or science concerning the first or supreme causes of all things Can we say we have all that knowledge?

Philosophical wisdom; intuitive knowledge combined with scientific knowledge of objects which are naturally the highest, metaphysics, including natural theology, can we say we have all or even a great amount of that?

practical wisdom, prudence, any excellent form of practical knowledge, are we sure we are always prudent?

speculative wisdom, theoretical wisdom or its pursuit for the sake of truth, can we be sure that we have the right understanding or approach to the pursuit of truth?

supernatural wisdom, Christian theology, the gift of the Holy Spirit whereby man understands the rightly judges of divine and other things by divine ultimate standards or “from God’s point of view”
Can we say that we possess any of the above to a great extent, or completely? Until we do , we are not able to judge the wisdom of our own judgement, there is so much we don’t know. The humble man is one who knows his limitations, acknowledging what he does know, and admitting how much he doesn’t know in light of the truth

 

[o_mlly]

If someone is wise and he does not realize that he is wise, then he is not so wise.
…

• He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool…shun him.
• He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is willing…teach him.
• He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep…awaken him.
• He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise…follow him.

**
Usually attributed to Confucius but maybe if true he should have given a footnote to The Book of Proverbs.

 

[ynotzap]

I’d have thought the opposite. Only a man open to being wrong can learn to be wise, whereas a man who is certain he is wise has a closed mind, never doubts himself, and so will remain a fool:

*“The way of fools seems right to them,
but the wise listen to advice.” - Proverbs 12:15

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.” - Is 5*

John Gill goes further: “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit,… Or “in his own eyes” … As by a “fool” in this book [the bible] is generally understood a wicked profane man, so by a wise man is meant a good and righteous man, and may be so understood here; and many there are who are good and righteous only their own conceit and esteem … there is more hope of a fool than of him; of a profane sinner than of a self-righteous person; for Christ came to save sinners, to call them to repentance, and he receives them as such; but not self-righteous persons;” - biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/26-12.htm

Hi, Inocente, haven’t heard much from you or Linus 2. hope things are OK

 

[PseuTonym]

Wisdom is something we should all seek.

Truth is something that we should all seek.

If you are seeking to acquire some skill of wise judgment or to increase your proficiency in wise judgment, then perhaps a lesson from somebody would be more appropriate than a discussion.

How do we who seek wisdom avoid becoming wise in our own eyes?

Obviously it is at least possible that the goal that motivates you to participate is going to influence the proceedings.

Suppose that I am a young Alexander the Great, surrounded by tutors, including you. Suppose that my goal is to increase my skill or proficiency with respect to wise judgment. My other tutors also have the goal of increasing my wisdom. However, you are Aristotle, and you are so dedicated to wisdom that you neglect me and pursue your goal of increasing your own capacity for acting wisely. In that case, my other tutors and I share a goal, but your goal is different.

When we both focus on a specific claim in philosophy and ask ourselves whether or not the claim is true, we have a shared goal.

So, my answer is that you need to pursue truth, and not worry about wisdom.

 

[inocente]

Hi, Inocente, haven’t heard much from you or Linus 2. hope things are OK

Hi, don’t know what happened with Linus, he just stopped posting. Tried to send him a PM but he had switched off messaging. Maybe he’ll return one day.

 

[JuanFlorencio]

I’d have thought the opposite. Only a man open to being wrong can learn to be wise, whereas a man who is certain he is wise has a closed mind, never doubts himself, and so will remain a fool:

*“The way of fools seems right to them,
but the wise listen to advice.” - Proverbs 12:15

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.” - Is 5*

John Gill goes further: “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit,… Or “in his own eyes” … As by a “fool” in this book [the bible] is generally understood a wicked profane man, so by a wise man is meant a good and righteous man, and may be so understood here; and many there are who are good and righteous only their own conceit and esteem … there is more hope of a fool than of him; of a profane sinner than of a self-righteous person; for Christ came to save sinners, to call them to repentance, and he receives them as such; but not self-righteous persons;” - biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/26-12.htm

I tend to agree with this John Gill when he says that in the Bible the wise man is a man who is good and righteous. Biblical wisdom does not consist on the knowledge of theories, but in the way we live. One can be deeply acquainted with all kind of theories, but if he is wicked, then he is the foolest of all men. That would be “truth” without wisdom. What kind of man can look for truth without any concern for wisdom?