Philo, a Hellenized Jew writing in Alexandria, attempted to harmonize Platonic philosophy and Jewish scripture. Sophia is named as one of the four cardinal virtues (in place of phronesis) in Plato's Protagoras. Cicero in De Oratore later criticized Plato for his separation of wisdom from eloquence.

Socratic skepticism is contrasted with the approach of the sophists, who are attacked in Gorgias for relying merely on eloquence. Socrates defends this verdict in Apology to the effect that he, at least, knows that he knows nothing. According to Plato in Apology, Socrates himself was dubbed 'the wisest man of Greece' by the Pythian Oracle. In that work, the leaders of the proposed utopia are to be philosopher kings: rulers who are lovers of wisdom. This understanding of philosophia permeates Plato's dialogues, especially the Republic. 'love of wisdom') was primarily used after the time of Plato, following his teacher Socrates, though it has been said that Pythagoras was the first to call himself a philosopher. The term philosophia ( φῐλοσοφῐ́ᾱ, philosophíā, lit. 'mind'), while sophia referred to technical skill. The noun σοφία as 'skill in handicraft and art' is Homeric and in Pindar is used to describe both Hephaestos and Athena.īefore Plato, the term for 'sound judgement, intelligence, practical wisdom' and so on, such qualities as are ascribed to the Seven Sages of Greece, was phronesis ( φρόνησις, phrónēsis), from phren ( φρήν, phrēn, lit. These words share the same Proto-Indo-European root as the Latin verb sapere ( lit. The Ancient Greek word sophia ( σοφία, sophía) is the abstract noun of σοφός ( sophós), which variously translates to 'clever, skillful, intelligent, wise'. Further information: Logos, Phronesis, Seven Sages of Greece, and Gnosis

Passionate Holiness by Dennis O'Neill