The Concept of sofi,a in Aristotle’s Two Works and in the Septuagint

Abstract

In Aristotle's two works, sofi,a is a complex and fascinating form of knowledge. evpisth,mh, the scientific knowledge or expertise, is clearly distinguishable from other forms of knowledge, such as fro,nhsij, practical wisdom or judgment; su,nesij, understanding that leads to problem solving through perception; dia,noia, rational thinking; te,cnh, manual skill or technical proficiency; and nou/j, intellect, mind, or intelligence. sofi,a  is useful and applicable, and unfolds in practice as a combination of nou/j and evpisth,mh, enabling the wise person (sofo,j) to be persuasive with evidence (avpo,deixij). However, in Aristotle, sofi,a is not necessarily of divine origin, whereas in the Septuagint, the sofi,a that truly makes the wise person wise is clearly linked to the Lord.