The Republic vs. The Tao Te Ching: Definition of Wisdom and its Application

Defining Wisdom:
The Republic vs. Tao Te Ching
Tobias Smollett once said, "Some folk are wise, and some are otherwise." In the Tao Te Ching and the Republic, the application of wisdom is approached in two different ways. According to Socrates, "wisdom" boils down to a very specific philosophical understanding of the notion of justice and ultimate truth. It is with this wisdom which Socrates desires a government and society be organized and run by the elite who can understand it, namely, philosophers. In the Tao, the concept of wisdom is approached in a very different manner, and it is…