Proverbs 9:10—The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Philosophy, a word that comes from the Greek (philein, sophia), literally means “the love of wisdom”. Philosophy is cultivated by various means.
1. Pragmatism. Pragmatism is a grouping of associated theories, originally developed by Charles S. Peirce and William James and is distinguished by the doctrine that “the meaning of an idea or a proposition lies in its observable practical consequences.”[1] Essentially, pragmatism approaches and assesses situations and solves problems in a matter-of-fact manner.
2. Rationalism. A rationalist relies upon human reasoning as the best guide for belief and action. “The exercise of reason, rather than the acceptance of empiricism, authority, or spiritual revelation, provides the only valid basis for action or belief and that reason is the prime source of knowledge and of spiritual truth.”[2] In 580 B.C. the Greek philosopher Thales stated that the source of everything was water. He observed that earth floats on water and that water surrounded all matter therefore, water must be the source of everything.
3. Superstition. Often the basis of wisdom can be traced to superstition. One adopts an irrational belief that “an object, an action, or a circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.”[3]
The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:17-25:
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
Wisdom based on pragmatism, rationalism or superstition, is self-centered. It exalts human reasoning as the primary means of determination and its final destination is an intellectual cul-de-sac. Perhaps in our quest to value understanding we ought to consider revering God. Could it be that worship is the vehicle God intended for us to discover the highway of wisdom that runs upward and wider as we come closer to Him? Something to think about . . . in
Inspiration
The philosophy of life is based on the topsy-turvy reasoning of going into things in order to find out about them, which is like saying you have to go into the mud before you can know what clean water is. “I must know the world”—if you do, you will only know good by contrast with evil.—Oswald Chamber in The Servant As His Lord
1American Heritage Dictionary
2 IBID
