Book 6 / Chapter 8
Paragraph 6 - The Nature of Practical Wisdom Versus Scientific Knowledge
Explanation - Part By Part
"That practical wisdom is not scientific knowledge is evident; for it is, as has been said, concerned with the ultimate particular fact, since the thing to be done is of this nature."
Aristotle is saying that practical wisdom (or prudence, often called "phronesis") isn't the same as scientific knowledge because its focus is on specific, real-world situations where action is required. Unlike scientific knowledge, which aims to understand general truths or universal principles, practical wisdom is about navigating particular cases—the unique details and circumstances of what needs to be done in a given moment. It's grounded in the complexities of lived experiences rather than abstract theories.
"It is opposed, then, to intuitive reason; for intuitive reason is of the limiting premisses, for which no reason can be given, while practical wisdom is concerned with the ultimate particular, which is the object not of scientific knowledge but of perception-"
In this part, Aristotle is contrasting practical wisdom (also called phronesis in Greek) with intuitive reason (or nous). Intuitive reason refers to our ability to understand universal truths or foundational principles—those things that are so fundamental that we don't need (or even can't) "explain" them further. These are the starting points of knowledge, like axioms in math or self-evident truths.
Practical wisdom, however, isn't about these universal, abstract truths. Instead, it's focused on specific situations, the "ultimate particular" things that we face in real life. These specific things can't always be fully explained or reasoned out scientifically; rather, they are grasped through perception or practical understanding. Practical wisdom deals with the immediate, real-world choices we have to make—decisions tied to action—rather than abstract thinking.
"not the perception of qualities peculiar to one sense but a perception akin to that by which we perceive that the particular figure before us is a triangle; for in that direction as well as in that of the major premiss there will be a limit."
Aristotle is saying that the kind of understanding involved in practical wisdom (phronesis) is not about perceiving things with just one of our senses, like sight or hearing. Instead, it’s a more complex kind of perception—similar to recognizing that a shape in front of us is a triangle. This recognition isn’t tied directly to a single sensory experience (like its color or texture) but arises from a deeper, more conceptual grasp of what makes something a triangle.
In the same way, practical wisdom involves perceiving the "essence" or the real nature of a situation in the world—not as raw material for theoretical thought, but for taking action. And just like with a triangle or a logical premise, there are limits to what can be broken down further. At some point in both reasoning and perception, there’s a basic level where understanding just "clicks," and there’s no deeper explanation. This is the realm where practical wisdom operates.
"But this is rather perception than practical wisdom, though it is another kind of perception than that of the qualities peculiar to each sense."
Aristotle is clarifying something important about practical wisdom (phronesis) here. He emphasizes that it involves perception, but it's not the same kind of perception as, for example, seeing colors or hearing sounds (perception tied to individual senses). Instead, it's a deeper, more intellectual kind of perception—one that allows a person to grasp particular realities (specific situations and details in life) and act accordingly.
This type of perception is different from scientific knowledge or abstract reasoning because it deals with concrete, real-world situations that require judgment. Aristotle suggests that while practical wisdom involves this kind of discerning perception, it's distinct from sensory perception and also a bit distinct from theoretical reasoning aimed at universal truths. It’s an ability to "perceive" what is right or wrong—what action should or shouldn’t be taken—in a very specific, real-world context.