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Concept
Sophia (wisdom)
Summary
Sophia (σοφία sophía "wisdom") is a central idea in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Gnosticism and Christian theology. Originally carrying a meaning of "cleverness, skill", the later meaning of the term, close to the meaning of Phronesis ("wisdom, intelligence"), was significantly shaped by the term philosophy ("love of wisdom") as used by Plato.
In the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, the feminine personification of divine wisdom as Holy Wisdom (Ἁγία Σοφία Hagía Sophía) can refer either to Jesus Christ the Word of God (as in the dedication of the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople) or to the Holy Spirit.
References to Sophia in Koine Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible are translated from the Hebrew term Chokhmah.
The Ancient Greek word Sophia (σοφία, ) is the abstract noun of σοφός (), which variously translates to "clever, skillful, intelligent, wise". These words share the same Proto-Indo-European root as the Latin verb sapere ("to taste; discern"), whence sapientia. The noun σοφία as "skill in handicraft and art" is Homeric and in Pindar is used to describe both Hephaestos and Athena.
Before Plato, the term for "sound judgment, intelligence, practical wisdom" and so on, such qualities as are ascribed to the Seven Sages of Greece, was phronesis (φρόνησις, ), from phren (φρήν, , "mind"), while sophia referred to technical skill.
The term philosophia (φιλοσοφία, , "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. This understanding of philosophia permeates Plato's dialogues, especially the Republic. In that work, the leaders of the proposed utopia are to be philosopher kings: rulers who are lovers of wisdom. According to Plato in Apology, Socrates himself was dubbed "the wisest [σοφώτατος, ] man of Greece" by the Pythian Oracle. Socrates defends this verdict in Apology to the effect that he, at least, knows that he knows nothing.
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