Knowing Yourself is the Beginning of All Wisdom
This famous quote by the Greek philosopher Aristotle has graced scholarly literature, textbooks, and countless academic circles for centuries. Now, it also permeates social media, podcasts, blogs, and other internet resources. But what does this phrase really mean? More important, how exactly do we acquire this priceless self-knowledge?
Getting to know yourself is an ongoing process. Although sometimes difficult, it eventually becomes satisfying, eye-opening, and exhilarating. In addition to the teachings of Aristotle, the works of other great thinkers, such as Lao-Tzu, Socrates, Carl Jung, D.W. Winnicott, and The Buddha will be discussed. The most important thing to remember is that this path of self-discovery is definitely not a one-size-fits-all experience.
What is Wisdom?
Translated from the Greek, sophia, - wisdom can be defined as the “the ability to think well about the nature of the world. “The term philosophy itself translates to “love of wisdom.”
In the teachings of Aristotle, sophia is considered one of the intellectual virtues. Phronesis, or “practical wisdom,” is another intellectual virtue that creates the opportunity to enhance one’s quality of life by acquiring the ability to achieve a certain end. As one reflects on that particular end, a state of happiness (eudaimonia) is achieved. If an individual is unable to look within oneself and attend to their physical, emotional, and psychological needs, they are unable to relate to the world around them.
What is Self-Knowledge?
For the most succinct and all-encompassing definition of self-knowledge, let’s go to the dictionary. According to Merriam-Webster, self-knowledge is, “knowledge or understanding of one’s own capabilities, character, feelings, or motivations: self-understanding.
Additional perusal through Webster’s thesaurus would provide some additional insights regarding the extreme value of self-knowledge:
self-revelation
self-concept
self-image
self-awareness
To know ourselves internally means to be cognizant of the full range of our emotions, needs, values, and opinions. We also have a handle on our internal processes, such as what makes us angry, hurt, strengths and weaknesses, and how we deal with stress.
So, what will self-knowledge do for me? So much!
Self-knowledge and self-understanding then, creates opportunities to develop personal theories of self-narrative. That is, the experiences and processes of what brought you to the present. The rewards of self-knowledge, and subsequently wisdom, are immense.
Living the life that you desire.
Reaching personal and professional goals and dreams.
Clear knowledge of core beliefs and values.
Abilities for dealing with challenges, struggles, and disappointments.
Making self-improvement possible.
Healing from past and present painful or negative experiences.
About Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher of the 3rd century, BC. He was born in Macedonia, the son of a court physician. Aristotle made significant contributions to the study of morals, culture, ethics, and the sciences. He is arguably considered the greatest of the classic philosophers.
Aristotle is recognized for giving to Western civilization a formal structure for analyzing causality and rules of logic. Although not considered a “scientist,” he sought to develop a system of thought in which to understand and analyze all types of science, including biology, political science, and physics. Therefore, Aristotle is credited as seeking to synthesize all of human knowledge.
Other Influential Figures
Aristotle was a student of Socrates, who coined the phrase, “Know Thyself.” He was influenced by the teachings of Plato, pre-Socratic philosophers, as well as Egyptian and Persian thinkers.
Whether a direct influence or not, Aristotle would undoubtedly have acknowledged the gifts that other thinkers bestowed upon civilization. One of these was 6th century Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu, the recognized father of Taoism (also spelled Daoism).
Lao-Tzu (also spelled Lao Tse), can be translated to “old wise man,” Current thinking by scholars indicates that Lao-Tzu was not a single person, but an amalgam of numerous religious leaders and philosophers. The written product of these leaders is the base text of Taoist religious beliefs, the Tao Te Ching.
Lao-Tzu similarly was interested in the concept of self-knowledge and wisdom. He is credited with the wise phrase, “Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom.”
Another major teaching of Lao-Tzu is the concept of the balancing of positive and negative forces in the universe, potentially the beginning of the concept of “yin” and “yang.” Purportedly, Lao-Tzu left China during a period of religious unrest and proceeded to India, where the Buddha then became a student.
The Buddha was born an Indian prince in 563, BCE. It is said that his father, King Suthohana, wanted him to see only the pleasures of life. But as the young prince learned that outside the palace walls life was filled with poverty and suffering, he came to the realization that this was not the answer to his questions about life. Through meditation, self-denial, and learning from others on his journey, the Buddha concluded that it was “the middle path,” that led to a life of enlightenment and the end of suffering.
Although very different culturally, there are many similarities between the teachings and deductions of The Buddha and Aristotle. Both philosophers agreed on the power of observation and reasoning. There is additionally a strong dedication to interconnectedness and learning how we, as humans, can have an effect on one another. That need to learn about oneself and to help one another is the great evolution of civilization and of humankind.
The Journey of the Self: In Other Words, “The How.”
So, how do we get there? How do we attain that level of true wisdom that is often so terribly elusive? This question is not only addressed in the world of philosophy, but also amongst psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other biopsychosocial professionals. If an individual does not have the ability to know (and love) oneself, the ability to take care of that treasured self falls tragically short.
In today’s world, the challenges we have with self-knowledge, self-awareness, and a positive self-image, can be rather immense. The reasons for such struggles are varied: ranging from a challenging work-life, a series of adverse childhood experiences, or a major life-change (such as divorce, death of a loved one).
Still, some of us get to a point in our lives where we simply want to know more about who we really are. A fair question indeed!
Many people have turned to psychoanalytic psychotherapy as a way to increase self-knowledge and abilities in self-reflection. Also known as psychodynamic psychotherapy, strategies are based on scientific principles and have been proven to be an effective form of psychological treatment for numerous types of diagnoses.
Numerous giants in psychoanalytic psychotherapy have emphasized the importance of self-knowledge and a positive self-concept. Two of these are D.W. Winnicot, and Carl Jung.
Carl Jung was a Swiss psychologist and psychoanalyst. He is widely regarded as the founder of analytic psychology. One of the necessary components of having a healthy self-concept is to achieve something called “individuation.” This is when an individual is cognizant of their conscious world, or “ego,” but then also allow themselves to experience the “unconscious self.” Individuation then, can be considered as a key factor in health self-development.
D.W. Winnicott did a great deal of research on the importance of the infant/caregiver relationship, presenting scientific evidence that it is critical to the health of the developing child. Quite notably, his research revealed the value of childhood play and the power of imagination. He emphasized that this seemingly innocuous childhood activity was critical to psychological well-being. This foundational work with children provided supporting scientific evidence about how, as adults, we can benefit from using our imagination, or “playing,” as adults.
According to Winnicott: “It is in playing and only playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” -Donald Woods Winnicott
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Serious Play
Getting Started
We live in a noisy world today. We are constantly overwhelmed by the chaos of global events, which are magnified by the lightning-fast barrage of social media. To get started on your personal journey, the following exploratory questions are suggested:
What are my values? Bravery? Compassion? Stability? Family?
What are my needs? Do I need security? Companionship?
What are my beliefs? Do I believe in a god? Afterlife?
Foundational Work with Dr. Nicholas Samstag
Taking the first steps can always be difficult. Many individuals conclude that additional help is needed. Getting to the point of effective self-reflection, self-knowledge, self-healing, and true wisdom can always be facilitated by beginning sessions with a psychotherapist.
Dr. Nicholas Samstag is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist living and working in New York City. He helps his patients by identifying patterns and themes in a person’s life to help them discover more about past and current thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Through therapeutic interventions such as free association, dream analysis, and discussion of past experiences, patients learn how to bring the unconscious mind into conscious realization.
Nick works best with those who are curious about how to change their current behavior to reduce psychological difficulties, as well as to address how their prior history has influenced the current situation. In working with Nick, it’s suggested that the journey of developing your individualized true wisdom be viewed as adventurous, rather than arduous. It can truly be an exciting, fruitful, and life-changing experience.