--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the preceding century, the philosopher…" description: "\"“In the preceding century, the philosopher al-Kindi had defined wisdom as the \"the excellence of the (rational) power, the knowledge of the universals ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg" --- # In the preceding century, the philosopher al-Kindi had… ![“In the preceding century, the philosopher al-Kindi had defined wisdom as the "the excellence of the (rational) power, the knowledge of the universals in their realities, and the employment (in action) of the realities that must be employed.” quote by Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg) > ““In the preceding century, the philosopher al-Kindi had defined wisdom as the "the excellence of the (rational) power, the knowledge of the universals in their realities, and the employment (in action) of the realities that must be employed.”” [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wisdom is the highest rational power, knowing universal truths and applying them in action. **In simple terms:** Wisdom = rational power + knowledge + action. Key Takeaway Cultivate rational insight and act on it. Themes wisdom reason knowledge action Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic study - personal development - decision making - teaching Key Concepts philosophy epistemology practicality Questions to Reflect On - How do you apply universal truths in daily life? - What limits rational power without ethical guidance? A Different Perspective Wisdom alone doesn't guarantee ethical outcomes without moral reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Century Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century-philosopher-1487999/) [Defined Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined-wisdom-1487997/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Philosopher Al](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher-al-1488000/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-excellence-1487998/) ## Related quotes > [“Excellence in the mind is wisdom. Excellence in the heart is virtue. Excellence in the soul is love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/excellence-in-the-mind-is-wisdom-excellence-in-the-heart-is-virtue/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Wisdom: It's something that you know when you see it. You can recognize it, you can experience it. I have defined wisdom as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-salk/wisdom-it-s-something-that-you-know-when-you-see-it-you-can-recognize/) [Jonas Salk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-salk/) > [Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from concepts ; mathematical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from the construction of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophical-knowledge-is-the-knowledge-gained-by-reason-from/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“The range of our knowledge of reality is limited by our pre-existing beliefs, assumptions, and expectations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-sue-larson/the-range-of-our-knowledge-of-reality-is-limited-by-our-pre-existing/) [Cynthia Sue Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-sue-larson/) > [“The smell of the sweat is not sweet, but the fruit of the sweat is very sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/the-smell-of-the-sweat-is-not-sweet-but-the-fruit-of-the-sweat-is/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“O how incomprehensible everything was, and actually sad, although it was also beautiful. One knew nothing. One lived and ran about the earth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-hesse/o-how-incomprehensible-everything-was-and-actually-sad-although-it/) [Herman Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-hesse/) > [The fear of speculation, the ostensible rush from the theoretical to the practical, brings about the same shallowness in action that it does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-wilhelm-joseph-schelling/the-fear-of-speculation-the-ostensible-rush-from-the-theoretical-to/) [Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-wilhelm-joseph-schelling/) > [Take from the philosopher the pleasure of being heard and his desire for knowledge ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-from-the-philosopher-the-pleasure-of-being-heard-and-his-desire/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“No knowledge comes from the outside world or an imaginary supernatural paradise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/no-knowledge-comes-from-the-outside-world-or-an-imaginary/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sheinwald/the-definition-of-a-professional-is-one-who-does-a-job-well-even-when/) [Alan Sheinwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sheinwald/) > [“If it be knowledge or wisdom one is seeking, then one had better go direct to the source. And the source is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-it-be-knowledge-or-wisdom-one-is-seeking-then-one-had-better-go/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“In general, poor is polite and rich is rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-general-poor-is-polite-and-rich-is-rude/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) ## More by Franz Rosenthal > [“Ash-Shâfi i paid no attention to a slave girl given to him by friends who wants to sleep with him. Abû Hanîfah, asked about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/ash-sh-fi-i-paid-no-attention-to-a-slave-girl-given-to-him-by-friends/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“A book of the Indians (that is, Kalîlah wa-Dimnah) teaches that a scholar’s knowledge accompanies him and provides for him wherever he goes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/a-book-of-the-indians-that-is-kal-lah-wa-dimnah-teaches-that-a/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Its insistence upon “knowledge” has no doubt made medieval Muslim civi lization one of great scholarly and scientifi c productivity, and through it, Muslim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/its-insistence-upon-knowledge-has-no-doubt-made-medieval-muslim-civi/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Their concept of knowledge was eloquently expressed, for instance, by Muâdh b. Jabal (d. 18/639, one of the trusted lieutenants of the Prophet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/their-concept-of-knowledge-was-eloquently-expressed-for-instance-by/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“1. “Knowledge is an attribute (sifah) through which ignorance, doubt, or conjecturing is removed from him who is alive.”129”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/1-knowledge-is-an-attribute-sifah-through-which-ignorance-doubt-or/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Knowledge,” which for al-Qônawî is never very far from Sufi gnosis, is “an abstract universal reality,” or “a single universal reality.” In contrast to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/knowledge-which-for-al-q-naw-is-never-very-far-from-sufi-gnosis-is-an/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Al-Askarî gives examples of the high esteem shown to scholars and the important position in society they occupy, often in spite of their lowly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/al-askar-gives-examples-of-the-high-esteem-shown-to-scholars-and-the/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“The seekers after knowledge should, of course, not seek worldly knowledge and worldly gain but devote themselves to the denunciation of the world, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-seekers-after-knowledge-should-of-course-not-seek-worldly/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“A man remains knowing as long as he searches for knowledge and continues to study. When he thinks he knows, he has become ignorant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/a-man-remains-knowing-as-long-as-he-searches-for-knowledge-and/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“The intellect itself was unable to state who God was, until God anointed its eyes with the light of divine uniqueness, for, as al-Kalâbâdhî…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-intellect-itself-was-unable-to-state-who-god-was-until-god/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“In Arabic linguistic usage, we are told, the interpretation of “water” as knowledge is confirmed by the common fi gure of speech that calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-arabic-linguistic-usage-we-are-told-the-interpretation-of-water-as/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Knowledge without action is like a bow without a string.” A relationship as close as blood relationship must be established between knowledge and action.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/knowledge-without-action-is-like-a-bow-without-a-string-a/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Kings exercise control over people, and scholars exercise control over kings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/kings-exercise-control-over-people-and-scholars-exercise-control-over/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Your knowledge belongs to your spirit. Your wealth belongs to your body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/your-knowledge-belongs-to-your-spirit-your-wealth-belongs-to-your-body/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“When Jesus was hailed with the words, “Blessed be the womb that bore you,” he retorted, “Blessed be the one whom God taught His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/when-jesus-was-hailed-with-the-words-blessed-be-the-womb-that-bore/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) [Explore all 65 Franz Rosenthal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the preceding century, the philosopher al-Kindi had defined wisdom as the \"the excellence of the (rational) power, the knowledge of the universals in their realities, and the employment (in action) of the realities that must be employed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franz Rosenthal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher-al-kindi-had-defined-wisdom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Knowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher-al-kindi-had-defined-wisdom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher_2547310.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the preceding century, the philosopher al-Kindi had defined wisdom as the \"the excellence of the…” — Franz Rosenthal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Franz Rosenthal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In the preceding century, the philosopher...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher-al-kindi-had-defined-wisdom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-the-preceding-century-the-philosopher-al-kindi-had-defined-wisdom/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```