Source: p 3, A Little History of Philosophy (2011 ed; but Reprint ed, 2012 extant) by PhD in Philosophy (Cambridge)
[...] ‘How can I be the wisest man in Athens when I know so little?’ he [Socrates] wondered. He devoted years to questioning people to see if anyone was wiser than he was. Finally he realized what the oracle had meant and that she had been right. [1.] Lots of people were good at the various things they did – carpenters were good at carpentry, and soldiers knew about fighting. [2.] But none of them were truly wise. [3.] They didn’t really know what they were talking about.
- I do not comprehend 2 and 3. How can one master something without wisdom or knowledge of what one says?
About 1, I can understand the argument that carpentry does not smarten someone because it does not teach one how to think (eg, unlike a philosopher who will have studied Informal Fallacies).
- But how do 2 and 3 apply to soldiers? Even after receiving orders, low-ranking commissioned (e.g. 1st or 2nd Lieutenants) and non-commissioned officers (e.g. Sergeants) must still think and reason for themselves?