Tolstoy, after Rousseau, on Knowledge and Wisdom

“Real wisdom is not the knowledge of everything, but the knowledge of which things in life are necessary, which are less necessary, and which are completely unnecessary to know. Among the most necessary knowledge is the knowledge of how to live well, that is, how to produce the least possible evil and the greatest goodness in one’s life. At present, people study useless sciences, but forget to study this, the most important knowledge.”

The Lightning Path

A talented man I know works with wood. While taking care of his dogs one night, I saw this board he had recently cut from a tree that had been struck by lightning. Isn't it fascinating how the bolt was captured in the wood?


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