Wisdom?

I really like the "love of wisdom" definition of philosophy. This definition always inspires the follow-up question: "What is wisdom?" I like Plato's definition of wisdom from the Republic: perception of goodness. This answer in turn inspires the further question: "What is goodness?" In the Republic, Socrates says he cannot answer this question directly, but must do so indirectly, via analogies. This is the very famous passage where he then describes the analogies of the sun, the line, and the cave.It is the analogy of the sun that provides what I regard as the clearest answer to the question of goodness (and hence, wisdom). The sun here represents goodness itself, shining down like light on everything. Ordinary knowledge (perhaps basic factual knowledge) is just to perceive what is illuminated by light. But wisdom adds awareness of the play of light and color.Wisdom is to know not just the factual nature of things, but also to be aware of the play of values over all that we know. Value shines upon everything like light. What gets illuminated? What gets cast into shadow? What colors are brought out by which kinds of values, in what ways?

Plato was right: it is like a light that shines down so ever-presently that we take it for granted. It makes things visible, and yet itself largely remains "invisible." We mostly tend not to turn our attention to the light itself or pay attention to how it informs and colors our vision of other things.