Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Evolution is a continuous process, and it is not just a physical one. In fact, it probably applies more to the mind than to body. This is nowhere more evident and obvious than in human philosophy, which has been a work in progress for thousands of years. However, this does not necessarily mean that the philosophers of today are more learned than those of, say, half a century ago. In fact, a major part of our wisdom is derived from philosophers who inhabited the planet a long, long time ago.
These philosophers and sages were men and women of great intellect. They answered some of the most complex questions about human psyche, human society and whatnot. Their teachings either keep guiding mankind even to date, or serve as the basis for the enrichment of our reservoir of knowledge. In a way, their wisdom has made them immortal; they are present among us through their lofty thoughts. They may have died, but their legacy lives on.
However, some modern men are plagued by a tendency to keep raising the same questions over and over again, unmindful of the fact that these questions had already been answered centuries ago. With nothing further to contribute to man’s wisdom, these men revel more in asking questions than in seeking answers. In their case, questions are generally not motivated by man’s inherent inquisitiveness, but by a desire to argue for the sake of arguing. They like to label this as their curiosity, sugarcoating it with embellished talk and hollow ideals. However, their questions invariably end up giving away their lack of knowledge. It was for such men that noted German poet and statesman, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, had once said: ‘Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago.’