Philosophy Now Forum

It is often said that too much of anything is a bad thing. I do not believe this to be true. I do not see how there can bee too much wisdom. I do not see how there can be too much goodness. I do not see how there can be too much knowledge.

Certainly there are things for which this is true. We see this for example with food. Food is a good thing, but if you have too much of it you have problems. There are many other things with which this is the case.

Of what things can there be too much, and of what things nothing is too much? That is the real question that we should be asking. Once again, there are some things of which nothing is too much, and there are other things of which something is too much.

So we have some people advocating balance in all things. I ask, can there be too much balance? Is it possible for balancing to be too much? Does the same logic that applies to all other things apply to balance too?

Some things should be done in moderation. Others should be done to the fullest extent. We see the first with things such as food; we see the second with things such as wisdom. There are some things of which there can be too much. There are other things of which nothing is too much.

It is therefore necessary to understand to which category something belongs and deal with it accordingly.

ibshambat wrote: ↑Sun Nov 30, 2025 11:57 pm It is often said that too much of anything is a bad thing. I do not believe this to be true. I do not see how there can bee too much wisdom. I do not see how there can be too much goodness. I do not see how there can be too much knowledge.

I am not positive that we could accurately measure a quantity of wisdom to be honest.

FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:58 pm

ibshambat wrote: ↑Sun Nov 30, 2025 11:57 pm It is often said that too much of anything is a bad thing. I do not believe this to be true. I do not see how there can bee too much wisdom. I do not see how there can be too much goodness. I do not see how there can be too much knowledge.

I am not positive that we could accurately measure a quantity of wisdom to be honest.

Maybe measure how many wise answers one gives to a series of questions. 100 out of 100 would be better than 99 out of 100.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 2:03 pm

FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:58 pm

ibshambat wrote: ↑Sun Nov 30, 2025 11:57 pm It is often said that too much of anything is a bad thing. I do not believe this to be true. I do not see how there can bee too much wisdom. I do not see how there can be too much goodness. I do not see how there can be too much knowledge.

I am not positive that we could accurately measure a quantity of wisdom to be honest.

Maybe measure how many wise answers one gives to a series of questions. 100 out of 100 would be 100% wise.

Interesting idea. Aside from idioms about too much of a good thing, this raises the prospect of testing how many rats arses and flying fucks people are actually willing to give.

FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 2:06 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 2:03 pm

FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:58 pm
I am not positive that we could accurately measure a quantity of wisdom to be honest.

Maybe measure how many wise answers one gives to a series of questions. 100 out of 100 would be 100% wise.

Interesting idea. Aside from idioms about too much of a good thing, this raises the prospect of testing how many rats arses and flying fucks people are actually willing to give.

without balance, the tightrope walker discovers free fall

-Imp

FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 2:06 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 2:03 pm

FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:58 pm
I am not positive that we could accurately measure a quantity of wisdom to be honest.

Maybe measure how many wise answers one gives to a series of questions. 100 out of 100 would be 100% wise.

Interesting idea. Aside from idioms about too much of a good thing, this raises the prospect of testing how many rats arses and flying fucks people are actually willing to give.

empty fortune cookies don't taste as good

-Imp

Too much of any thing is a bad thing by definition. If it wasn't bad, it wouldn't be "too mich".

ibshambat wrote: ↑Sun Nov 30, 2025 11:57 pm It is often said that too much of anything is a bad thing. I do not believe this to be true. I do not see how there can bee too much wisdom. I do not see how there can be too much goodness. I do not see how there can be too much knowledge.

Let's look at knowledge. I think one could have too much knowledge. We know this is true in the short term around decisions. There are even studies of this. If you have too much knowledge (data, information, facts, statistics...) before making a decision you actually make worse decisions. This is often called information overload. But then the OP on this issue, is very abstract. What does this mean in lived practical terms? What does should be done to the fullest extent mean in day to day life, a specific life? Constantly gathering knowledge would lead to an impoverished life. Where's the time for relaxing, social interactions that do not produce 'knowledge''? Time to play?

Wisdom is certainly tricky? But chasing wisdom all the time leads to problems, despite my thinking that my thinking above is wisdom about chasing knowledge to the fullest extent? Might be better to spend a lot of time in the gnarly, cognitive dissonant, earthy pulp of experience and leave wisdom gathering to something more now and then.

Of course doing knowledge and balance and wisdom will have overlaps but how could one possible do all three to the fullest extent?

Where have you been, dude?