Could the lower knowledge not be possessed without dialectics or
wisdom? They would, at least, be imperfect and mutilated. On the other
hand, though the dialectician, that is, the true sage, no longer
need these inferior things, he never would have become such without
them; they must precede, and they increase with the progress made in
dialectics. Virtues are in the same case. The possessor of natural
virtues may, with the assistance of wisdom, rise to perfect virtues.
Wisdom, therefore, only follows natural virtues. Then wisdom perfects
the morals. Rather, the already existing natural virtues increase and
grow perfect along with wisdom. Whichever of these two things precedes,
complements the other. Natural virtues, however, yield only imperfect
views and morals; and the best way to perfect them, is philosophic
knowledge of the principles from which they depend.