Final answer:
The earliest setting for the wisdom tradition likely includes sage figures found in ancient Africa and Egypt, who contributed to early philosophical thought alongside those from ancient Greece and China.
Step-by-step explanation:
Earliest Setting for Wisdom Tradition
The earliest setting for the wisdom tradition likely involved the sage, a mediator between the everyday world and transcendent realms, and an important precursor to philosophy. Ancient Africa, as detailed by Henry Odera Oruka, is one such setting, where oral traditions and the complex philosophical ideas of tribal folk sages formed a significant part of the wisdom tradition. Similarly, the development of writing systems like ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics facilitated the transition from mythos to logos, laying the groundwork for recorded philosophical thought.
In ancient Greece, individuals known as sages, such as Thales of Miletus who studied with Egyptian priests, helped to pave the way for the emergence of philosophical thought through their contributions to mathematics, astronomy, and abstract reasoning. The traditional Chinese philosophical thought that emerged during the Spring and Autumn period also reflected the role of sages as both rulers and innovators. Throughout these cultures, sages articulated the received wisdom of their tradition while seeking a rational justification for their beliefs, indicative of an evolution towards more structured philosophical inquiry.