Esoteric,within.Exoteric,without. These terms are said to have been employed by the Pythagorians to the disciples of the school, according as they were, or were not, perfectly initiated.
Aristotle distinguishes between his exoteric and his acroamatic writings. Dean Blakesley argues that the latter were not distinguished from the former by containing anything more secret or mysterious. The difference between the two he contends was that between an occasional discussion and a systematic discourse.
The terms esoteric and exoteric are now, I think, always applied to doctrines and teaching, the elementary instruction suited to the beginner, the milk that is suited to babes, being exoteric, and the deeper wisdom the strong meat that is due to the advanced disciple being esoteric doctrine.
