"Man is the Measure of All Things" as Heaven Laughs

Protagoras, an ancient Greek philosopher and sophist, is credited with having issued the statement, "Man is the measure of all things."  Interestingly, the term "sophist" was originally from the Greek word "sophos," meaning "wise man."  We have here one of the original Greek "wise men" declaring that man is the measuring rod of all of life.  This statement has been heralded ever since by those subscribing to the wisdom of man as preeminent in the universe.  Man's mind, will, and emotions, it is said by these, are the undisputed standards that all else is gauged by.  We see this and varying degrees of it throughout our society: from political thought to sociology to science, Protagoras' "wisdom" has many devotees.
Paul the apostle deals with this idea rather quickly in his second letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 1.12).  "For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you" (italics mine).  This idea of an inherent wisdom in man was not even new in the days of Protagoras.  Throughout the Old Testament we find instance after instance of the arrogance of man in the face of God; flaunting his ideas and self-fashioned superiority before an all-patient Father.  It is to this that Paul speaks to: "not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God...."  We find here a very subtle comparison created that we could easily miss: the "fleshly wisdom"of man with the grace of God.  What are we dealing with when we read "fleshly wisdom"?  The original Greek speaks to the mind or reasoning of the unrenewed human nature.  In other words, fleshly wisdom deals with the unrenewed man's mind, will, and emotions.  These facets of man are juxtaposed by the apostle with "grace of God."  Wouldn't it seem to make sense that "fleshly wisdom" would be set alongside "spiritual wisdom," or even "godly wisdom" rather than "the grace of God"?  As with every other element of God's Word, this comparison is not an accident or happenstance but is, in fact, calculated and extremely purposeful.  God's grace deals with a divine empowerment to make a person be or do what they could not do as a result of the hindrance of their human limitation.  Ouch.  "Man as the measure" becomes deficient by definition of God's grace.  Paul is detailing to us that the end of fleshly wisdom (the unrenewed mind, will, and emotions) is literally the beginning of God's grace (the divine empowerment to make a person be or do what they could not as a result of their human limitation).  And, yes!  When the fleshly wisdom would dictate something as impossible, God's grace speaks of greater possibilities.  When we are faced with dilemmas and circumstances that defy the powers of reason, ignore the voice of the mind, will, or emotions that would say all hope is lost.  Turn instead to the grace of God and find the empowerment for what is impossible.  In this, I'm not at all suggesting that we exhaust the capabilities of our human intellect before we turn to God's grace as our last resort.  Not at all.  Paul himself is setting these two concepts side-by-side for the purpose of showing the inadequacy of the one and the superfluity of the other.  God's desire is that our mind, will, and emotions (our souls) would become fully submitted to our spirit-man who lives in constant supply by His grace.  Man who is energized by the grace of God is a man whose life declares the insufficiency of his own corrupted abilities and the all-sufficiency of God's unending empowerment.  "Man is the measure"...ha ha.