The pair of concepts "to possess" and "to use" describes the relationship of humans to the world. Those who use it wisely have power over it, demonstrating superiority and inner independence. Rainer Nickel traces the long-standing experience that one only truly possesses something when it is used wisely. The investigation starts from the earliest Greek sources where this pair of concepts plays a role. Important textual witnesses primarily include the writings of sophistic rhetoric from the fifth century BCE and the speeches of Isocrates. Alongside the pseudo-Platonic dialogues Eryxias and Kleitophon, Xenophon's Oikonomikos reveals new aspects. In several dialogues, Plato has his Socrates argue with this pair of concepts. On this basis, Aristotle develops his conception of possibility and reality.