Since philosophy is literally the love of wisdom, I am curious about your definitions of wisdom.
Something that you get by aging?
A mass of knowledge?
Truths passed through the ages?
Peace of mind?
Metaphysical surety?
etc…
or
[size=150]What?[/size]
knowledge + experience
Here’s some info. from the all-mighty dictionary.com:
Wisdom
n 1: accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment 2: the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight [syn: wiseness] [ant: folly] 3: ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight [syn: sapience]
\Wis"dom\ (-d[u^]m), n. [AS. w[imac]sd[=o]m. See Wise, a., and -dom.] 1. The quality of being wise; knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it; knowledge of the best ends and the best means; discernment and judgment; discretion; sagacity; skill; dexterity.
Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have ofttimes no connection. Knowledge dwells In heads replete with thoughts of other men; Wisdom, in minds attentive to their own. Knowledge, a rude, unprofitable mass, The mere materials with which wisdom builds, Till smoothed, and squared, and fitted to its place, Does but encumber whom it seems to enrich. Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more. --Cowper.
Wisdom has been defined to be "the use of the best means for attaining the best ends.‘’
"We conceive,‘’ says Whewell, "prudence as the virtue by which we select right means for given ends, while wisdom implies the selection of right ends as well as of right means.‘’ Hence, wisdom implies the union of high mental and moral excellence.
-Union of high mental and moral excellence
-Selection of right ends as well as of right means
-Knowledge and the capacity to make due use of it
-Utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight
-Enlightenment
etc…
So, by these definitions…
Wouldn’t the best philosophy be that which can be put into practice, rather than certain depreciating philosophies that only amount to confusion or a state of non-action?
I guess what I’m getting at is this:
When is philosophy (the love of and pursuit after wisdom) in full bloom? Is it not simply when it has been put into action? Should one put their limited philosophy into action and go throught the inevitable trial and error, or should one concentrate on allocating all the appropriate knowledge and then, only then, put it into action?
By action, I mean deeds of virtue for things outside of yourself.
Or should we be selfish until we feel strong enough to attempt these deeds?
And, if we go about this focus and sharpening of self, when will we know that we are ready to engage the many problematic environments that we live in?
Intelligence is the ability to solve problems.
Wisdom is the ability to live your life in a way that you will avoid problems.
In other words: Intelligence is a short-time strategy to get yourself out of trouble. Wisdom is a long-time strategy to keep yourself out of trouble.
hi,
this is my first post after just discovering this brilliant site.
Knowledge is simply information that you aquire and store. Wisdom is the process of acting or thinking using the knowledge you aquire.
Wisdom is also something that is good, and wise decisions have a just and moral reasoning behing them.
I think that wisdom is more than just a device to avoid trouble in the long term. True wisdom is the use of knowledge of what is moral and just and then taking actions in a pro-active way to either change or create something.
In my opinion wisdom is gained by facing pain. Enlightenment is gained by gaining wisdom. Only by being enlightened can we ever really know anything.
Life is pain. we either face it (which makes us human) or we revert to our animal side (which is built into us as a survival mechanism) and run from pain. Only by facing pain can you “grow”.
Wisdom is knowing how to handle yourself.
Curiousity…