What is Wisdom?

[Revan]

There has been a thread on evil, and what that is... so you'll probably have a feel of what type of discussion this is.

Simple question... what is wisdom? And what do you consider wisdom to be? Is there infact no such thing as wisdom?

Often, what one considers wise, another considers foolish.

Another Moral question to ask yourself... can wisdom be used for bad? I mean wisdom is often considered using knowledge... what if that knowledge is what you consider bad? Like using the art of manipulating people to gain power... that is wise in it's own way... wisdom in knowing how to push people, and using that in a way you might consider positive.

So what is wisdom? Do you know any truly wise people?

[[Syl]]

Good topic, Revan.

IMO, wisdom is the ability to retain, sort, and prioritize information.

[High Lord Tolkien]

Wisdom is knowing how little you know.

[Prom_STar]

Wisdom is knowing what is right and doing it.

"Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." -- Proverbs 1:7

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." -- James 1:5

Sorry if I offend (or disappoint) anyone by inserting "religion" into this thread--but that's what I believe, so there it is.

[Avatar]

Interesting topic indeed Darth, and a question that has always intrigued me I must say. As much as I like Syl's suggestion, it just doesn't seem enough to me.

It's also making the appropriate decision at the right time at the very least, (although that may come under prioritisation).

Neither dissappointed or offended Prom_Star. This is the Close afterall. At first I read that second quote as saying that part of wisdom is to give generously and without reproach, but I realise that it is not saying that at all, it's saying that god will grant you wisdom if you ask. It doesn't say what wisdom is.

Even the first, (which of course I strongly disagree with ), doesn't say what wisdom is. It says that the beginning of wisdom is fear of god, and that makes sense, because it certainly seems wise to fear a being who can condemn you to an eternity of torment, so we can extrapolate that what it means really is that you should fear those in authority. Certainly a message that is to the advantage of those in authority.

But as I pointed out, it still doesn't say what wisdom is.

Whatever it is, (and it's different from simple knowledge), I suspect that people who claim it don't have it, and people who have it don't think that they do.

--A

[Prebe]

I agree to some extent with Syl's suggestion, even if it is more what I would term "intelligence"(my D&D past might interfere here).

HLT's got a good point. I would definitely consider it an important part of wisdom to know your own limitations.

My bid is (SYL’s slightly rehashed) that wisdom is defined by the amount of success you are able to gain by using your accumulated knowledge and intelligence.

By using "success" as a criteria of course wisdom becomes subjective, I don't think there is an objective definition.

So, in a world without consequence you could be intelligent, but there would be no wisdom.