What is Wisdom?
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” ~Albert Einstein
What is it about the massive gathering of information that makes a person think that they are wise?
Is there more to learning than the gathering of data and memorization of facts?
Where does critical thinking fit in as an infinite process of trying to understand?
What is it that we are trying to accomplish through this understanding?
According to Russell Ackoff a system theorist and professor of organizational change, there is a hierarchy of content in the human mind.
David Moursund mentioned “Data, information, knowledge, and wisdom form a scale, although a rather peculiar scale. The points on the scale are not closely related even though they are often talked about at the same time.
Generally I would hesitate to try to convey a thought merely through definition. I would however like to point out a few key definitions explaining the parts of our thinking system.
Data: Factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.
Information: Data that are processed to be useful; provides answers to “who”, “what”, “where”, and “when” questions.
Knowledge: Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
Understanding: To understand something is to have conceptualized it to a given measure.
Wisdom: Ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding.
Robert J Sternberg said “I define wisdom as the application of intelligence and experience toward the attainment of a common good. This attainment involves a balance among (a) intrapersonal (one’s own), (b) interpersonal (other people’s), and (c) extrapersonal (more than personal, such as institutional) interests, over the short and long terms. Thus, wise people look out not just for themselves, but for all toward whom they have any responsibility.”
My argument is that the gathering of information and memorizing facts is not only not the entire process of learning but merely a first step to true understanding and wisdom.
Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting. ~Edmund Burke
The first step past the culmination of information is introspective thinking. Reflection on ones self. Desire to improve or make a conscious effort to obtain ones best self.
He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave. ~William Drummond
If one does not perform this type of process, that of critical and introspective reasoning in daily life they are merely a slave to their surroundings. How can we be otherwise when there is no desire to understand and improve based on our understanding?
The step past that of desire to change is to realize that there are parts of oneself that our knowledge and understanding can be applied to.
These parts are as follows:
Mental
Emotional
Physical
Spiritual
Social
Financial
We realize that the application of our thoughts and knowledge can be applied to each of these different parts.
Many of the different organizations and religions throughout the history of time have sought to enlighten oneself through the ability to learn and apply our knowledge to each of these areas. Please let me point out a few of these groups.
Bushido (The way of the samurai)
As Inazo Nitobe defines it: Bushido means literally the military-knight ways – the ways which fighting nobles should observe in their daily life as well as in their vocation; in a word, the precepts of knighthood.
What characterized the samurai and supported their action and knowledge of right and wrong is what we now popularly call the bushido code or the seven virtues of bushido. Some of the virtues are inspired by the teachings of Confucius and Mencius.
Te seven virtues of bushido briefly stated are:
1. GI – Right Action, Duty
do the right thing.
2. YUUKI – Courage
brave, courageous energy.
3. JIN - Benevolence
the benevolence that unites each human being to the other.
4. REI – Politeness or Morality
to have politeness, respect shown in social behavior.
5. MAKOTO – Truthfulness
to follow truly the Law of the Universe.
6. MEIYO – Honor
to enjoy a good reputation, honor.
7. CHUUGI – Loyalty
to act faithfully, to be loyal.
Zen Buddhism
Based on a single, esoteric idea: all humans have a Buddha nature inside them and to realize this nature all a human being has to do is search his or her inner self. The key to Buddhahood in Zen is simply self-knowledge. The way to gain self-knowledge is through meditation (which is what the word “zen” means). Now, “meditation” is one of the cornerstones of Buddhism, where, under the name dhyana , it forms the final and most important aspect of gaining enlightenment. But Zen (in Chinese, Ch’an ) or Meditation Buddhism granted meditation an exclusive importance not ascribed to it in other Buddhist schools. Meditation, which was a means to an end in other Buddhist schools, became the end in itself in Zen: meditation was Truth realized in action. As a result, Zen readily dispenses with the Buddhist scriptures and philosophical discussion in favor of a more intuitive and individual approach to enlightenment. Meditation, however, is a strict religious discipline: the mind must be made sharp and attentive in order to intuit from itself the Truth of Buddhahood. Part of this discipline involves waking up the mind of the disciple, making it aware of the things around it.
Christianity
The Christian life involves a number of different aspects. Among the key ones are
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Fellowship with God
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Our relationships with others
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Obedience to God’s commands
- Discipline
Christianity is about personal relationships: with God and with others. When Jesus was asked to summarize his religion, he said that it was loving God and our neighbor. Everything else is a means to that end. One of the most important terms for Christians is “fellowship”. This term covers our life together as Christians. This means first of all that we spend time together, in worship, educational activities, service to others, and just having fun. In addition to their primary goal, these activities help us get to know each other, and to develop into a community. The Bible refers to the Christian community using organic metaphors, such as a vine and a body. It talks about us sharing with each other and supporting each other.
The true test of wisdom is the ability we have to implement that which we have learned. In looking at the former positions we start to learn that the object of esoteric thought is to gain self understanding and the ability to apply all that we learn. We can understand why our object will always be self improvement and self mastery.
One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand on the battlefield. ~Buddha
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. ~Lau-tzu
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. ~Lau-tzu
