Virtue: Wisdom
Aug. 8th, 2006 07:20 pm![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asthefiretreeYou know, it's at times like this when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young! –Arthur Dent, Mostly Harmless
I had no idea how to write about wisdom, and the more I thought about it the more complicated it became. And then, looking over a couple of dictionary definitions it was suddenly very simple: wisdom is knowledge that cannot be gained through intellectual learning. Wisdom is the knowledge of experience. It is not a textbook that teaches us how to deal with difficult situations in life. Sure, some subjects may be helpful, such as psychology or logic, but in the end, they’re not going to tell you the best way to handle a difficult relationship or deal with a personal crisis.
Wisdom is not an inherent quality. It is something that we acquire with time and experience. When faced with a difficult choice, one might jump in blind and go with the first idea that comes to mind, or use the knowledge of previous experience to make a more sound choice. However not all wisdom must be learned firsthand- it is basic wisdom that teaches us not to put our hand on a hot stove burner however one need not have experienced a third degree burn to know the danger posed by the red-hot coils.
I had no idea how to write about wisdom, and the more I thought about it the more complicated it became. And then, looking over a couple of dictionary definitions it was suddenly very simple: wisdom is knowledge that cannot be gained through intellectual learning. Wisdom is the knowledge of experience. It is not a textbook that teaches us how to deal with difficult situations in life. Sure, some subjects may be helpful, such as psychology or logic, but in the end, they’re not going to tell you the best way to handle a difficult relationship or deal with a personal crisis.
Wisdom is not an inherent quality. It is something that we acquire with time and experience. When faced with a difficult choice, one might jump in blind and go with the first idea that comes to mind, or use the knowledge of previous experience to make a more sound choice. However not all wisdom must be learned firsthand- it is basic wisdom that teaches us not to put our hand on a hot stove burner however one need not have experienced a third degree burn to know the danger posed by the red-hot coils.
