![]() ![]() Many people agree that wisdom is at least partially a product of life experience. There’s no standard or quick way for a person to develop wisdom, but there are a few principles that seekers of this characteristic may consider incorporating into their lives. While some people may have a more innate sense of or ability to develop wisdom, most people can increase their levels of most any trait-including this one. It typically comes from a place of deep understanding and humanity and involves a careful consideration of all factors and parties involved in a particular choice. Instead, it’s a type of accumulated knowledge that’s usually applied with a sense of empathy, ethics, and compassion. It’s more than just knowledge, intelligence, or practicality, which may lead one to make a choice that neglects important elements or stakeholders. Wisdom is generally considered to be a desirable quality because it can result in decisions that benefit the individual and those around them. While wise decisions are typically prudent, prudent decisions may not always be wise because sometimes, taking a risk is actually the wisest option. Similar to caution, prudence can be viewed as a deeply practical trait. Prudence is “the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason”, “skill and good judgment in the use of resources”, or “caution or circumspection as to danger or risk”. Having good judgment can be seen as synonymous with being wise, so these two words may sometimes be used interchangeably. Wisdom and judgment are inherently related since the original definition of wisdom shared above is “the ability to make sound judgments”. Judgment is “the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing”. Intelligence can be viewed as the capacity for gaining knowledge, which-as outlined above-is not fundamentally synonymous with wisdom. Intelligence may contribute to wisdom but is not the same on its own. Intelligence is “the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations”. Many view these two concepts as related, because wisdom may be a characteristic that helps a person develop a strong sense of foresight. Foresight means looking ahead to see potential outcomes of a situation or decision and acting accordingly to promote positive ones. A parent with both experience and wisdom, then, might be able to make decisions in which they apply their experience in an objective manner to make the best possible choice.įoresight is “provident care or prudence”. For example, the average parent would have experience in raising children that someone who is not a parent would be unlikely to have, meaning they could typically make more informed decisions about childcare. In other words, it’s related to specific life events. ExperienceĮxperience is “practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events or in a particular activity”. It’s based on the concept of how the average, observant person might act in a given, ordinary situation. However, common sense, as its name implies, doesn’t generally require specific knowledge, experience, training, or any kind of elevated perspective to obtain. Like wisdom, it’s typically tied to an accurate and logical assessment of the situation at hand. Common SenseĬommon sense is “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts”. Other times, however, the wise choice involves taking a calculated risk and preparing for the possibility that it may or may not turn out the way you hope. Acting with caution may represent the wisest choice in a certain situation for example, sometimes it may be best to act cautiously to avoid danger, failure, or harm. CautionĬaution is “prudent forethought to minimize risk”. Some may consider this to be a specific, practical form of wisdom. This term is commonly used in relation to business, as business acumen means that you’re able to quickly assess a business situation and notice where opportunities or challenges may exist. It means being able to quickly pick up on different elements of your environment. AcumenĪcumen is “keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination, especially in practical matters”. Quoted definitions were taken from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Some are more closely related than others read on to learn more. Below is a selection of concepts that people often confuse with wisdom. Understanding what wisdom is not can be helpful in understanding what it is. ![]() Knowledge, on the other hand, can be fairly passively obtained simply by reading or listening, and may or may not be practically applied. One might argue, then, that wisdom must be acquired by living and applied with some level of intentionality.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |