What Is Wisdom

What Is Wisdom

Wisdom is the ability of an understanding to recognize good and evil, it is not knowledge. Knowledge is the recognition of cause and effect, which is independent of good or evil. Realizing that a man will die if he has his head removed is knowledge, deciding if a particular decapitation is an accident, a crime or the upholding of justice, is wisdom

The Crucial Difference between Wisdom and Knowledge

It is experience which dictates our understanding of cause and effect—knowledge; which makes it the concern of investigation and discovery: the realm of science. But it is morality, the fixed foundation of understanding, which dictates our understanding of meaning—right and wrong: the realm of religion. This is why the recognition of sin is constant and the claims of Revelations endure, while scientific theories vary in the light of new discoveries. Although scientific advancements may obscure the truth and require refinement in religion teachings, such changes are only to the interpretation of, not changes to, the axioms of morality

Limitations Of Wisdom
The greater the experience, the more extensive the lessons and the better the decisions must become. Hence the older an understanding the larger the experience to draw upon and the wiser the decisions that will result, subject to some crucial limitations

Not Absolute Different understandings—different founding values — form different, and often incompatible, beliefs (wisdom). What is wise to one community may be foolish to another. So while knowledge is universal, wisdom is specific to a community.

Subject To Senility The chance of dementia, which is loss of the ability to think clearly, increases with age. When an understanding becomes senile its decisions are corrupted by dementia making them valueless, and communities as well as individuals are afflicted by this disease.

Constantly Needs Refining The world constantly changes so that previous decisions must be regularly modified in the light of new experience. The communal response is traditionally via the law, which in our community is through common law. Particular instances are put to the courts for them to rule, and so continually refine the existing communal wisdom.

Needs a Sane Understanding Wisdom can only be accumulated if the understanding is sane, for an understanding can be sane or insane.

Two Kinds Of Understanding
Essentially there are two kinds of human understanding depending upon the initial basis of the understanding. An individual can either be selfish or unselfish as taught by the early experiences of infancy. For this will determine if they can master their instincts to gain a clear understanding—be sane; or permanently be the servant of their emotions and be restrained only by convenience—be insane. Hence

Two Kinds Of Understanding
Unselfish (Sane	Selfish (Insane)
Others are more important than self `	Nothing is more important than self
Self-Restraint Inspired by the needs of others for their dignity, peace, property, and lives	Self-Restraint Enforced only by convenience—the reaction of others
Truth Essential for self-restraint to recognize when it is needed. This imposes a constraint on the impact of fear and fancy upon observation, and enforces a sober view of events.	Truth Irrelevant convenience dictates all restraints, and without this private sense of restraint observations become readily distorted by the influence of fear and fancy
Clear Right And Wrong While the individual may fail to always do right, the result will be private feelings of guilt and shame; a knowledge of doing wrong	No Right And Wrong just good and bad results for self. Shame and guilt only exist in the pleas of individuals discovered in crime.
Competent Armed with truth, inspired by duty, and powered by resolve realizes pursuit of achievements regardless of private sacrifice.	Incompetent Indifference to truth, irresolute and uninspired, prevents any worthwhile achievement except in boasts or excuses