What is wisdom?

[duszek]

Let me look at some examples and try to decide whether it is wisdom and why.

A diplomat says half-lies (he omits parts of truth) and thus achieves a ceasefire and saves lives of many innocent people without any possibility to decide for themselves and who would otherwise probably die.

Can such line of conduct be considered wise ?
Socrates and Jesus would probably agree but I am not sure of course.

[Jaded Sage]

Let me look at some examples and try to decide whether it is wisdom and why.

A diplomat says half-lies (he omits parts of truth) and thus achieves a ceasefire and saves lives of many innocent people without any possibility to decide for themselves and who would otherwise probably die.

Can such line of conduct be considered wise ?
Socrates and Jesus would probably agree but I am not sure of course.

That's clever, not wise.

[thedoc]

Let me look at some examples and try to decide whether it is wisdom and why.

A diplomat says half-lies (he omits parts of truth) and thus achieves a ceasefire and saves lives of many innocent people without any possibility to decide for themselves and who would otherwise probably die.

Can such line of conduct be considered wise ?
Socrates and Jesus would probably agree but I am not sure of course.

That's clever, not wise.

Are being clever and being wise, mutually exclusive?

[Jaded Sage]

No, but they're not the same thing. You just confused one with the other.

[duszek]

How about the decision of king Salomon who said let´s cut the baby in two and give each woman half of it.
The true mother preferred to give the whole baby to the other woman.

Was the decision wise or clever ?

[Jaded Sage]

How about the decision of king Salomon who said let´s cut the baby in two and give each woman half of it.
The true mother preferred to give the whole baby to the other woman.

Was the decision wise or clever ?

A wise man being clever.

[duszek]

How about the decision of king Salomon who said let´s cut the baby in two and give each woman half of it.
The true mother preferred to give the whole baby to the other woman.

Was the decision wise or clever ?

A wise man being clever.

So what he did was clever. He acted like a gifted policeman or like Sherlock Holmes.

But how do you know that he was also wise ? Where do you see wisdom ?

[duszek]

How about the decision of king Salomon who said let´s cut the baby in two and give each woman half of it.
The true mother preferred to give the whole baby to the other woman.

Was the decision wise or clever ?

A wise man being clever.

Your answer sounds clever.
But is it also wise ?

[Jaded Sage]

How about the decision of king Salomon who said let´s cut the baby in two and give each woman half of it.
The true mother preferred to give the whole baby to the other woman.

Was the decision wise or clever ?

A wise man being clever.

So what he did was clever. He acted like a gifted policeman or like Sherlock Holmes.

But how do you know that he was also wise ? Where do you see wisdom ?

The Book says he received a double portion of wisdom.

[Jaded Sage]

How about the decision of king Salomon who said let´s cut the baby in two and give each woman half of it.
The true mother preferred to give the whole baby to the other woman.

Was the decision wise or clever ?

A wise man being clever.

Your answer sounds clever.
But is it also wise ?

I wouldn't call my answers clever. Maybe discerning. No they aren't wise, just matter of fact.

[duszek]

So Salomon´s decision only displays cleverness but not wisdom.
That he was wise we assume because the Book says so.

Have you ever met or read about some action that you thought wise and not just clever ?

[duszek]

Your answer was not merely stating a fact, here you are too modest, JS.

Your answer required analytical thinking.

I wonder what premises you used to come to the conclusion that you have produced.

These premises contain the elements of your personal definition of wisdom and cleverness.

[Jaded Sage]

So Salomon´s decision only displays cleverness but not wisdom.
That he was wise we assume because the Book says so.

Have you ever met or read about some action that you thought wise and not just clever ?

Well, we assume existed at all because the Book says so, don't we.

Yes, I have. But with this new insight into wisdom, only one, which is impossible to share without accidentally misconstruing it.

[Jaded Sage]

Your answer was not merely stating a fact, here you are too modest, JS.

Your answer required analytical thinking.

I wonder what premises you used to come to the conclusion that you have produced.

These premises contain the elements of your personal definition of wisdom and cleverness.

I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'll be unable to help you with that.

[Gary Childress]

What is wisdom?

I have no idea. Wish I knew. Socrates speculated that he must have been wise (according to the oracle of Delphi) because he knew what he did not know and did not pretend to know things he did not. I don't think I even know what I don't know. And I pretend to know when I don't. It's a nasty habit.

A philosopher is supposed to be a "lover of wisdom". I find it sort of difficult to love anything or anyone. Without some sort of love the world seems like a pretty dreary place. I've had many unrequited loves in life. I could name off some of their names; Laurie, Candice, Marcy, Jennifer. It seems like wisdom has been an unrequited love as well...