Introduction
Wisdom has been prized by human beings for eons, since wisdom is the kind of refined knowledge that leads, when heeded, to better life outcomes, both for the individual and for the group (Allen, 2008; Baltes & Smith, 2008; Miller, 1986). The wise person also serves as a model for others of attitudes and a chosen way of life that leads to wisdom. Of course, wise counsel is often ignored or discounted, in any given circumstance, by those who see short-term disadvantage for themselves in following it, and wisdom is often ignored or attacked if it challenges the societal status quo and “the prevailing wisdom,” which so often is not wise at all.
Philosophy (classically, the pursuit of wisdom) was the cognitive instrument for finding or achieving wisdom for millennia, but religions took precedence for a time, claiming to have the authority to establish truth and wisdom according to beliefs. The Enlightenment brought philosophical thought back into prominence, but science has...
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References
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Online Resources
The Defining Wisdom Project of the University of Chicago. www.wisdomresearch.org
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Ebbe, C. (2014). Wisdom, Overview. In: Teo, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5583-7_479
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