Wisdom & Knowledge

china

Time Out
Jul 30, 2006
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Modern education, in developing the intellect, offers more and more theories and facts, without bringing about the understanding of the total process of human existence. We are highly intellectual; we have developed cunning minds, and are caught up in explanations. The intellect is satisfied with theories and explanations, but intelligence is not; and for the understanding of the total process of existence, there must be an integration of the mind and heart in action. Intelligence is not separate from love. We are not creators, for we have filled our hearts and minds with knowledge, information and arrogance; we are full of quotations from what others have thought or said. But experiencing comes first, not the way of experiencing. There must be love before there can be the expression of love. It is clear, then, that merely to cultivate the intellect, which is to develop capacity or knowledge, does not result in intelligence. There is a distinction between intellect and intelligence. Intellect is thought functioning independently of emotion, whereas, intelligence is the capacity to feel as well as to reason. Knowledge is not comparable with intelligence, knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not marketable, it is not a merchandise that can be bought with the price of learning or discipline. Wisdom cannot be found in books; it cannot be accumulated, memorized or stored up. Wisdom comes with the empying of the self. To have an open mind is more important than learning; and we can have an open mind, not by cramming it full of information, but by being aware of our own thoughts and feelings, by carefully observing ourselves and the influences about us, by listening to others, by watching the rich and the poor, the powerful and the lowly. Wisdom does not come through fear and oppression, but through the observation and understanding of everyday incidents in human relationship. Wisdom cannot be replaced by knowledge, and no amount of explanation, no accumulation of facts, will free man from suffering. Knowledge is necessary, science has its place; but if the mind and heart are suffocated by knowledge, and if the cause of suffering is explained away, life becomes vain and meaningless. This is what's happening to most of us. Our education is making us more and more shallow; it is not helping us to uncover the deeper layers of our being, and our lives are increasingly disharmonious and empty. Information, the knowledge of facts, though ever increasing , is by its very nature limited. Wisdom is infinite, it includes knowledge and the way of action; but we take hold of a branch and think it is the whole tree. Through the knowledge of the part, we can never realize the joy of the whole. Intellect can never lead to the whole, for it is only a segment, a part.
JK
The Space Cadet .
 

Percarus

New Member
Apr 21, 2013
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Interesting spiel... I too agree there are differences between intelligence and wisdom. I would like to go a step further to insinuate good natured tendencies (ie: Altruism, heart,sympathy) are characteristics that insinuate a high degree of wisdom – mainly becauseit necessitates a capacity to think from the third person perspective and beaware of the outside world, outside ourselves – mentally stimulating.

Sure, anyone can accrue a hefty education, memorize and read many books, and regurgitate much learned information – but this without thinking. Such individuals may be termed as ‘intelligent’, but here is the other IQ component that often goes untalked... And that is the fact of just being ‘smart’. Smartness is different than intelligence/knowledge as it is my belief that it is the capacity to utilize accrued information eloquently well... A person living it rough on the streets, in the dark zone, without ever reading a book, he/she may be extremely smart, that is they are adaptable given what they know. ‘Smart’ individuals utilize accrued lore very well, in stunning ways. Ideally one would want to be smart and intelligent (with knowledge) –such incumbents could change the world entirely. The problem with smart individuals is that they often get very lazy in expanding their lore, after all a minimalistic set of knowledge would see them through life very well.

I do not agree that wisdom is infinite in the human scope of sentience (mayhap if you think beyond). Wisdom, as a category, is very useful inorder to cope with one’s troubled emotional feelings – wisdom allows one to prioritize tasks and facets and I would have to say, although affecting most in the subconscious level, it is an analytical process. Wisdom is not easy to gain, and most only gain it with age given prolonged time. I see the acquiring of wisdom as a process which has to first sink and be digested by the individual, this usually given time. A born fool can spend nearly a lifetime trying to acquire wisdom, this by observing, analysing, and trying to systemize the process – and in the end he/she may be no closer to acquiring wisdom asthis necessitates sometimes a change of frame of mind – tolerance,impartiality, and the capability to conceive things sometimes outside ourimmediate reach. What I do believe is that sometimes intellect (intelligence/knowledge) may eventually lead to a good degree of wisdom if all lore is contemplated upon (being smart in this processwould greatly improve chances of being wise).

Modern education is vital for our conditioning process to any of the above, if devoid of any other mentors. It trains and conditions the mind for work, mental work, and it is in fact a good lubricating oil for the very aspect of sentience. But really, if you pursue these goals (intelligence/knowledge, wisdom, smartness) sometimes it is rational to truly ponder if attaining all those is really the best thing todo. Heard of the saying by Socrates along these lines; is it better to be a pig satisfied or a mentally developed sage dissatisfied? Socrates would pick the former, but certain things I have seen in life make me question such a choice to some extent. Sometimes we just have to be happy with what we got, and grateful for it too...
 
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darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
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RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
A couple of interesting essays the first says modern education obscures wisdom with too much choice the second says modern education is vital to the attainment of wisdom. I don't agree with either since both are to poorly written to be comprehensive. What the hell is " modern education"?
 

L Gilbert

Winterized
Nov 30, 2006
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50 acres in Kootenays BC
the-brights.net
If you have no knowledge, you sure as hell ain't gonna figure out what wisdom is, even if you have some.
I think someone got lost in Krishnamurti's backyard and is scooping pages out of one of his books to put here in order to appear intellectual and wise (the book being Education And The Significance Of Life. I've done a little reading in esoteric books myself).

"Space Cadet" is as appropriate a moniker as any, along with "thief" (of intellectual property).
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
41,035
201
63
RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Mine is thin walled stainless steal tubing specially designed to maintain the temperature higher than the less efficient and smoke condensing pipes built from thicker walled plumbing supplies. This TWSS delivers a much higher percentage of the product intact to the customers lungs avoiding condensates to a much higher degree for an overall better smoking experience. I don't know what the others use but I'm afraid it could be plastic.

Education cannot be more modern than breast feeding.

They are good essays, I was just kidding
 

Percarus

New Member
Apr 21, 2013
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Perth - Australia
Mine is thin walled stainless steal tubing specially designed to maintain the temperature higher than the less efficient and smoke condensing pipes built from thicker walled plumbing supplies. This TWSS delivers a much higher percentage of the product intact to the customers lungs avoiding condensates to a much higher degree for an overall better smoking experience. I don't know what the others use but I'm afraid it could be plastic.

Education cannot be more modern than breast feeding.

They are good essays, I was just kidding

Ok, I am not old enough for an armchair, in fact I am too poor to buy one. But yes, on the topic, I believe that knowledge and wisdom should be seen as separate. Wisdom is more complex and does not necessarily completely interact with knowledge - it is about fundamentals whereas knowledge is the other extreme (the details). I have a problem in accepting that knowledge is the key to all happiness, of course, eventually it may be to some, but think about it. If you knew everything in the world (or everything) early in life would it be worthwhile living without discovering new things? All in due time is best... Sure, one can live with ultimate knowledge but their derivation of happiness may be completely material and/or relying on senses.
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
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kelowna bc
Actually we are no smarter or intellectual or compassionate than any other group in civilization.
I say that because we have been provided with every avenue to pursue wisdom, intellect and
compassion and we have ignored it.
Be it a social debate or political debate or even a moral debate. Today we are polarized into
one group or another. Emotion is all there seems to be and our reaction to the emotion of what
some other group has done or said. What we think has often been at odds with what people
feel. Its part of the human condition.
Someone said fear does not provide wisdom and or intellect well no it provides an avenue to avoid
the obvious. We should work to neutralize what we fear, Oh sorry that would mean using wisdom and
confronting what we fear.
I think civilization stalled some time ago. Its not that we have too much choice its that we are so
into procrastination we do not use the choices we have. No we don't stone people to death or burn
them at the stake. Instead we deprive them of avenues for advancement or we seek to silence their
vote by publicly labelling them and degrading them. We are not less barbaric we have just made
our barbarism more palatable and civilized. Why stone someone to death if you can isolate them
and starve them to death by denying them opportunity.
If we were to get smart and actually think for ourselves there would be no end to trouble. Think about
it. If we really became more intelligent and employed wisdom. We would do a lot of things.
1 We would take off our political blinders and see that all the politicians have been playing us
2 We would demand that companies provide quality products with future value at a fair price.
3 We would ensure that people had an avenue to advance to their potential. It would socially
and economically benefit society in general
4 We would demand change in many areas of our lives including personal relationships.

It was what the sixties were supposed to be about but in the end everyone sold out got on with their
lives and succumbed to the same nonsense we are living with today which is not much better than the
days of yore, (couple of centuries ago)
Today we pretend we are smarter and we're not or we're the laziest people in history.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
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Vernon, B.C.
I'd say knowledge has to do with the cognizance of facts, where as wisdom has more to do with action or lack thereof given the facts. You know a guy is drunk, you know when he's drunk he's ugly- that's knowledge having that knowledge you know to steer clear of him..........that's wisdom.
 

gopher

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 26, 2005
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Minnesota: Gopher State
As a college freshman way back in the Dark Ages, the first essay I read in Professor KD Irani's class at City College was written by Alfred North Whitehead. In this 1929 writing he discussed how higher education fails in the modern era by merely teaching book knowledge when it should be imparting wisdom. I have never forgotten that valuable lesson. Perhaps that is why the book I have read most often is Santayana's The Last Puritan which is a book that deals with this important subject.


 

china

Time Out
Jul 30, 2006
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37
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Ottawa ,Canada
If you have no knowledge, you sure as hell ain't gonna figure out what wisdom is, even if you have some.
I think someone got lost in Krishnamurti's backyard and is scooping pages out of one of his books to put here in order to appear intellectual and wise (the book being Education And The Significance Of Life. I've done a little reading in esoteric books myself).

"Space Cadet" is as appropriate a moniker as any, along with "thief" (of intellectual property).

Hahahahahahaah ,"Is it you who is "trying to appear intellectual and wise" ? Which dictionary do you use ....?
 
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Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
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Nakusp, BC
Knowledge comes from books, wisdom comes from the experience of putting knowledge into action, from learning from one's mistakes and failures.
 

Angstrom

Hall of Fame Member
May 8, 2011
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The problem could be that with our huge safety net in place, we no longer learn to be wise because of the lack of consequences.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
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Vernon, B.C.
The problem could be that with our huge safety net in place, we no longer learn to be wise because of the lack of consequences.


You speak a lot of truth there. For many years I was against food banks because I thought they took the pressure off people to scrape and scramble a little harder. I've since softened my opinion as times are changing. A lot of people today, I think are just not raised with "the tools" to fend for themselves. We still have to face the fact that each year the demand on the food banks increases and it won't be many years before those drawing from the food bank will exceed the number of contributors. Then what are we going to do?