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Debate: Getting wisdom

By: The OpenLearn team (The Open University)
Posted under Philosophy

Forum member SocraTzu sought wisdom about wisdom

07 Feb
2009
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Jupiter Images A bronze of Rodin's The Thinker

What is Wisdom?
How does one recognise it?
How does one get it?
Am I asking in the wrong place?

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The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
07 Feb 200919:05

What is Wisdom?
How does one recognise it?
How does one get it?
Am I asking in the wrong place?

Archive Comments
24 Jun 201022:22

if I may say to dmwessel, the method for correctly interpreting the writings (that is the Bible's "scripture") is called hermeneutics.
This can be learned though not easily, as I am studying this very thing. (see book: The Hermeneutical Spiral by Grant R. Osborne).

I think wisdom would not lay in the "method" of interpreting but in the actual "interpretation" or "application" of the text, and whether or not it is faithful to the scriptures.

True wisdom lies in the correct interpretation and application of scriptures.
(that is what is closest to the author's intention and meaning).

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
19 Feb 200904:57 

What is Wisdom?

How does one recognise it?

How does one get it?

Am I asking in the wrong place?

Biblically speaking - wisdom is the knowledge of the method that unlocks the hidden message contained in the writings.

"let him who has understanding count the number of the beast..."
(Rev. 13:18a)

wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are Biblical synonyms

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
20 Feb 200917:26 

Biblically speaking - wisdom is the knowledge of the method that unlocks the hidden message contained in the writings.


"let him who has understanding count the number of the beast..."

(Rev. 13:18a)


wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are Biblical synonyms

I think you're referring to, "the ability to know and apply spiritual truth'.
That is one dictionary definition of 'wisdom'.

But if we're looking in books for wisdom, why stop at the Bible?
Why not the Bhagavad Gita?
Why not the Diamond Sutra?
Why not the Tao Te Ching?

Personally, I would recommend 'Guliver's Travels'. There's a book brimming with wisdom if ever there was one.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200919:00 

I think you're referring to, "the ability to know and apply spiritual truth'.

That is one dictionary definition of 'wisdom'.


But if we're looking in books for wisdom, why stop at the Bible?

Why not the Bhagavad Gita?

Why not the Diamond Sutra?

Why not the Tao Te Ching?

I'm not familiar with Bhagavad Gita, etc. so I can't speak about them. I was referring solely to 'Biblical' wisdom.

According to Bible writings, they were penned by human beings but authored by a divine entity. If so, the writings must be superior to anything a human being could produce!

Biblical 'wisdom' is the knowledge of the method that unlocks the hidden message. But you will never hear about this in any church.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
22 Feb 200902:37 

I'm not familiar with Bhagavad Gita, etc. so I can't speak about them. I was referring solely to 'Biblical' wisdom.


According to Bible writings, they were penned by human beings but authored by a divine entity (like the Eostre Bunny?) . If so, the writings must be superior to anything a human being could produce!


Biblical 'wisdom' is the knowledge of the method that unlocks the hidden message. But you will never hear about this in any church.

the hidden way to tell my r's from my elbow maybe?

How'd you know the Bhagavad Gita isn't full of 'Biblical' wisdom?

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
22 Feb 200915:15 

the hidden way to tell my r's from my elbow maybe?


How'd you know the Bhagavad Gita isn't full of 'Biblical' wisdom?

I believe that all religions are related on some levels but taking a quick look at the Bhagavad Gita, I don't see a resemblence of writing style as is in the Old and New Testaments.

The Bhagavad Gita states that salvation comes by the paths of Karma (a lot of rules and regulations to attain the final goal), Bible writings, however, claim that salvation comes through one act of faith (the belief in the ability of God to supernaturally restore an individuals spirit to an immediate right state).

Bible writings do not encourage spiritual hierarchies of power (this is where Christian religions have fallen from their original mandate), the Bhagavad Gita does.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200910:30 

I think you're referring to, "the ability to know and apply spiritual truth'.

That is one dictionary definition of 'wisdom'.


But if we're looking in books for wisdom, why stop at the Bible?

Why not the Bhagavad Gita?

Why not the Diamond Sutra?

Why not the Tao Te Ching?


Personally, I would recommend 'Guliver's Travels'. There's a book brimming with wisdom if ever there was one.

If Gulliver's is so good why have there been no wars fought in its name?
Has it got at least one god in it (local hero had Burt)?
Do I need to work out the wisdom of its method?
What does allegory spell?

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200912:22 

If Gulliver's is so good why have there been no wars fought in its name?

Now you're getting it!

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200916:23

"Satire is a great penetrator of surfaces. An observation may certainly be wise if it reveals a new depth, hitherto unseen, in the commonplace"

Here, one deals with one aspect of wisdom, that of insight into human folly. (As in The Ship of Fools.)

I should think that "wisdom" should also be linked to decisions as to action or inaction and perhaps also to selected effort to transmit appreciation.

In other words, critical analysis alone is not wisdom, nor is humour. But, perhaps a parable or instructive joke could be.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200919:10 

"Satire is a great penetrator of surfaces. An observation may certainly be wise if it reveals a new depth, hitherto unseen, in the commonplace"


Here, one deals with one aspect of wisdom, that of insight into human folly. (As in The Ship of Fools.)


I should think that "wisdom" should also be linked to decisions as to action or inaction and perhaps also to selected effort to transmit appreciation.


In other words, critical analysis alone is not wisdom, nor is humour. But, perhaps a parable or instructive joke could be.

wisdom is the difference between doing what you want and doing what you need.

Understand want's implications and need's implications.

want / need

need / want

you think you know but you haven't got a clue

you can't step over want to get to need

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
22 Feb 200915:53 

wisdom is the difference between doing what you want and doing what you need. 


Understand want's implications and need's implications.


want / need


need / want


you think you know but you haven't got a clue


you can't step over want to get to need

Biblically speaking, wisdom is the knowledge of the method for correctly interpreting the writings.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
20 Feb 200918:16 

I think you're referring to, "the ability to know and apply spiritual truth'.

That is one dictionary definition of 'wisdom'.


But if we're looking in books for wisdom, why stop at the Bible?

Why not the Bhagavad Gita?

Why not the Diamond Sutra?

Why not the Tao Te Ching?


Personally, I would recommend 'Guliver's Travels'. There's a book brimming with wisdom if ever there was one.

___________________________________

Or the Analects of Confucius.

But, Swift was a satirist- and an analytical observer. But does wisdom come in observation or in formulating precepts?

Voltaire's Candide must be considered for its final line: "I don't know, but keep hoeing".

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200918:42 

___________________________________


Or the Analects of Confucius.


But, Swift was a satirist- and an analytical observer. But does wisdom come in observation or in formulating precepts?


Voltaire's Candide must be considered for its final line: "I don't know, but keep hoeing".

apparently its the oldest profession?

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
20 Feb 200923:22 

___________________________________


Or the Analects of Confucius.


But, Swift was a satirist- and an analytical observer. But does wisdom come in observation or in formulating precepts?


Voltaire's Candide must be considered for its final line: "I don't know, but keep hoeing".

I imagine that wisdom can come in many forms. Is there any reason why it may not appear in a humorous form? Satire is a great penetrator of surfaces. An observation may certainly be wise if it reveals a new depth, hitherto unseen, in the commonplace.
I admit, I tend to find Confucius rather dry. Possibly due to the limitations of translation and the cultural gap of two and a half millenia of history and a continent of geography...
Certainly, he is not noted for his sense of humour.

How about Sterne;

"I am persuaded that every time a man smiles - but much more so when he laughs - it adds something to this fragment of life."

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
19 Feb 200918:09 

Biblically speaking - wisdom is the knowledge of the method that unlocks the hidden message contained in the writings.


"let him who has understanding count the number of the beast..."

(Rev. 13:18a)


wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are Biblical synonyms

do you mean they are synonyms for bible?

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
20 Feb 200922:22 

do you mean they are synonyms for bible?

there is the wisdom of human beings, some of which is impressive - but the wisdom the Bible speaks of is the method to unlock Bible writings, which I call the repetitive-conjunctive law.

in a nutshell, Bible writings are like an intricate puzzle - we interpret by joining 'repetitive' information, words and/or whole phrases

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200910:04 

there is the wisdom of human beings, some of which is impressive - but the wisdom the Bible speaks of is the method to unlock Bible writings, which I call the repetitive-conjunctive law.


in a nutshell, Bible writings are like an intricate puzzle - we interpret by joining 'repetitive' information, words and/or whole phrases

sloppy writing giving the reader the headache of unravelling the mess and then guessing what either was or wasn't intended and then arguing the toss on the field of valour.

call it what you like

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
21 Feb 200918:12 

sloppy writing giving the reader the headache of unravelling the mess and then guessing what either was or wasn't intended and then arguing the toss on the field of valour.

it was vague, wasn't it?

a puzzle, however, is not a vague concept. You join pieces by finding 'common' info, in the case of inspired writings, one interprets by finding common words and/or phrases.

For example, the subject of wisdom from Proverbs:

"To know wisdom..." (1:2)
"Happy is the man that finds wisdom..." (3:13)
"Wisdom is the principal thing..." (4:7)
"...understand wisdom and become wise." (8:5)
"the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (9:10)

'the fear of the Lord' becomes the new searchable topic

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil...and the froward mouth I hate" (8:13)

'and' is 'and/or' therefore, evil isa froward (perverse = one who distorts the meaning)

Wisdom is a main theme of inspired writings and some apocryphal books:

"so teach us to number our days that we may incline our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12)

This is only a very small portion, the puzzle is vast and takes many side roads, i.e. the topic of wisdom morphed into the fear of the Lord. It morphs alot.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
19 Feb 200922:52 

do you mean they are synonyms for bible?

try not to think of yourself as a dim weasel, if you believe you are a weasle don't be dim, use your wisdom and don't let others tease your weasel words

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
10 Feb 200913:18 

What is Wisdom?

How does one recognise it?

How does one get it?

Am I asking in the wrong place?

The ability to differentiate between want and need.
It fosters serenity has a newspaper under its left arm and a fresh red carnation in its lapel
Start with learning to hear your breathing.
What do you think?

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
09 Feb 200902:01 

What is Wisdom?

How does one recognise it?

How does one get it?

Am I asking in the wrong place?

_______________________________________

Better to ask here than in a philosophy Forum!

How about: "knowing when to act and how to act" ?

If acquired, it is generally associated with age, experience and the reduction of hormones.

Re: The Getting of Wisdom.

Archive Comments
09 Feb 200917:59 

_______________________________________


Better to ask here than in a philosophy Forum!


How about: "knowing when to act and how to act" ?


If acquired, it is generally associated with age, experience and the reduction of hormones.

Hmm, OK as far as it goes although I would challenge the association with age. Although age & experience are probably an aid to achieving wisdom, it clearly is not a foregone conclusion.

I would also add "knowing when not to act."

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Saturday, 07th February 2009
Saturday, 07th February 2009

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