About wisdom
Clark Quinn writes an evocative paper for discussion at ITForum, entitled Learning Wisdom. His take on wisdom, whilst not explicitly stated, is very deliberative:
The short version of my synthesis starts with a mental state of openness to the process, without desires or expectations of the outcome. We need to approach the process with an attitude of humility, curiosity, and patience. We must be willing and even eager to learn, and be willing to take the time necessary to achieve a truly wise decision. I believe we need to consider the situation from a systemic perspective, as Lester would have us do. And I think we need to evaluate alternatives from a perspective of their contribution, guided by our values. This consideration needs to include, as Sternberg has it, considerations of both short- and long-term consequences, for not only ourselves and those we feel affiliated with, but society as a whole. My take away is that wisdom is making decisions on a systemic basis that are in line with our in the long-term as well as the immediate moment, and in line with our values for not only ourselves but others and society and the world as a whole. It comes into it’s own when dealing with the messy world we really live in than the well-structured world of formal problems (cf. David Jonassen’s work on the problems given to learners versus what they face outside the classroom). And it’s very much a journey, not a destination.Stephen Downes provides the most extensive, persuasive response in his personal blog entitled The Mark of Wisdom, which demonstrates his expertise with epistemology.
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