Wisdom is the capacity to recognize that knowing something is different than understanding something. The Ancient Greeks understood this distinction and called factual intelligence Sophia and practical intelligence Phronesis. We translate Phronesis as Wisdom. Wisdom is having our knowledge connected to the overall context.
Phronesis and Sophia are not irrelevant archaic terms. They are useful labels that identify aspects of the modularity of our thinking. Sophia represents factual and procedural knowledge. Phronesis represents contextualism, perspectivism, and deep understanding.
Wisdom is knowledge, as well as knowing the implications and consequences of that knowledge. When Robert Oppenheimer was developing the atomic bomb, he was driven by the power of Sophia, declaring that what he had created was more powerful than death. After witnessing the applications of his brilliance, he came to regret the creation. This shift from blind brilliance to remorse is illustrative of Sophia shifting into Phronesis. Phronesis adds contextual understanding to the brilliance of Sophia.
Psychologist Martin Seligman in Character Strengths and Virtues lists the nearly universally accepted attributes of wisdom. He generated this list through an exhaustive survey of a wealth of collective knowledge in art, literature, and science:
- Creativity
- Curiosity
- Open-mindedness
- Love of Learning
- Perspective
Wisdom is also associated with certain personality traits such as:
- Open-mindedness
- Curiosity
- Creativity
- Perspective
- Meaning
- Values
- Compassion
- Purpose
The order of these traits in this list is neither capricious nor arbitrary. Open-mindedness is foundational to the development of wisdom. Curiosity is a prerequisite to creativity. Perspective, meaning, and values are built one upon the other, recursively. Upon these elements, we can develop compassion and purpose