Wisdom and Knowledge.

[Terminal Est]

This is a subject which has been dwelling within my mind for a little bit.

What do you all perceive as the difference between knowledge and wisdom? What do both these words mean to you, and what are their definitions? Are they very different, or are they two identical things? Perhaps they are nothing but superficial attributes such as courage and honour?

Is wisdom to learn against one's will, and knowledge the pursuit of interest?

I have my own, long winded monster post opinions, but I would, with all sincerity, be interested to hear what you all have to say of it.

[Firesnake]

knowledge is what you learn troughout life and wisdom is how you use that knowledge.


Knowledge is defined (Oxford English Dictionary) variously as (i) facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, (ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or (iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

Wisdom, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as the "1 a: Accumulated philosophic or scientific learning-knowledge; b: Ability to discern inner qualities and relationships-insight; c: Good sense-judgment d: Generally accepted belief <challenges what has become accepted wisdom among many historians — Robert Darnton>. 2: A wise attitude, belief, or course of action. 3: The teachings of the ancient wise men"

well that about sums it up I guess

[Miss Lockheart]

Yeah it really does sum it up!

Wisdom isn't always willingly learned, it can come from some of the hardest situations, and you carry that with you for the rest of your life. I think if people really think about it, they may believe they are seeking wisdom, because it sems more virtuous, but really they are more likely to prefer to seek knowledge, because with knowlegde you can choose whether to take it or leave it- wisdom stays with you forever, whereas knowledge can just be called up when it is convenient.

I guess people have more of a choice when it comes to seeking knowledge too. You can chhose whether to look for it in the first place, what kind of knowledge it is, and whether to keep it or forget you ever knew it. Knowledge, knowing, it's much easier to be in control of that. Like Cloud (sorry about the game reference), he knows things about his life that have passed, but he chooses to out them away in his mind, act like they don't exist. He is so cold at the beginning of the game, nothing seems to penetrate that sheid he puts up, not even his own knowledge. But then he finds wisdom through witnessing death, hate, anger and love, and he can't just run away from these things. He either cherishes them or they haunt him.

I admit I find wisdom a lot harder to deal with than knowledge. The scale of it, it can be overwhelming. And how to use it. Knowledge is easier to use, you just call it up in your mind and spout it from your mouth. Wisdom takes more energy to use, and for me, it's much more emotional to think about and use wisdom. Maybe that's something that comes with age, which explains ewhy the eldest people seem to have the most wisdom. It may not necessarily be that they have more wisdom, because everyone's life is different, they just know how better to use it.

Can't wait to hear what other people think!

[Terminal Est]

Knowledge would then, be a personal pursuit. While one seeks to become learned about say something such as philosophy, then they may go and pursuit this knowledge, and learn what interests them, or what they may perceive as necessary or vital. (For whatever reason.)

But while doing this, they might come upon some unsuspected knowledge. (You may go to the store to buy some Twinkies, and end up in the hospital because on the way there, you were mugged and beaten for your money. Either way, you will have gained experience somewhere, about something, no matter how seemingly irrelevant.)

Academic pursuits are rather specific in their directions for example, but learning how to fend for yourself in the streets might be a little different, as there are no ''facts'' on which to rely upon, really. Learning how to play a video game is of a specific nature, and even if it has deep gameplay, you cannot go around its core basics. I had always concurred that wisdom, weather one likes it or not, is knowledge oppressed upon one by life, while knowledge was the pursuit OF wisdom...but it seems so much the same, yet so different.

But I know that everyone can and must learn. A person in Africa may not be affected by poverty because he was raised this way, and does not know luxury, But it is evident that he must go through hardships anyway. Some that we know nothing of, such as arranged marriages, but he acts the same in the face of adversity as we do, even if the matter is of a different nature.
Learning and its effects are strange...they say that one learns much with sorrow, pain and anger. 'Tis the price to pay for knowledge, many would believe, and I am convinced that most of us react the same in the face of such human attributes.

What also confuses me is the benefits of wisdom and knowledge...my personal view dictates that one and all live for themselves, but if such is not accurate, then what are the motives to wish to learn?

Why one might not use wisdom, and spout it through their mouth like one would with knowledge? Old people sure seem to do it often, and even if they are old and have lived through many things, I often must question myself upon their ''wisdom''. Is it the nature of near-death which changes the personality, or my own perception and arrogance? What one does with perception, in the eyes of others, does not always confirm wisdom. Not with our emotions.
A doctor may be very intelligent because he has studied for many years, but does this make him wise? Not necessarily, I would think. He might know his way around placenta and new born infants, but what would he say if one asked him about the relativity of good and evil and how it has changed the nature of modern media? Would he even know the state of such, and if this particular example was even accurate? Would he give a legitimate comparison between He Man and Sephiroth as a metaphorical reflection of today's society?

The definitions offered above by Firesnake seem to more or less fit what I have often believed, however one cannot deny the relativity of such, because with philosophy comes individual perception, and science is defined by the most logical attempt, so to speak. We never KNOW anything, we just assume, or reason to the best of our abilities, and even such innate properties must be questioned, in regards to their disposition and if they are legitimate. And we cannot know THAT, either, no matter how strong the conviction.

Miss Lockheart has knowledge on Final Fantasy VII's plot, but such has limits. You can only learn so much about it, and the theories can only go so far. But ''discerning' one's inner qualities for example, can be infinite, EVEN if you take away opinion, methods of localization and the reaction to such. Maybe wisdom is a higher form of learning, a sort of subject by which many elements may be drawn, such as knowing how to get around people, or getting through a flame war on the Internet unscathed, and as the victor.

It confuses me SO much, and should I keep going, I fear that I shall bite my own tail pretty soon. The relativity of wisdom's definition and what makes one wish to persuade knowledge of any sort make me doubt the absolute nature that we may give to both words.

I am usually pretty sure of what I say, but in this case, I am not at all. That, and it is like, three in the morning....forgive me, for I fear I have rendered this a lot more complicated then I had meant. I hope that it be not all TOO nonsensical.

[Miss Lockheart]

Don't worry Terminal, I think I can decipher some of your meanings. I just speak from my own experiences, as is all that we can really do, because everyone has a different idea of what is knowledge and what is wisdom, even though there are terms for these in a dictionary. It must be in how we use what we personally believe to be knowledge, and to be wisdom, in our own individual lives. What is wisdom to me may not be wisdom to someone else, same as what is wisdom to older people is maybe not wisdom to us.

But then, maybe true, genuine wisdom is universal, something we can all understand and adhere to, and knowledge is a personal pursuit, some will believe it to be true knowledge, some will not. I'm afraid I'm not qualified to decide what is true wisdom, but then I don't believe there are many people in this world that are. I just know what has happened to me in the past, and how I use that experience in my own life. Sometimes life-changing events bring out our capacity to ponder these things, sometimes people already have it about them to think about it, without having had a big event in their lives. I know I have only just begun to think very hard about life and its true meaning, because I was so close to having it taken away from me, and I have also had the privilege of creating it too. I have very basic beliefs about what is wisdom, but will to learn more. And to be honest, my personal beliefs about wisdom have come from my witnessing of nature- human nature, and "nature" nature.

How complicated it is to be human and have these thoughts, when animal roam around in what most humans perceive to be ignorance, and yet they may have more wisdom than we can even handle. They understand the Earth, the way the planet works. And unlike us, they have little concept of good and evil, which I believe to be a human, almost human manufactured, concept. And everything that we experience in life, it always comes back to this idea of good and evil, and everything in between. I think it started when humans became aware of death, but stopped regarding it as something natural, that is not to be feared. Instead of just dying the way animals did, accepting that it happens and allowing the body to sink back into the earth, people started thinking about what would come after death, even down to what tools we would need after death (the neolithics even buried their pots with their loved ones believing they must need them) When an animal is taken from a pack through being hunted by another animal, it just seems to be accepted, yet if people are killed by animals, revenge and hatred of that animal surface in other humans. I feel like we are almost resisting the wisdom of nature, surely we are human and can conquer nature and its perceived brutality? But in doing so we create more pain for ourselves, through this "good and evil" we have created, calling the animal that kills evil, and yet surely humans can do no wrong?

Ok I've gone completely off subject! I'm not even sure if it makes sense, and of course I don't pretend to know a lot about it either. But I can see why the subject vexes you, I'm quite shaken by seeing my words on screen, as an insight into my own self. Maybe I am also guilty of making things too complicated, or making things too simple, I really cannot say. But I love to know other people's opinions, so I really don't mind, and I always try to understand what you are saying Terminal.

[Zotar]

whoa! Miss Lockheart, You may just be Terminal Est.'s Rival.

Originally Posted by Firesnake

knowledge is what you learn troughout life and wisdom is how you use that knowledge.

I was gonna say that, but without a dictionary defenition. (since when does one such as you consult a dictionary any way?)

I remember reading something about intellegence and wisdom (dont ask where). A person with a high intelligence but low wisdom might be referred to as an absent minded professor.

[Firesnake]

the first sentence just popped up in my head

I have much knowlage in my head but I tend to keep my wisdom for myself.
I don't wanna be a serious person because I'm happy with the way I am ^^

[Miss Lockheart]

I can't help but be both serious and silly, I have a very dual mind! When I think really hard and serious I have to offset it by acting like a dweeb, then when I act really stupid I have to read a serious book afterwards. It's like my brain refuses to be one or the other!

Originally Posted by Zotar

whoa! Miss Lockheart, You may just be Terminal Est.'s Rival.

Woa hey I'm not that damn clever!! And I don't want rivalry either, me and Terminal just throw ideas at each other. I'm too old for rivalry!

[Zotar]

just sayin, Its usually Termy who leaves such huge posts.

You should check out some other philosophical threads. Like the one called "Our life a Story"

[Miss Lockheart]

It's cool, I was quite flattered!

Gonna go look at "our life a story" now!