KNOWLEDGE, INTELLIGENCE, AND WISDOM

 

Knowledge is the collection of facts, information and skill. It is typically gained through books, research, and delving into facts. These can be acquired at any age. They can be acquired either through reading, education or by doing. The word knowledge is defined first as the “acquaintance with facts, truths or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition.” 

Intelligence can be defined as the ability to think logically, to conceptualize and abstract from reality. Intelligence is something, some say, we are born with. Intelligence can be acquired naturally. Or, it can be honed through learning. It takes intelligence to apply knowledge properly. Intelligence helps in:

• Better grades at school
• Higher-paying jobs
• Ability to think critically, analytically, and rationally
• Ability to make logical decisions
• Admiration by others (something highly desirable by grandiose narcissists)
• Ability to solve complex problems, e.g., involving mathematics or inductive or deductive reasoning.
• Ability to predict future outcomes based on knowledge of the appropriate data
• Less likely to get in trouble e.g., because of an understanding of crime and punishment

 

Wisdom can be defined as the ability to grasp human nature, which is paradoxical, contradictory, and subject to continual change. Wisdom can only be acquired through experience over time. It can be learned in youth through mentoring, but it more likely comes with learning by doing over time. Wisdom is defined as “the state of being wise,” which means “having the power of discernment and judging properly as to what is true or right: possessing discernment, judgement, or discretion.” It’s older (recorded before the 900s), and joins wise and -dom, a suffix that can convey “general condition,” as in ‘freedom, kingdom. When we think of the benefits of wisdom, they are plenty:

• Ability to discern right from wrong (also called intuition)
• Ability to view adversity as an opportunity for growth
• Being more accepting of uncontrollable life’s challenges and uncertainties
• Ability to spot danger from afar and avoid it
• Better sense of direction that comes intuitively
• Developing greater patience and therefore less likely to experience anxiety
• Greater vision and leadership skills
• Knowing how to attain peace, happiness, and contentment with greater ease

 

The two constructs, intelligence and wisdom, hold potential for highlighting positive and adaptive features of development in the later years. Both are considered to increase with age, and both provide for life-long acquisition of knowledge. As humans, we make decisions. Not all decisions are good. Virtually no one can make every single decision a good one. But knowledgeable, intelligent and wise people make more good decisions than bad ones. Knowledge, intelligence and wisdom are there for the taking for most, if one has the desire. The combination of traits does not, in itself, make a good person. But how one applies each of those traits can determine the type of person one becomes.

 

Differences between Wisdom and Intelligence

#1. Wisdom grows with age, but not necessarily intelligence: You might have heard the sentiment “The older, the wiser.” And there might be some truth to it. Greater wisdom is seen in older people’s ability to use a wider range of reasoning and consider different outcomes when faced with various scenarios. Those scenarios include making choices, resolving conflicts, dealing with uncertainties, and deciding when to take risks.

#2. Wisdom comes through life experience, unlike intelligence: “Experience teacheth wisdom,” at least that’s the age-old belief. It makes sense that we learn from experience, whether the experience was pleasant or unpleasant. We are wiser if we can use the knowledge gained, especially from bad experiences, to exercise sound judgment in the future. Intelligence is something you have to consciously work on improving. In fact, a person can be extremely intelligent yet lack experience in various areas as well as wisdom.

#3. Intelligence can be willfully improved, but not wisdom: You can read a book, take a course, or read for a degree and you’ll increase intelligence and knowledge just like that. You can’t wake up one day and say, I’m going to develop or increase my wisdom today, at least not exponentially. The only fresh wisdom you’ll gain is from new or different experiences you have on that day.

#4. Wisdom leads to second-nature decisions, unlike intelligence: The use of intelligence to make decisions requires the application of facts, logic, and/or reasoning. Besides, the individual will first have to be intelligent in order to engage in the process of logical thinking and use the result to make informed decisions. They may have to look up books or Coogle for tips.  The wise person relies on past experiences, patterns, and intuition, They also lean on their ability to make quick judgments from the facts and are able to come to a decision quickly, without relying on books or googling for tips. This is because the information is already stored in the brain from previous experience, they’re able to quickly draw from it and act accordingly.  

#5. Wisdom allows for self-reflection, intelligence may not: A person, young or old, can be as smart as a whip and still conduct themselves poorly because they lack the ability to self-reflect and gain awareness of their behaviors. For example, noticing they’ve acted impulsively, aggressively, or indulged in risky behaviors. The ability to regulate our emotions and maintain emotional stability also comes with age, time, experiences, and maturity.

#6. Intelligence can be measured, but not wisdom: There are Intelligent Quotient tests such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS).  but do you know of a Wisdom Quotient Test that exists? There are none.

#7. Intelligence does things “by the book,” wisdom asks if it’s the right thing to do: Wisdom is more of an inner sensing ability or intuition that kicks in to question what you’re about to say or do before doing so. Intelligent people who lack wisdom may act impulsively by nature. By asking, “Is this the right and proper thing to do?” wisdom essentially turns to past experiences and core values, such as honesty and morality, for advice in order to determine the proper course of action.

 

The function of intelligence is characterized as focusing on questions of how to do and accomplish necessary life-supporting tasks; the function of wisdom is characterized as provoking the individual to consider the consequences of his actions both to self and their effects on others. Wisdom, therefore, evokes questions of should one pursue a particular course of action.

Many search for ways to become wise, but few feel they have really achieved it. The Berlin Wisdom Project of the late 80s defined wisdom as:

- Spiritual knowledge

- Factual knowledge

- Excellent judgment 

- Excellent problem-solving skills

- Ability to learn from past experience

- Humility, emotional strength or ability to recover from defeat

- Openness and maturity - allowing another to see you as you really are

- A deeper understanding of human nature, including empathy for others and other cultures  

 

How to become wiser in the human experience    

1. By Being Social:   People who keep more contact with other people display higher levels of wisdom than those who remain more secluded. Some think this may be due to new people constantly giving us new ideas to think about, new information, new experiences, and this enriches the mind and gives us more wisdom. So make an effort, if not for others than for yourself. Stay in touch with old friends, go take a course, and stay in contact with those around you, it's the wise thing to do.    

2. By Adopting Open-mindedness:    Wisdom is the ability to understand all aspects of a problem, without surrendering to personal feelings. Rabindranath Tagore said ‘Where the mind is without fear and the head in held high’! The meaning of an open mind is to find true empathy and to understand that everyone has a life story that affects them in some way, and it is not our place to judge. A good habit is to write down, every day, what ails you. At the end of the day, take a look at that list and try to get a new perspective on each problem, you'll be surprised what things will come to mind.      

3. By Acknowledging that "I could be mistaken":   A smart person understands that it is impossible to know everything and that life always throws you a curve when you least expect it. Acknowledging our mistakes may, and often does, lead to greater wisdom. Remember, your ability to be wrong shouldn't damage your reputation as a wise man but should increase it because wise people know how to take responsibility for their mistakes. Nietzsche is quoted to have said: "Wisdom sets limits on knowledge, too." Only a fool thinks he knows everything. Acknowledge the limits of your knowledge and admit when you are wrong.    

4.  By Experiencing new things:   While we each have our own personal tastes in books, music, art or movies, it is important to note that getting familiar with styles unknown will broaden your horizons and introduce new world views, new ideas and new outlooks on life. So put down the novel you're reading and try a science fiction story, a history book or just a great romance. Whatever it is you almost never read, now is the time to add some real experience in things you haven't really touched on. So try something new, or learn a new skill -  it won't just make you wiser, it'll also keep you young!

5. By Self-awareness:   Many will say they have rich life experiences, but when was the last time you really stopped to think of all you've learned throughout life?   Try this exercise: Write down your three biggest failures and your three biggest successes. Next to each of them write some of the events that lead to it and the lessons you learned. Look for patterns, without pride or regret, simple patterns to teach you about how you used each experience to drive you forward. After all, knowing yourself is the biggest challenge of all.    

6. By Knowing what is going on around you:   Yes, the news is often dramatic, misrepresented or just depressing. But it's hard to make balanced decisions for yourself and others if you don't learn from the mistakes of others and, on larger scales, of your city, country, and world. Keep updated, read a newspaper, watch the news or just read a news site online from time to time. Read the articles, not just headlines, and understand how you fit into this bigger world, and where you stand. This is crucial for true wisdom.

It takes intelligence to apply knowledge properly. Wisdom can only be acquired through experience. It can be learned in youth through mentoring, but it more likely comes with learning by doing over time. One can know a lot, and not apply what he or she knows intelligently. Knowledge and wisdom are two distinct concepts that are often used interchangeably but hold different meanings. While knowledge refers to the acquisition of information and facts, wisdom involves the application of knowledge along with experience, insight, and good judgment.