Major Wisdom Research Questions

Return to Wisdom

1. Is wisdom real or a subjective and cultural myth?
2. Is wisdom a kind of knowledge? If so, what kind of knowledge is it?
3. Can wisdom be acquired? If so, what sorts of learning and training work?
4. How do religious and secular approaches to wisdom differ?
5. What is the age of onset of wisdom?
6. Is Wisdom more like the discovery of knowledge or a kind of making (Aristotle - Osbeck p. 70)
7. Is Wisdom partly the result of personal training of emotions, (especially, in relation to knowledge of reality (Stoicism) or the nature of mind (Yoga), or a view about the reality of self and change (Buddhism)? Evaluate these ancient philosophies for points of view that contribute to your theory.
8. Does wisdom contribute to life satisfaction?
9. Is Wisdom a form of social cognition?
10. Does our evolutionary history tell us anything about how wisdom is realized in our species?
11. Can we talk about wise and unwise cultures?