by Mark Sheehan

Created on: December 26, 2008   Last Updated: October 02, 2009

I'll start with a story, so just bear with me a moment. I promise there is a point to it.

Jim and Paddy were two Irishmen, housed in an insane asylum in the early 1950s in Dublin. Both had been there for many years and both were up for release back into society, having spent their youth behind the high walls.

But to win their freedom, they first had to pass a short and simple test set by the asylum's psychologist. So they sat nervously in the waiting room, before Jim was finally called into the head psychologist's office.

"Sit down, please, Jim," said the psychologist.

"Thanks sir, that's grand of you," he answered.

The psychologist rustled some sheets of paper around on his desk before finally getting the test underway. "Okay," he said, "I have two questions to ask you and how you answer them will determine whether you can be released or not. Ready?"

Jim nodded, shuffled his feet nervously and fixed the cloth cap on his head.

"If I took out your left eye, what would happen?" the psychologist asked.

"I'd be half blind," Jim answered.

"Good. If I then took out your right eye, what would happen?"

"I'd be completely blind, sir."

"Very good. Okay, you can go. Congratulations!"

Outside, Jim met Paddy and whispered to his friend. "Paddy, it's easy. The answer to the first question is 'I'd be half blind' and the answer to the second is 'I'd be completely blind'."

"Jaysus, thanks for that, Jim," Paddy said gleefully, and he entered the psychologist's office with confidence, and smiled as the psychologist explained what he would do.

"Are you ready?"

"I am!" he announced cocksuredly.

"If I cut off your left ear, what would happen?"

Paddy didn't hesitate. "I'd be half blind, sir."

"Okay," the psychologists said, looking a little confused. "Well, what would happen if I then cut off your right ear?"

"I'd be completely blind, sir"

The psychologist sank back into his large leather chair and squinted. "How do you make that out, Paddy?" he asked.

"Sure, without my ears, what would keep me cap from falling over me eyes!"

Now, I ask you, do you not think that Paddy exhibited a logical wisdom in his answers? To me, the answer is clearly yes, and though this tall tale is designed to get us giggling, it's an example of wisdom as I understand it: an ability to foresee the consequences of one's actions.

In a practical sense, knowing what will come of an action (that is, foreseeing its consequence) is wisdom. How we acquire wisdom is numerous. It could come from

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