by Fonda Ippolito

Created on: November 11, 2009   Last Updated: December 02, 2009

Wisdom from experiences

A Wise Man Once Said...

These five words, or their linguistic equivalent, have heralded innumerable expressions of guidance in every culture around the globe. This man is indeed very wise for It seems he can tell us about love, money, relationships, the meaning of life, and every issue that we, the unwise, could ever ponder.

Well, almost. There is one subject area in which the wise man has been oddly silent. He never seems to give up the answer to the question we really want to know: who is he and how exactly did he get so wise to begin with?

I picture him weathered, a stooped frame in sage-like flowing robes, with the lines of countless years etched into a kindly countenance; a face with eyes that glimmer brilliantly with the knowledge of uncountable ages. Yes, whatever else he is, he is most certainly old, because we all know that with age comes wisdom. Only those who have sustained decades of experiences in the lessons of life can be considered wise, right?

Well, wait a minute. Does that mean that everyone over the age of, let's say 65, knows precisely the right course of action in every circumstance while the rest of the population is mandated to wander the earth in foolish incompetence and indecision? 'With age comes wisdom' is an idea that many would be hard-pressed to disagree with, and yet, in our daily lives, we frequently encounter cases that disprove that statement, or at the very least, discredit it. Perhaps, we need to break it down; to examine it a little more closely, and to dissect its parts in order to better understand the whole, before we can validate or rescind this commonly accepted ideal.

The Relationship Between Wisdom and Experience

The first part of our investigation into the relationship between wisdom and experience must be a clarification of terms. What exactly is wisdom? Wisdom is defined as "the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action." So, by this definition, wisdom is knowledge paired with good judgment. Let's now break that down even further. Knowledge and good judgment, what do we know about these two slightly ambiguous concepts?

Albert Einstein said: "The only source of knowledge is experience." The truth of that statement depends on one's definition of knowledge. Knowledge is commonly defined as the "acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles," and can be acquired through many means. One can gain knowledge through study or

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