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19 - Non-Western Lay Conceptions of Wisdom

from Part V - Cultural Perspectives on Wisdom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2019

By
Shih-ying Yang  and
Ali Intezari
Edited by
Robert J. Sternberg  and
Judith Glück
Robert J. Sternberg
Affiliation:
Cornell University, New York
Judith Glück
Affiliation:
Universität Klagenfurt, Austria
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Summary

Definitions of wisdom vary across cultures. Within different cultures, the layperson’s conceptions of wisdom can therefore offer insight into what people strive for in building meaningful lives. The contemporary understanding of wisdom that is most widespread rests prominently on Western philosophical thought. In this chapter, we provide an overview of non-Western lay conceptions of wisdom. Focusing on various locales in Asia, the Middle East, and South America, we examine the philosophical foundations for lay conceptions of wisdom, and review findings from empirical studies about what constitutes wisdom. We give particular attention to the conceptions of wisdom in the Middle East, and discuss the major pre- and post-Islamic Persian traditions, which are among the most influential schools of thought on the philosophy of wisdom in the region. The chapter concludes by underscoring the complexity and multiculturality of the conceptions of wisdom. This sets the stage for a further exploration of non-Western conceptions of wisdom, as well as those aspects of wisdom that are not represented by contemporary Western-oriented wisdom.
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The Cambridge Handbook of Wisdom , pp. 429 - 452
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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