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Chapter 2 - Philosophical Foundations for the Study of Wisdom

from Part I - Introduction to Wisdom Theory and Research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2022

By
Jason D. Swartwood
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

Chapter abstract (Philosophical Foundations for the Study of Wisdom): A person with practical wisdom reliably grasps how to live and conduct themselves. But what is practical wisdom, how can we get it, and how can we study it? This chapter will introduce some prominent philosophical arguments and answers to these questions. After distinguishing practical wisdom from other types of wisdom, the chapter explains why studying wisdom requires combining both philosophy and empirical science. To illustrate the contribution of philosophy, the chapter motivates a core philosophical conception of wisdom and invites the reader to think through some philosophical puzzles it gives rise to.

Keywords

practical wisdomwisdomvirtuevirtue theoryphronesis
Type
Chapter
Information
The Psychology of Wisdom
An Introduction
 , pp. 15 - 34
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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