OnWisdom

OnWisdomOnWisdomB.A.RusseUIthinktheessenceofwisdomisemancipation,asfaraspossible,fromthetyrannyofthehereandthenow.Wecannothelptheegoismofoursenses.Sightandsoundandtouchareboundupwithourownbodiesandcannotbemadeimpersonal.Ouremotionsstartsimilarlyfromourselves.Aninfantfeelshungerordistress,andisunaffectedexceptbyhisownphysicalcondition.Graduallywiththeyears,hishorizonwidens,and,inproportionashisthoughtsandfeelingsbecomelesspersonalandlessconcernedwithhisownphysicalstates,heachievesgrowingwisdom.Thisisofcourseamatterofdegree.Noonecanviewtheworldwithcompletejustice,andifanyonecould,hewouldhardlybeabletoremainalive.Butitispossibletomakeacontinualapproachtowardsjustice,ontheonehand,byknowingthingssomewhatremoteintimeorspace,and,ontheotherhand,bygivingtosuchthingstheirdueweightinourfeelings.Itisthisapproachtowardsjusticethatconstitutesgrowthinwisdom.Canwisdombetaught?And,ifitcan,shouldtheteachingofitbeoneoftheaimsofeducation?Ishouldanswerboththesequestionsintheaffirmative.Idonotthinkthatknowledgeandmoralsoughttobetoomuchseparated.Eventhebesttechniciansshouldalsobegoodcitizens:andwhenIsay“citizens,”Imeancitizensoftheworldandnotofthisorthatsectornation.Witheveryincreaseofknowledgeandskill,wisdombecomesmorenecessary,foreverysuchincreasestrengthensourcapacityofrealizingourpurposes,andthereforestrengthensourcapacityforevil,ifourpurposesareunwise.Theworldneedswisdomasithasneverneededitbefore:andifknowledgecontinuestoincrease,theworldwillneedwisdominthefutureevenmorethanitdoesnow.