Intelligence vs. Wisdom

[Renfield]

In this poll, I vote for the colour blue. Next thread, please!

[mn dave]

In this poll, I vote for the colour blue. Next thread, please!

You spelled color wrong.

[Joe_Campbell]

I've always thought of wisdom as harnessed intelligence. i.e. one who takes advantage of their innate ability, instead of wasting it. Kind of like the Good Will Hunting character...

[karlhenning]

Nice thought, Joe.

Some harness is better than others, of course.

[Renfield]

You spelled color wrong.

I take exception to your ardour for American.

[mn dave]

I take exception to your ardour for American.

Just trying to save you some time. 

[drogulus]

   If you're foolish someday you may be wise. If you're dumb you'll never be smart.

I've always thought of wisdom as harnessed intelligence. i.e. one who takes advantage of their innate ability, instead of wasting it. Kind of like the Good Will Hunting character...

     Why are they seen as opposed? There are many beautiful people who are not wise. We don't waste time pretending these qualities are in opposition. Dumb people waste their talents, too. Think of all the stupid people in prison wasting their minimal talents. They are not wise, they are not smart, and they do incalculable damage.

[Joe_Campbell]

Huh? You see beauty as an ability? or talent?

[Shrunk]

I can't remember the source of this quote:

"Intelligence is knowing that tomatoes are fruit.  Wisdom is knowing to put them in the vegetable section of your grocery store."

[scarpia]

I can't remember the source of this quote:

"Intelligence is knowing that tomatoes are fruit.  Wisdom is knowing to put them in the vegetable section of your grocery store."

I'm more familiar with "intelligence is knowing that tomatoes are fruit, wisdom is not putting them in a fruit salad."  Especially apropos since in the supermarkets I go to, tomatoes are with the fruits.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'm more familiar with "intelligence is knowing that tomatoes are fruit, wisdom is not putting them in a fruit salad."  Especially apropos since in the supermarkets I go to, tomatoes are with the fruits.

How about: "Wisdom is avoiding supermarkets where tomatoes are classified as fruits."

[drogulus]

Huh? You see beauty as an ability? or talent?

     No, just an attribute. The Greeks thought that a good life was the result of desiring the right things combined with good fortune. Beauty comes under good fortune.

     The intelligent are more difficult to treat wisely. Not only are they harder to understand, there's no natural sympathy towards them from the less intelligent. You see this in school among children, but it continues into adult life. We would like the very intelligent to be wise enough to be humble and kind towards the less intelligent, and that would certainly be wise or at least politic. It isn't as easy as it sounds, and not everyone who urges humility has the gift themselves.

[Joe Barron]

Reminds me of Frank Zappa's dictum:

Information is not knowledge.
Knowledge is not wisdom.
Wisdom is not truth.
Truth is not beauty.
Beauty is not love.
Love is not music.
Music is the best.

[karlhenning]

The intelligent are more difficult to treat wisely. Not only are they harder to understand . . . .

That's not a particularly intelligent thing to say, Ernie.

Why are "the intelligent" necessarily "harder to understand"?

[(poco) Sforzando]

That's not a particularly intelligent thing to say, Ernie.

Why are "the intelligent" necessarily "harder to understand"?

I assume he means: more complex thought processes, greater subtlety and nuance, wider vocabulary and more elaborate sentence structures, less willingness to take generally accepted ideas for granted. And the like.

[drogulus]

It seems to me that there are some intelligent people who, because they feel they are so much smarter than everyone else, consider it their right to throw their brainy weight around and belittle others who can't (or don't want to) keep up with them. Yet many wisdom-based teachings warn against this sort of behavior. In general, one should be humble, caring and compassionate.

Thoughts?

     This is how intelligent people are viewed. What does wisdom teach about behavior towards the intelligent?

In general, one should be humble, caring and compassionate.

     Towards the intelligent? It's hard to do. The intelligent are not always likable (see GMG Forum), and they get frustrated by their inability to make themselves understood, for which they sometimes blame themselves.

I assume he means: more complex thought processes, greater subtlety and nuance, wider vocabulary and more elaborate sentence structures, less willingness to take generally accepted ideas for granted. And the like.

     Yes, but it's the lack of sympathy that accompanies the lack of understanding that prompts the "intelligent should be humble" recommendation. I don't think humility is particularly wise unless it's more than averagely insincere, in which case it's good manners that you are in favor of. You don't really want the intelligent to be humble. What you want is for them to pay the deference that comforts the average. The intelligent sometimes fail to note that the less intelligent have feelings, too, probably because of the treatment they have received from the same direction.

     I think everyone should be kind and try to understand others in different circumstances. That should be enough "humility".

[Joe_Campbell]

Those were all generalizations, drog, and could equally apply to anyone despite their intelligence.