Knowledge And Wisdom Essay Summary
Russell in his essay ‘Knowledge and Wisdom’ maintains that knowledge and wisdom are different things. Knowledge is defined as the acquisition of data and information, while wisdom is defined as the practical application and use of knowledge to create value. Wisdom is gained through learning and practical experience, not just memorization. In addition to this, Russell in the essay laments that though vast knowledge has been acquired; there has been no corresponding increase in wisdom.
The essayist in the essay argues that knowledge is a sense of proportion. It is the capacity to consider all. important factors in a problem carefully. Specialization makes it difficult. For example, scientists discover new medicines but they do not know what impact these medicines will have on the life of people.
The medicines may reduce the infant death rate. But it may lead to an increased population. In poor countries, it may lead to a shortage of food. If there are more people, it may lower the standard of life. The knowledge of the composition of the atom could be misused by a lunatic to destroy the world. If misused, knowledge of atoms can lead humans to destruction by manufacturing a nuclear weapon.
Knowledge without wisdom can be harmful. It should be combined with the total needs of mankind. Even complete knowledge is not enough. It should be related to certain knowledge of the purpose of life. The study of history can illustrate it. For example, Hegel wrote with great knowledge about history but made the Germans believe that they were a master race. It led to war. It is necessary therefore to combine knowledge with feelings. Men who have the knowledge and have no feelings lack wisdom. We need wisdom both in public and private life. We need the wisdom to decide the goal of our life. We need it to free ourselves from personal prejudices. We may follow even a novel thing unwisely if it is too big to achieve. A man may attempt to achieve the impossible, he may do harm to himself in the process.
In personal life, says Russell, wisdom is needed to avoid dislike for one another. Two persons may remain enemies because of their prejudice. One may dislike the other for imaginary faults. If they can be told that we all have flaws (faults) then they may become friends. We can avoid hatred if we are wise. Wisdom lies in freeing ourselves from the control of our sense organs. Our ego develops through our senses. We cannot be free from the sense of sight, sound and touch. We know the world primarily through our senses. As we grow we discover that there are other things also. We start recognizing them. Thus, we give up thinking of ourselves alone. We start thinking of other people and grow wiser. We give up on our ego. It’ is difficult to completely get rid of selfishness, but we can think of things beyond our immediate surroundings. Wisdom comes when we start loving others.
Russell feels that wisdom can be taught as a goal of education. The message in the parable of the Good Samaritan is that we should love our neighbour whether friend or foe. Many a time we miss the message in this parable (story/fable) because we fail to love those who cause harm to society. In brief, Russell tells us not to hate anybody. The author draws out examples from the history of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry IV and Abraham Lincoln, who were free from the errors committed by other eminent people in the past.
The danger of hatred and narrow-mindedness can be pointed out in the course of giving knowledge. Russell feels knowledge and wisdom can be combined in the scheme of education. Russels also encourages us to develop the feeling of deeper understanding and impartiality. People should be educated to see things in relation to other things of the world. They should be encouraged to think of themselves as world citizens.”
Knowledge And Wisdom Exercises Solution
Understanding the Text
Answer the following questions.
a.What are the factors that contribute to wisdom?
Ans.: The factors that contribute to wisdom are:
a. sense of proportion
b. comprehensiveness
c. impartiality
d. emancipation from personal prejudice
e.awareness of human needs and understanding..
b.What message does the writer try to convey with the example of technicians?
Ans.: The writer tries to tell us knowledge itself cannot save the world. Knowledge without wisdom will not benefit the world and in some cases will even pose a serious threat to humanity. Technicians get success in a single invention but there might be even risk of using the invention against humankind and nature. So, even a technician to be a wise person has to have a comprehensive view.
c.Which leaders does Russell say were able to mix knowledge and wisdom soundly?
Ans: Queen Elizabeth 1 in England, Henry IV in France and Abraham Lincoln in the United States of America were the leaders Bertrand Russell says who were able to mix knowledge and wisdom soundly
d.Why is wisdom needed not only in public ways, but in private life equally?
Ans: Wisdom is needed not only in public life but is needed equally in private life. The necessity of religion in private life is that it helps in deciding the goal of our life and helps us to free ourselves from personal prejudices. Wisdom is also needed to avoid dislike for one another.
e)What, according to Russell, is the true aim of education?
Ans: According to Russell, the true aim of education is the ability to find an impartial solution and free ourselves from personal prejudices. It is also the ability to make a man aware of the need to integrate wisdom in the pursuit of knowledge.
f.Can wisdom be taught? If so, how?
Ans: Russell feels that wisdom can be taught as a goal of education. Even though we are born unwise which we cannot help, we can cultivate wisdom. Russell in the essay maintains that the greatest way of cultivating wisdom is by developing understanding in the person. He also cites the examples of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry IV, Abraham Lincoln, are some personalities who fused vigour with wisdom and fought evil.
g.Why does the world need more wisdom in the future?
Ans: The world is growing rapidly and advancing in science and technology. The writer in the essay argues that with every increase in knowledge and skill, wisdom becomes more necessary. For instance, there have been ongoing developments of such arms and technologies that can destroy the entire world within a few seconds. And, such situations the future. need more wisdom in the future. Therefore, in this sense, the world needs more wisdom in the future.
Reference to the context
a.According to Russell, “The pursuit of knowledge may become harmful unless it is combined with wisdom.” Justify this statement.
Ans: Though many people regard wisdom and knowledge as the same thing and use it synonymously, there exists a distinction between wisdom and knowledge. Yet, wisdom and knowledge are linked closely. Wisdom is enhanced by knowledge and the ability to acquire knowledge effectively. But wisdom is also the ability to use knowledge in a practical and productive manner. Knowledge is often considered to be ‘externally generated’ meaning that it comes primarily from outside sources, such as books, classroom lectures, videos, etc. On the other hand, wisdom is deemed to come primarily from ‘internal sources’ meaning one’s own introspective thinking, analysis and judgment. Wisdom cannot be acquired and applied without knowledge, but knowledge isn’t necessarily guided or enhanced by wisdom.
An example regarding the distinction between knowledge and wisdom can be given with the development of the atom bomb. Though the development of the atom bomb is a work of great knowledge, however, its misuse in Nagasaki and Hiroshima is a work where the developers of the atom bomb had knowledge regarding the use of the bomb but not the wisdom since the bomb killed thousands of innocent people there. However, there is another view that the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is sometimes understood as being wise, under the notion that these acts shortened World War II and thus saved thousands or even millions of lives that could have been taken if war persisted on. In terms of knowledge, the end result (the atom bomb being made) is obvious, but in terms of whether applying that knowledge was wise or not, is still unclear and subject to intense debate. Hence, the statement of Russell, that is, the pursuit of knowledge may become harmful unless it is combined with wisdom can be justified.
b.What, according to Russell, is the essence of wisdom? And how can one acquire the very essence?
Ans: According to Russell, the essence of wisdom is emancipation from the tyranny of the here and now as far as possible. Though we may not be able to emancipate ourselves completely since we cannot be completely detached with our emotions and egoism of our sense, we have growing experiences and understanding, which helps us to become wise with time. The writer in the text provides the instances that an infant during birth is just after the physical and personal needs. But with his/her growth along the course of time and his exposure to society, his horizons get broad and he becomes more impersonal, thus achieves wisdom. In addition to this, the writer in the text argues that we can achieve the essence of wisdom by becoming impartial. Though it is impossible to be a cent percent impartial for the existence of human beings in the present world, one should make a continual approach towards impartiality. And, only we can acquire the very essence of wisdom.
Reference beyond the text
a.Why is wisdom necessary in education? Discuss.
Ans.: Wisdom refers to the practical application and use of the knowledge to create value which is gained through learning and practical experiences rather than rote-learning and memorization. There is a great significance of wisdom in education. In fact, it is wisdom that teaches students to understand things from diverse points of view across time and space standard way.
It is often argued that uncalculating knowledge only among our students is insufficient in order to develop wisdom on them. When the students gain only knowledge but not wisdom, they can never be satisfied and happy in their life. Though they may get mastery over some aspects and skills of a subject or discipline, they overall do not know how to enjoy that achievement or work. It is wisdom that makes our students enjoy and respect their area or field of mastery. Likewise, wisdom also provides a way to enter considered and deliberative values into important judgments and helps greatly in creating a better and harmonious world. Dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin may have been knowledgeable. They may even have been good critical thinkers, at least with regard to the maintenance of their own power. They were not wise.
Likewise, the students who later become parents or leaders are always a part of a greater community. And, it is wisdom that benefits them from learning to judge rightly, soundly, and justly on behalf of their community.
In a similar vein, we can argue that wisdom can improve students’ life in all aspects: physical, emotional, mental, and financial. Likewise, if our education system doesn’t incorporate wisdom among the learners and only focuses merely on skills and knowledge, then our learners cannot be happy, wise and satisfied in life. The education that focuses on wisdom can only produce learners that have good understanding and impartiality. Only these students can maintain world peace, coordination and fraternity throughout the world. The education that produces students with no wisdom is considered dead. Hence, developing and promoting wisdom is very necessary for education.
b.How can you become wise? Do you think what you are doing in college contributes to wisdom?
Ans.: Russell in his essay ‘Knowledge and Wisdom’ presents that the essence of wisdom is emancipation from the tyranny of the here and now as far as possible. Though we may not be able to emancipate ourselves completely since we cannot be completely detached with our emotions and egoism of our sense, we have growing experiences and understanding, which helps us to become wise with time. The writer in the text provides that with the growing age and time, the horizons of a human being gets broad and the human being becomes more impersonal and gradually thinks of others too and this act makes every human being wise. In addition to this, we can become wise when we can achieve the essence of wisdom by becoming impartial. Though one cannot be totally impartial, he she should develop a continual approach towards impartiality. And, only we can acquire the very essence of wisdom.
Speaking of what I am doing in my school contributes to wisdom or not, my answer will be both ‘no’ and ‘yes’. Evidencing ‘no’, I find that most of the learners in our school are taught in the wrong way. Our school and teachers emphasize knowledge, skills and mastery over a subject matter rather than its application and practicability in our life. One fine instance of this is that the learners who achieve the highest marks is considered as wise and appreciated the most in my school. Therefore, the behaviours and the environment that I am exposed to in my college wouldn’t really make me wise in my future.
Speaking of ‘Yes’, I find that though the teachers and administration emphasize the mastery of skills and knowledge only among the learners, it is the school where the learners get different experiences and understanding about different things and from different perspectives. Our horizon of knowledge gets broadened in our school and we learn different things, such as how to respect others, how it feels if the same thing happens to us and so on. The good relation among friends and good rapport with our teachers also promotes wisdom among we students. Hence, I can state that the things that I learn and the experiences that I gain in school, would really make me wise in my future.