What is Wisdom and Can it be Taught? : Philosophical, Psychological, and Pedagogical Perspectives

What is Wisdom and Can it be Taught? uses careful theoretical analysis and a well-argued ontological conception of the human being to present a new ‘Holistic Wisdom Model’, summarizing existing research and presenting fresh insights.

Human wisdom is a complex phenomenon. Psychological research in this area has led to a wide range of fragmentary claims and models, and therefore there is a need for theoretical clarification of the field: What is wisdom? How should we study it in the first place? Is it a purely psychological phenomenon, or do we also need philosophy? This book examines these questions, as well as provides a pedagogical review of wisdom to evaluate how people become wise(r) and whether wisdom can be taught. Drawing on findings from a range of educational fields, it shows the crucial features of wisdom-enhancing pedagogies we already know, which are summarized in a ‘Teaching for Wisdom Model’.

Written by leading, interdisciplinary scholars, this book illuminates the study of wisdom for researchers, academics, teachers, and students of psychology, philosophy, and education.