Pursuing Wisdom
A Primer for Leaders and Learners
Published on 8. October 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
168 pages
978-1-5381-5985-9 (ISBN)
Description
Wisdom, considered the highest level of enlightenment, has not had a foothold in our education since Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum. Yet it is wisdom that ultimately promotes human flourishing and equips individuals with the sophistication to live life well. Wisdom is especially urgent if leaders and followers are to lead and follow well.
Wisdom is more critical and urgent than ever in today's world. Stories of lack of discernment and sound judgment abound in the news. Comments such as "what were they thinking?" and "why did they do that?" reveal that wisdom is often painfully lacking when it comes to making decisions. The world needs people who judiciously discern and courageously implement innovative decisions at the right time and in the right way. But before wisdom can be adequately taught, it needs to be properly understood.
Historically, the study and acquisition of wisdom has been reserved to the philosophical and theological fields of study, often making wisdom appear esoteric, elusive, and mysterious. While relatively recent empirical attempts have led to certain quantifications and qualifications of wisdom, a comprehensive and cohesive model for understanding, teaching, and implementing general wisdom has yet to emerge. Unfortunately, philosophical and theological treatises on wisdom have been overly convoluted or mystical, making wisdom appear elusive for the lay person. The empirical traditions have overanalyzed the concept to make it almost formulaic and uninspiring.
This primer merges insights from the philosophical, theological, and empirical traditions to provide a simple model for understanding, acquiring, practicing, and teaching wisdom. This primer is unique is that it uses clear language to walk the readers through representative classical philosophical and religious works and empirical studies in lieu of jargon-filled meditations. As a result, the primer orients readers to think like philosophers, theologians, and social scientists by shepherding them through to the logic of previous works on wisdom. What also sets this work apart is its brevity without compromise to substance. This primer demonstrates that the complicated can be made relatively simple, and that brevity and profound meaning often walk hand in hand.
Ideal for emerging and established leaders, this book demonstrates that wisdom inspires confidence, establishes credibility, and helps us successfully navigate complex problems and promote human progress. This primer makes wisdom accessible and provides all soon-to-be, novice, and seasoned leaders with the understanding, dispositions, and skills to be discerning and virtuous people others will want to emulate and follow.
Wisdom is more critical and urgent than ever in today's world. Stories of lack of discernment and sound judgment abound in the news. Comments such as "what were they thinking?" and "why did they do that?" reveal that wisdom is often painfully lacking when it comes to making decisions. The world needs people who judiciously discern and courageously implement innovative decisions at the right time and in the right way. But before wisdom can be adequately taught, it needs to be properly understood.
Historically, the study and acquisition of wisdom has been reserved to the philosophical and theological fields of study, often making wisdom appear esoteric, elusive, and mysterious. While relatively recent empirical attempts have led to certain quantifications and qualifications of wisdom, a comprehensive and cohesive model for understanding, teaching, and implementing general wisdom has yet to emerge. Unfortunately, philosophical and theological treatises on wisdom have been overly convoluted or mystical, making wisdom appear elusive for the lay person. The empirical traditions have overanalyzed the concept to make it almost formulaic and uninspiring.
This primer merges insights from the philosophical, theological, and empirical traditions to provide a simple model for understanding, acquiring, practicing, and teaching wisdom. This primer is unique is that it uses clear language to walk the readers through representative classical philosophical and religious works and empirical studies in lieu of jargon-filled meditations. As a result, the primer orients readers to think like philosophers, theologians, and social scientists by shepherding them through to the logic of previous works on wisdom. What also sets this work apart is its brevity without compromise to substance. This primer demonstrates that the complicated can be made relatively simple, and that brevity and profound meaning often walk hand in hand.
Ideal for emerging and established leaders, this book demonstrates that wisdom inspires confidence, establishes credibility, and helps us successfully navigate complex problems and promote human progress. This primer makes wisdom accessible and provides all soon-to-be, novice, and seasoned leaders with the understanding, dispositions, and skills to be discerning and virtuous people others will want to emulate and follow.
Reviews / Votes
There is no telling how many problems and how much suffering could have been avoided if people had exercised wisdom. This primer provides a clarion call and hope for wisdom's return to the public square. Wisdom is now made simple and accessible to leaders and learners thanks to this scholarly informed treatise on the nature of wisdom. -- Barbara Cockerham, retired professor, K-12 teacher and administrator, mentor Wisdom is the essential ingredient to greatness most lacking in the world today in every sphere of influence. The authors not only accomplish their objective set forth in the preface to help anyone to become astute lovers and doers of wisdom but also provide a model for the common ground where the great issues of our day can be resolved. -- Hon. Will Dodson, senior retired judge, Ninth Administrative Judicial Region of Texas This book is life changing. It is a well written, professorial presentation about wisdom and how to attain it. It is one of those "must read" books for anyone who wants to take wisdom seriously and become especially skilled at leading and developing leaders, from parents to presidents. -- Paul Kienel, founder, Association of Christian Schools International This marvelously written volume, exploring various conceptions of wisdom, is aptly called a primer in both dictionary definitions of this term. It succeeds in being both an accessible elementary book for teaching and a book covering the core principles needed for a robust understanding and application of wisdom in personal and civic life. The authors examine the nature and role of wisdom in three fields: in philosophy where wisdom is an intellectual and moral virtue, in theology where wisdom results from encounters with transcendental reality interpreted by sacred texts, and in empirical inquiry where wisdom is the practical understanding and successful navigation of competing ethical values and priorities. The world would be a better place if leaders in business, politics, religion, and education attended closely to this work. -- Douglas E. Mitchell, professor, Graduate Division, University of California, Riverside Wisdom, the first virtue on which all others hinge, is the sine qua non of exemplary leadership and necessary for society to function properly and thrive. This primer provides a clear and cogent model of wisdom with illuminating examples for readers to become the sophisticated and virtuous leaders that society desperately longs for and needs. The primer provides a word to the wise and should be assigned reading for all emerging and established leaders. -- Jay Orr, Community and Global Claremont Graduate University; former county executive officer, Riverside County The authors do an incredible job of providing a holistic approach, one that demonstrates how all philosophical, theological, and empirical traditions share striking similarities in their understandings of the nature of wisdom. Humanity's on-going search for truth through the ages, as related by the authors, should guide and inspire us all. -- Donald C. Simmons, director of pastoral care and chair, medical ethics, North Mississippi Health System; former dean, chair, and professor of leadership and public service, McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service, Dakota Wesleyan University The book is a godsend for educators. It provides new, yet timeless, insights on the nature of wisdom and how to elevate the wisdom quotients in schools and society and make the world a better place. -- Heather William, executive director, Personnel Services, Riverside County Office of Education Wisdom appears to be in short supply among today's leaders. This excellent book examines wisdom through multiple perspectives arriving at a model to understand, acquire, practice and teach wisdom. I highly recommend it to leaders and learners as a helpful tool to bring more wisdom to our world. -- John Jacob Zucker Gardiner, emeritus professor of leadership, Seattle University In Pursuing Wisdom: A Primer for Leaders and Learners, the authors expose the reader to a robust consideration of wisdom and its relationship to Truth and truth. The authors masterfully interweave theory and practice by exploring common ground and comparing divergent execution among a variety of philosophical, theological, and empirical perspectives. Using a collection of real-life narratives and crafted scenarios, the book helps readers better understand that "knowing truth and practicing wisdom involves different combinations of humility, confidence, faith, and reason regarding truth claims and corresponding judgments." This is an intelligently accessible book that skillfully balances the why and how of pursuing wisdom. -- Andrea Scott, provost, George Fox University I am excited about this opportunity to further explore wisdom from the lenses of a 40-year public safety leader, husband, father, coach and mentor. I'm excited to have a one-stop book of philosophy, theology and empirical tradition that I can dive into and take small bites to learn wisdom for life. As I press through my final chapter as a public service leader (Fire Chief), this book will give me and others the tools to summarize the so often mystical components of wisdom that are required to truly be successful in life. -- Michael D. Moore, M.P.A., EFO, fire chief, Riverside City Fire Department Pursuing Wisdom is unique, insightful and takes a new perspective on wisdom and the practical application to leadership. This is a must-read primer that breaks down the BIG idea of what wisdom is into everyday bits, so all of us can live and lead wisely. -- Jenny Nuccio, founder and CEO of Imani CollectiveMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Illustrations
1 b/w illustration;4 tables
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight
220 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5381-5985-9 (9781538159859)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
John R. Shoup | Troy W. Hinrichs | Jacqueline N. Gustafson
Pursuing Wisdom
A Primer for Leaders and Learners
E-Book
10/2021
1st Edition
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
€24.49
Available for download
Persons
John R. Shoup is professor of education and director of the Dr. Paul & Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at California Baptist University.
Jacqueline N. Gustafson is professor of psychology, the dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and fellow at the Dr. Paul & Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at California Baptist University.
Troy Hinrichs is professor of criminal justice and fellow at the Dr. Paul & Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at California Baptist University.
Jacqueline N. Gustafson is professor of psychology, the dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and fellow at the Dr. Paul & Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at California Baptist University.
Troy Hinrichs is professor of criminal justice and fellow at the Dr. Paul & Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at California Baptist University.
Content
Chapter Detail
Preface and Introduction. The preface explains why a primer on the nature of wisdom is needed and provides and outline of each chapter.
Chapter One: The Philosophers' Pursuit
The chapter begins with overview of the field of philosophy and its love affair with wisdom. The chapter walks the readers through Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy, Plato's Republic and The Laws, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and Confucius' Analects. The chapter also references the works of Al-Farabi, Avicenna, and Averroes' treatment of wisdom from the Golden Age of Islam. The chapter concludes what the major philosophers had in common in their approaches to explain the nature of wisdom, albeit different content.
Chapter Two: Religious Perspectives
This chapter begins with an introduction to theology. The chapter walks the readers through wisdom as described in four major religions and their respective texts, The Vedas from Hinduism, the Hebrew Bible from Judaism, The Old and New Testament for Christianity, and the Quran for Islam. The chapter concludes with how the different theological texts share similar approaches to the nature of wisdom, albeit different content.
Chapter Three: The Influence of Social Science
This chapter begins with an overview of the empirical tradition. The chapter describes in detail the different research models on wisdom found in the social sciences: Ardelt's Three Dimension Personality Model of Wisdom, Baltes' Expert Theory of Wisdom, Sternberg's Balance Theory of Wisdom, and Pederson and Seligman's study of wisdom in the field of positive psychology. The chapter also reviews the hidden architecture governing all complex adaptive systems as described in complexity theory and makes corresponding connections to the models previously identified to reveal similar understandings on the nature of practical wisdom.
Chapter Four: Reinstating Wisdom
This chapter reveals how the philosophical, theological, and empirical traditions share striking similarities in their understanding of wisdom and provides a simple model to reinstate wisdom as a core element of our ongoing human education. With guidelines and specific practices to enable readers to understand, teach, and enact wisdom in their own lives, this chapter reinstates wisdom as a core value for all leaders.
Preface and Introduction. The preface explains why a primer on the nature of wisdom is needed and provides and outline of each chapter.
Chapter One: The Philosophers' Pursuit
The chapter begins with overview of the field of philosophy and its love affair with wisdom. The chapter walks the readers through Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy, Plato's Republic and The Laws, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and Confucius' Analects. The chapter also references the works of Al-Farabi, Avicenna, and Averroes' treatment of wisdom from the Golden Age of Islam. The chapter concludes what the major philosophers had in common in their approaches to explain the nature of wisdom, albeit different content.
Chapter Two: Religious Perspectives
This chapter begins with an introduction to theology. The chapter walks the readers through wisdom as described in four major religions and their respective texts, The Vedas from Hinduism, the Hebrew Bible from Judaism, The Old and New Testament for Christianity, and the Quran for Islam. The chapter concludes with how the different theological texts share similar approaches to the nature of wisdom, albeit different content.
Chapter Three: The Influence of Social Science
This chapter begins with an overview of the empirical tradition. The chapter describes in detail the different research models on wisdom found in the social sciences: Ardelt's Three Dimension Personality Model of Wisdom, Baltes' Expert Theory of Wisdom, Sternberg's Balance Theory of Wisdom, and Pederson and Seligman's study of wisdom in the field of positive psychology. The chapter also reviews the hidden architecture governing all complex adaptive systems as described in complexity theory and makes corresponding connections to the models previously identified to reveal similar understandings on the nature of practical wisdom.
Chapter Four: Reinstating Wisdom
This chapter reveals how the philosophical, theological, and empirical traditions share striking similarities in their understanding of wisdom and provides a simple model to reinstate wisdom as a core element of our ongoing human education. With guidelines and specific practices to enable readers to understand, teach, and enact wisdom in their own lives, this chapter reinstates wisdom as a core value for all leaders.