What is wisdom? |
Why is it important? |
How can it be developed? |
The Wisdom Page is a website dedicated to helping us better understand wisdom—that vitally important pinnacle of human virtue and philosophical and psychological development.
There are no short answers to the questions above—to the nature and value of wisdom—but there are answers. The Wisdom Page provides a rich and diverse array of thoughtful responses to these questions, intended to educate the human mind and inspire the human spirit.
Indeed, wisdom is a multi-faceted synthesis of many human qualities. For millennia, students of wisdom and writers about it have associated wisdom with a number of positive human character strengths and virtues. Among them are the 48 that are displayed, one-by-one, over the "world at night" image above. (See Wisdom as Quality of Choices by Douglas McKee for a thought provoking, personal, and practical way to look at these 48 strengths and virtues.)
Further, while there is no easy or simple way to develop wisdom, there are clearly definable pathways for cultivating and strengthening it. Again, The Wisdom Page provides a wealth of advice and guided practices for the nurturance and growth of wisdom.
Since 1995 The Wisdom Page has been connecting those interested in wisdom with a wide range of wisdom-related resources. Over the years the website has expanded in content and grown in popularity. Now, each month it delivers more than 30,000 documents, podcasts, and videos to visitors from more than 140 countries.
The Wisdom Page team includes writers, teachers, wisdom researchers, and people from all walks of life who see wisdom as central to personal and societal well being. Amidst ongoing concerns over numerous perceived problems and challenges in the world today—environmental, economic, social, ethical, and technological— it is more important than ever to emphasize the critical relevance of wisdom in constructively facing these challenges. Wisdom is not just about “wise sayings” and philosophical insights of the past; wisdom is “vitally important” for our individual and collective future. Wisdom faces forward. Though numerous technological and economic solutions are offered to address the problems of today, we believe that the pursuit and development of wisdom is key to a positive future for humanity.
In the spirit of founder Copthorne Macdonald’s practice of including philosophically and culturally diverse writings and perspectives on wisdom, if you are interested in submitting an essay or other item for review and potential inclusion in the The Wisdom Page, you are welcome to do so.
We hope you enjoy your visit. If you have comments, suggestions or questions you'd like to share with us, or if you would like to receive the monthly Future Consciousness Insights about ongoing new additions to the website, click here.
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Copthorne Macdonald, Tom Lombardo, Leland Beaumont, and The Wisdom Page Advisory Board
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The Wisdom Page was founded by Copthorne MacDonald in 1995. Copthorne passed away in the winter of 2011. He was a dear friend and inspiring and supportive colleague who possessed a deep understanding of both science and philosophy, as well as a personal presence and character that embodied the quality of wisdom. Indeed, Cop devoted the last couple decades of his life to the study of wisdom and the ongoing development of The Wisdom Page - the premier website for readings and other educational resources on wisdom. Read the complete dedication to Cop. |
Great New Video: Seeking Real Good Video by Lee Beaumont
Introductory video: WISDOM
and THE WISDOM PAGE
WISDOM
101
is a free online course in practical wisdom. It is the outgrowth
of a classroom course given at Rollins College by Professor
Alan Nordstrom, and uses short chapters from Cop Macdonald's
book GETTING A LIFE to stir thinking about many common
life situations. Since Cop has passed away, this course is now self-taught; there will not be responses to your comments in the course. |
Wisdom
101
A
Course in Practical Wisdom
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A series of Interactive Courses developed and taught by Leland Beaumont provide learning resources dedicated to the pursuit of well-being while preparing us to solve the great universal problems that prevent us from realizing and enjoying all that is most important in life. |
Applied Wisdom Curriculum
Online Wikiversity Courses
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Copthorne
Macdonald's books in eBook format Download
free, screen-readable, eBook editions of Matters of
Consequence (concerning personal and societal wisdom in
the 21st century), Getting a Life (about practical, everyday-life
wisdom), and Toward Wisdom (concerning big-picture, existential
wisdom). |
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Jason
Merchey's "Life of Value" books Pay the discounted cost for copies of Building a Life of Value, Living a Life of Value, and Values and Ethics. Values are the keystones of a meaningful life. These books present great thinking by classical and contemporary writers, and offer a rich variety of ideas on the subject. As a subscriber to Wisdom and the Future (subscribe now) you will receive free shipping on any of Jason’s books on wisdom and values. Just enter the coupon code FREESHIP4TWP when ordering the books on Jason’s website.
Listen to free podcasts on values and ethics, including interviews with Copthorne Macdonald and Nicholas Maxwell at Values and Ethics Dialogues. |
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