Would You Expect an Exceptionally Wise Person to Know They Were Exceptionally Wise?

[Sunstone]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

 

[Ana.J]

"All I know is that I know nothing" - this is wise to me. If you think that you know everything you might not see the truth out of your swollen Ego

 

[Rick O'Shez]

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

That's a big question! For me part of it is having the courage to see things as they really are, rather than indulging in wishful thinking or denial.

 

[Ana.J]

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

For me wisdom means having experience, knowledge and judgement to live the life with less suffering

 

[Terese]

For me wisdom means having experience, knowledge and judgement to live the life with less suffering

Or know one cannot avoid it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

No.
Yes.
Yes.
Still under investigation--it's not a particularly useful term in my experience...

 

[Aštra’el]

What does "wisdom" mean to you?

I use the word "wisdom" to describe a deep understanding of individual human Nature as well as collective human Nature.

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person? Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise? Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

A wise person may or may not perceive themselves as exceptionally wise. Just because one has come to understand a great deal about human Nature and knows it doesn't mean one's mind would not be open to learning so much more.

 

[dust1n]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

An exceptionally wise person might be more concerned with more pressing matters.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

An exceptionally wise person might be more concerned with more pressing matters.

Says an exceptionally wise man...

 

[bobhikes]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

I like the bonus question,

Wisdom to me means knowing you place in your surroundings. The Tao is perceived by me as a river of life going against the flow is not wise, staying put is not wise, and not understanding your current environment is not wise. So to have true wisdom you need to understand you surroundings and as they change, change with them.

 

[dust1n]

Says an exceptionally wise man...

I got no time for this! I have experiments to conduct and quandaries to philosophize!

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I got no time for this! I have experiments to conduct and quandaries to philosophize!

Thanks for popping in anyway.

 

[savagewind]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

I think an exceptionally wise person has to see the merit of prudence so no, he would not think himself exceptionally wise.

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Yes.

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

Absolutely, sometimes. I think it is not possible for someone who is wise to be considering himself also a fool, but I suspect even the wisest individual thinks and does some foolishness at times. Don't you?

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

Wisdom means to be able to handle situations well and to be able to keep in mind what the future might be respecting his choices.

 

[savagewind]

Today I did something foolish and then I did something wise.
I went to the farmer's market today and the lettuce looked so good I bought two big heads. I don't make a salad everyday like my sister wisely does, so many times I throw away some lettuce. It was a wise decision on my part to clean the refrigerator before putting away the lettuce, so that I did and if I remember to made a salad each day, that will be me being wise again!

I think wisdom is a description of what people do and don't do than it is a description of what people know.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

A wise person would be smart enough, and honest enough, to have a meaningful and accurate understanding of their knowledge/abilities, as well as their limitations.

I find the idea of thinking one's self a fool being a component of being wise to be something that foolish and unwise people like to propagate. I expect the reasons are somewhat self-explanatory.

 

[idav]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

I will have to first say I think wisdom is knowing the ramifications of our actions but a very deep level. With that I don't think its possible to know the future but someone might suspect that they have enough knowledge and deep understanding to know. A person can have good intentions and still make unwise decisions in their actions by not knowing the full scope of what can happen. Of course more knowledge is helpful in knowing, experience is a solid substitute but good judgement isn't always possible without knowing everything about everything and everyone.

 

[Ana.J]

Or know one cannot avoid it.

Yes, which means you accept is with no resistance and less suffering

 

[lewisnotmiller]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Yes, with the caveat that they would see wise as a relative rather than absolute term.

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

Less likely, I would think, but if they were thinking in more objective terms, they would almost certainly consider themselves largely ignorant (if not so much a fool).

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

Is this a trick question? It's been well defined, and I can even quote direct from the source of truth on 'WISDOM'...

Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. While Intelligence represents one’s ability to analyze information, Wisdom represents being in tune with and aware of one’s surroundings. Wisdom is the most important ability for clerics and druids, and it is also important for paladins and rangers. If you want your character to have acute senses, put a high score in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom score.

It's generally rolled for with 3d6, but that depends on your race modifiers, etc. You're a lion, so you get bonus to hit, but I'm buggered if I know what your wisdom score would be. 6?

 

[Tumah]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Would you expect them to at least suspect that they might be exceptionally wise?

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

If by wise you mean "the ability to process and harness information" then I don't see why someone who can do this to a greater extent than others shouldn't be cognizant of that.
A humble wise person might more clearly recognize through their greater ability that there is more that they don't know/can't do. But outside of character improvement, I don't see any point to such a line of thinking.

I guess it just depends whether you're putting the standard against your peers or against an objective standard that everyone falls short of.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

According to your own understanding of what it means to be wise, would you expect an exceptionally wise person to know that they were an exceptionally wise person?

Yes!

Do you think it possible or perhaps even likely that an exceptionally wise person might think themselves a fool?

Since there is always more to learn, there is always the capacity to make mistakes, or to really screw up and make a complete fool of yourself. Of course, that is just one definition of what it is to be a fool.. Sometimes those who play the fool are in fact exceptionally wise..

BONUS QUESTION: What does "wisdom" mean to you?

I'm not sure I have one definition. But here's one: the application of knowledge and understanding, tempered with judgment (which is arguably a part of knowledge or understanding, depending on how one understands the terms) to solve a (difficult?) problem.