Back at it, sort of

I didn't really ponder the question I said I would over my break. Did anyone? I did find this interesting link. I hope to explore it more during the coming days and possibly comment there.

The problem, I think, is that the idea (first principles vs. change) as stated was simply too abstract for meaningful consideration. It didn't have any traction with day-to-day reality. That, in a nutshell, is also the problem with the concept of 'wisdom' and something I hope to avoid in this blog.

I suppose when we think of someone who is wise, we think of someone who has good judgment, someone who gives us good advice in response to a specific problem we might be experiencing.

Sometimes, it is someone who helps us see the principle on the basis of which we should act when dealing with our problems. For example, love your neighbor as yourself. That, at first glance, seems like a wise thing.

But even if we know the principle according to which we should act, we often don't know how to put it into practice. That is a matter of judgment. Judgment, to me, is making a decision after taking into account all the relevant factors and weighing them with respect to whatever consequences we can reasonably expect might flow from that decision.

So, maybe wisdom has something to do with understanding some basic principles and exercising good judgment. That feels like a start.

Any comments?