Seminar:
Dr. Igor Grossmann, University of Waterloo
Date and time: March 22nd at 12:30
Place: Sala de Conferencias 1 (CIMCYC)
Title: Deconstructing wisdom
Abstract: Wisdom has been a central topic in ancient philosophy,
glorified and revered by many cultures throughout time. Recent interest
in wisdom across social, behavioral and medical sciences has also been
on the rise, paralleled by conceptual confusions about its nature and
assessment. How is wisdom different from intelligence, rationality, or
moral virtues? To avoid confusion, I will start by establishing a common
(denominator) model of wisdom – a empirically-driven synthesis of
perspectives from a large number of empirical scholars working on
wisdom-related themes in philosophy, education, and cognitive and social
sciences. Central to this model is the focus on meta-cognition.
Meta-cognitive principles of wise judgment include epistemic virtues of
intellectual humility, recognition of world in flux and change, and
consideration & integration of different perspectives. I will review how
these features are beneficial for individual well-being, relationships,
and intergroup relations. Based on experimental, cross-cultural and
diary evidence, I further propose that the propensity of applying these
principles in daily life depends on the cultural contexts and specific
situational demands. I will demonstrate implications for measurement,
and will further apply these new insights for wisdom-enhancing
interventions in the context of working through interpersonal
challenges. I will conclude by outlining several unresolved conceptual
and methodological challenges.