Golden rule of wisdom?

Yohan August 23, 2021 at 13:16 2725 views 11 comments

There is a golden rule when it comes to morality. It seems somewhat universal.
I was wondering if there is a "golden rule" for wisdom?

Maybe something like:
1. Keep an open mind, a humble spirit, a feeling of wonder and curiosity. Remain a student. Don't think of yourself as an expert or know it all.

Comments (11)

javi2541997 August 23, 2021 at 13:26 #583365 0 likes

Reply to Yohan

I guess the following papers will answer what you are asking for. Karl Popper developed this Trilemma in his book called: The Logic of Scientific Discovery.

The Friesian Trilemma

Prishon August 23, 2021 at 13:30 #583366 0 likes

Quoting Yohan

11mReplyOptions

Golden rule for true wisdom: consider your own worldview, reality, truth, or however you wanna call it, as one among many and not the one and only true one.

180 Proof August 23, 2021 at 13:34 #583367 0 likes

To paraphrase Confucius' / Hillel the Elder's formulation:

Whichever idea lacks sufficient evidence, do not claim it is true or put it into practice.

(Corollary: Whenever you lack 'skin in the game', do not play that game or advise others to play it.)

Deleted User August 23, 2021 at 17:46 #583447 0 likes

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T_Clark August 23, 2021 at 21:36 #583534 0 likes

Quoting Yohan

"golden rule" for wisdom

"In science, 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.'" Stephen J. Gould.

180 Proof August 23, 2021 at 21:55 #583543 0 likes

[quote=A fool's self-overcoming mantra]To unlearn habits which make me miserable (foolery), and don't be an asshole.[/quote]

Tom Storm August 23, 2021 at 21:59 #583547 0 likes

Never get involved in a land war in Asia.

Wayfarer August 23, 2021 at 22:13 #583551 0 likes

Reply to Yohan 'Don't try to condense the meaning of the wisdom into a sentence' would be a good start.

Manuel August 23, 2021 at 22:34 #583555 0 likes

Reply to Yohan

Anyone who claims to be wise, is not.

You don't look to find it, you stumble towards it.

Not much of use can be said on this topic, I don't think. Unless you get dragged down some New Age hole of which few people manage to escape. But that's my experience anyway.

180 Proof August 23, 2021 at 23:40 #583562 0 likes

Whatever formula or rule we come up with, the context seems to be something like this:

'Wisdom' is, it seems, a fool's horizon, not his or her destination. Like a drunk or junky, once a fool always a fool – whether or not one actively struggles in recovery against one's condition. We're born fools. It's our congenital birthright (i.e. h. sapiens' species defect): a tendency to fail to learn from failure; our naive (blissful) ignorance of being ignorant; incorrigible complexity-death-reality denials; a suite of cognitive biases; an unconscious repertoire of acculturated paths of least (mental) effort – the varied roots of our frequent misjudgments and facile malpractices which are, more often than not, as self-immiserating as they are compulsive. 'Philosophy as a way of life' is, as I understand it, a discipline of recovery from foolery – one's unwise, or self-blinkered / defeating / immiserating, habits (vices) – through reflective inquiries and practices; to know thy self-the-fool; to be self-overcoming ... like Sisyphus.

TheMadFool August 26, 2021 at 04:32 #584801 0 likes

Be part of the solution and not part of the problem!