Short description:

What is Wisdom and Can it be Taught? uses careful theoretical analysis and a well-argued ontological conception of the human being to present a new ?Holistic Wisdom Model?, summarizing existing research and presenting fresh insights.

Long description:

What is Wisdom and Can it be Taught? uses careful theoretical analysis and a well-argued ontological conception of the human being to present a new ?Holistic Wisdom Model?, summarizing existing research and presenting fresh insights.

Human wisdom is a complex phenomenon. Psychological research in this area has led to a wide range of fragmentary claims and models, and therefore, there is a need for theoretical clarification of the field: What is wisdom? How should we study it in the first place? Is it a purely psychological phenomenon, or do we also need philosophy? This book examines these questions, as well as provides a pedagogical review of wisdom to evaluate how people become wise(r) and whether wisdom can be taught. Drawing on findings from a range of educational fields, it shows the crucial features of wisdom-enhancing pedagogies we already know, which are summarized in a ?Teaching for Wisdom Model?.

Written by leading, interdisciplinary scholars, this book illuminates the study of wisdom for researchers, academics, teachers, and students of psychology, philosophy, and education.

Table of Contents:

List of editors and contributors

Acknowledgements

1. INTRODUCTION

PART I: TOWARDS A HOLISTIC WISDOM MODEL

Eeva K. Kallio, Päivi Tynjälä, Elina Paananen, Anu S. Virtanen, Maarit Virolainen, Terhi Ek, Hannakaisa Isomäki and Hannu L.T. Heikkinen

2. Philosophical anthropological background of the new wisdom metamodel

2.1 The central role of philosophical foundations in the study of wisdom

2.2 Importance of ontology in wisdom studies: Rauhala?s holistic image of the human being

3. Research questions and methods of the study

4. Explicit wisdom models and metamodels in psychology

4.1 Individual wisdom models

4.2 Psychological metamodels

4.2.1 Jeste?s San Diego Model (SDW)

4.2.2 Grossmann?s Common Wisdom Model (CWM)

4.2.3 Karami?s Polyhedron Model (PWM)

4.2.4 Glück?s Integrative Wisdom Model (IWM)

4.3 Holistic Wisdom Model (HWM)

4.4 Dimensions of the HWM

4.4.1 Cognitive dimension: deep understanding

4.4.2 Affective-social dimension: deep caring

4.4.3 Ethical-existential dimension: ethical vision

4.4.4 Action dimension: ethical action

4.4.5 Subject/Person (SP) as a core coordinative element

5. Justification of the HWM: critique of former wisdom models and metamodels

PART II: PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES FOR NURTURING WISDOM IN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS

Päivi Tynjälä, Eeva K. Kallio, Elina Paananen, Maarit Virolainen, Anu S. Virtanen, Terhi Ek and Hannu L.T. Heikkinen

6. Pedagogical practices for nurturing wisdom in educational contexts

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Findings: pedagogical methods and practices nurturing wisdom

6.2.1 Developing the cognitive dimension of wisdom

6.2.2 Facilitating growth of the affective?social dimension of wisdom

6.2.3 Nurturing the ethical?existential dimension of wisdom

6.2.4 Developing the action dimension of wisdom

7. Teaching for Wisdom Model (TWM)

8. Conclusions and discussion

8.1 What is wisdom?

8.2 Limitations related to the HWM

8.3 Conclusions regarding the HWM

8.4 Can wisdom be taught?

8.5 Limitations and conclusions related to wisdom pedagogy

Appendix
References
Index