Wisdom

How does knowledge relate to wisdom? Can we trust our perception? Can anything ever be known for certain? 

Since the beginning of time, humanity has sought to unravel and predict reality. In the past, we relied on myths and magical practices, but in recent centuries our focus has shifted almost exclusively to scientific research. In ‘Wisdom’, Paul Verhaeghe examines our complex relationship with reality, drawing a distinction between knowledge – which has made our lives easier – and wisdom – which addresses existential questions. Looming in the background is the ever-present danger of believing in an absolute Truth.

We tend to elevate scientific knowledge as the sole legitimate and valuable form of understanding, a perspective shaped by the capitalist ideology that has dominated society since the end of Second World War. This kind of knowledge mirrors capitalism’s emphasis on speed, utility and measurable results. In this book, Verhaeghe argues that this is a choice – a deliberate way of thinking. There are other ways to approach the power knowledge brings. To do what is right, we must combine knowledge with wisdom. Wisdom, he suggests, is often found in art, which seeks to answer the existential questions every human being asks themselves.