Politics and social issues

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.