This post is Part 2 of a series.

In a post from a few months back, I discussed wisdom as a concept. While we all have an idea of what "wisdom" is, consistency in that understanding is debatable. I addressed a wide array of research on wisdom, and at the end, we were still left with ambiguity. In my conclusion, I admitted that our exploration of the topic may not have adequately answered many questions about what wisdom really is, but made the point that, whatever it is, it probably cannot exist without the ability to think critically. However, despite failing to pin down anything "concrete," consideration of ideas presented in that discussion does facilitate identification of some "broader strokes," thematically speaking, of what we mean when we talk about wisdom.

1. Wisdom is domain-general.

This is a rather straightforward point because, simply, if wisdom were domain-specific (as opposed to domain-general), it would mean that people would only be "wise" about certain topics, subjects, or domains. The "problem" with that is we already have a name for it: expertise. With that, wisdom and expertise are not the same (i.e., for reasons discussed below). Thus, I would classify wisdom as domain-general in that one who is wise can apply it to most, if not all, walks of life.

2. Epistemological understanding is the primary trait of wisdom.

Consistent with much of the research on wisdom (as referenced in my previous piece), I would further classify wisdom as metacognitive. Simply, metacognition refers to thinking about thinking. Individuals think about their own knowledge, the basis for this knowledge, and how they come to obtain it. These thoughts reflect epistemological understanding (Dwyer, 2023; 2025)—which, for me, serves as foundational for wisdom development and is also vital for critical thinking (e.g., consider proof and theory), as it enhances the ways in which we approach and utilise information.

3. Wisdom is more than just experience, feelings, or intuition.

An unfortunate part of many common wisdom conceptualisations is that when we think of the word, it can spring to mind an experienced individual. But just because you’ve had a lot of experiences doesn’t mean that they were useful. In fact, you might just have a lot of experience being wrong (Kahneman, 2011). Yes, we learn from our mistakes—and that facilitates wisdom development, but many people don’t. Worse again, many people don’t even know they’re making mistakes (or doing something sub-optimally or just barely well enough) and continue to err in their lives without ever noticing or doing anything about it. We tend to confuse experience with expertise—don’t; they’re quite different. Obviously, the more we learn, the wiser we get. This comes over time… as does age. Again, though, this depends on the type and quality of the experience(s). Don’t be fooled by experience and age in terms of judging wisdom—a 35-year-old with great epistemological understanding is likely to be a lot wiser than a 70-year-old with lots of experience doing things wrong.

4. The wise know their limitations.

As part of that epistemological understanding, a wise individual knows when they don’t know something and/or when they need help. They are resourceful in their efforts to attain that knowledge or support when necessary. Socrates is a great example here of a wise person, as Socrates believed the Oracle of Delphi, who told him that he was the wisest man in all of Athens, while at the same time believing that he knew absolutely nothing. After considering this, he concluded that if he knew nothing and was wiser than everybody else, then it must be due to him being the only person in Athens who recognised their own ignorance. Moreover, wise people don’t foolishly jump to conclusions based on what their gut tells them. They are able to self-reflect and be honest with themselves about the strengths and weaknesses of their thinking.

5. The wise understand their place in the universe.

You are not special. The sooner you realise that, the faster your wisdom will develop. That goes for me, too. Sure, I hope I’m special to my family and friends, but beyond that, I’m pretty insignificant. In 200 years, it’s highly doubtful that I’ll be remembered for anything. I’m OK with that. I’m here for a good time, not a long time. Don’t take things—or yourself—too seriously. The wise accept things for what they are and embrace uncertainty. Insert whatever quasi-religious, pseudo-spiritual, self-help, inspirational mantra you want here. In my previous post, I referenced some research on spirituality, ethics, and interpersonal relationships as being correlates of wisdom. I’m not sure I would get that specific about things in my description here, but the common thread among these notions is that understanding one’s place in the universe is key for wisdom, as well as important for one’s mental well-being.

Defining wisdom

Upon consideration of these five points, if you were to ask me what wisdom is, I would say it’s a domain-general, metacognitive process, with epistemological understanding at its foundation, that develops over time with quality learning, and values and prioritises the application of critical thinking when needed. The wise recognise their strengths, limitations, and place in the universe, making sure not to sweat the small stuff. Finally, I would clarify that it’s not a thinking process per se (in that it facilitates the choosing of what thinking process or processes to use); rather, it is an approach to life (once developed), just as much as it is an approach to thinking. I hope we are all so lucky to develop it someday.

References

Dwyer, C. P. (2023). An evaluative review of barriers to critical thinking in educational and real-world settings. Journal of Intelligence, 11(6), 105.

Dwyer, C. P. (2025). *Knowledge Doesn’t Exist & Other Thoughts on Critical Thinking. *UK: Cambridge University Press.

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. UK: Penguin.