Have You Ever Wondered...
-- What's the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
-- How do you obtain knowledge?
-- How are knowledge and wisdom related?
When you're tired you may be lacking in motivation. You might not feel like going to school at all. In fact, you might WONDER why you have to go to school so many years anyway. Can't you just Google what you need to know in the future?
If you ever feel this way, we encourage you to eat a good breakfast and hit the ground running with a positive attitude. Not only does school provide you with an opportunity to gain a broad base of important knowledge, but it also gives you the chance to interact with friends and adults that will build important social skills for later in life.
If you're lucky, you may even have a few teachers who go the extra mile to help you understand how and why you will use what you learn beyond the classroom. When that happens, pay attention! You'll be wise for doing so.
All this talk about knowledge and wisdom may have you thinking, "But aren't knowledge and wisdom the same thing?" Great question! If they're not, how are they different?
Although there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to defining these particular words, most people do draw a distinction between knowledge and wisdom. Let's take a closer look at the differences that might allow someone to be knowledgeable but not wise.
Many experts define knowledge as understanding basic facts, truths, and information. We gain knowledge from learning and education.
Wisdom, on the other hand, is the ability to use knowledge in a practical, intelligent way. Rather than from learning or education, most people believe wisdom comes from everyday experiences.
Knowledge is possessing a mental understanding of certain information. Wisdom is the practical ability to use your knowledge to make good decisions consistently throughout your life.
One common illustration of the difference goes something like this: knowledge is understanding that a tomato is botanically a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put a tomato in a fruit salad!
As you go through school, you will gain all sorts of knowledge over the years. Will you become wise, though? If you apply yourself and let your everyday experiences teach you how to use your knowledge in a practical, intelligent way, then you'll grow to be both knowledgeable and wise!