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Series:   Elements in Epistemology

Wisdom

A Skill Theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 December 2022

Cheng-hung Tsai
Cheng-hung Tsai
Affiliation:
Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica

Summary

What is wisdom? What does a wise person know? Can a wise person know how to act and live well without knowing the whys and wherefores of his own action? How is wisdom acquired? This Element addresses questions regarding the nature and acquisition of wisdom by developing and defending a skill theory of wisdom. Specifically, this theory argues that if a person S is wise, then (i) S knows that overall attitude success contributes to or constitutes well-being; (ii) S knows what the best means to achieve well-being are; (iii) S is reliably successful at acting and living well (in light of what S knows); and (iv) S knows why she is successful at acting and living well. The first three sections of this Element develop this theory, and the final two sections defend this theory against two objections to the effect that there are asymmetries between wisdom and skill.
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Keywords

wisdomskillknowing howdeliberationwell-being
Type
Element
Information
Series: Elements in Epistemology
Online ISBN: 9781009222884
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 19 January 2023

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Wisdom
  • Cheng-hung Tsai, Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica
  • Online ISBN: 9781009222884
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Wisdom
  • Cheng-hung Tsai, Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica
  • Online ISBN: 9781009222884
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Wisdom
  • Cheng-hung Tsai, Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica
  • Online ISBN: 9781009222884
Available formats
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