What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
Posted on Jul 2nd, 2008
by 
Enlightened.thinker
Enlightened.thinker
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for July 02, 2008:
One of my favorite topics!
It is the same kind of word schism as intelligence and intellectualism...
Knowledge comes from book learning, individual critical thinking and adaptation to the world.
Wisdom comes over time, through experience and insight. And from accumulated knowledge.
There can however,be very wise souls who are young. Age does not always indicate wisdom.
Case in point: Mattie Stephanek. He was a poet and philosopher who wrote books and died at age 14.
He was wise beyond his physical years.
And there can be some rather foolish older people.
Wisdom may come more with age, but there are also insufferable fools out there that never become wise!
:)
It is the same kind of word schism as intelligence and intellectualism...
Knowledge comes from book learning, individual critical thinking and adaptation to the world.
Wisdom comes over time, through experience and insight. And from accumulated knowledge.
There can however,be very wise souls who are young. Age does not always indicate wisdom.
Case in point: Mattie Stephanek. He was a poet and philosopher who wrote books and died at age 14.
He was wise beyond his physical years.
And there can be some rather foolish older people.
Wisdom may come more with age, but there are also insufferable fools out there that never become wise!
:)
Access: Public
knowledge
August 2008 
Aley,
Oh, I love your photo of the Owl and Sun. I wanted to find something but couldn't even think of what would symbolize what I wanted to say.
Certainly, age - or living long - does not in itself confer wisdom but experience can and often does. I have more respect for “old” folk now, more willingness to believe they just might know that of which they speak, than I did when I was younger. I've noticed how often my MIL holds back from comment in tense situations, knowing from wisdom I would suppose, that cooler heads will ultimately prevail.
I also know of Mattie since he was featured in Science of Mind magazine. I suspect his soul knew all along that his life would be short and that shortened life span contributed greatly to his display of “wise beyond his years”.
I also believe wisdom comes from beyond knowledge. It is when you know, you just know, inside it is telling you do this or don't do that, and you follow that inner hunch - that's wisdom as opposed to repairing a car by the manual - applied knowledge.
Wishing you wonderfully comfortable reading places …
Deborah
Mattie radiated love in his writings and speaking. He touched me too with his presence here. Heart is the key to wisdom.
I appreciate you bringing up this subject.
Is understanding the same as knowing?
I learned how to research with methods taught to me and specific instructions. Over time with practice and guidance I became more skilled. I then realized I was discovering with synchronicity without effort. Trippy really!
There is a flow that comes in naturally. This is where I AM allowing and getting out of the way.
DO you think Mattie “got out of the way” because he was open with his Heart and he knew from his inner Heart his Soul Essence message for this life?
Thanks Deb..I so agree with you.
I remember opening my mind to so many new ideas after reading some Osho books…one on Intelligence, and the one on Maturity was most enlightening.He talks about men stuck in the first chakra manifesting as “dirty old men” and I could concur with those types leering about! I do not think they are “wise” but stuck in some other lower life place…and I am sure there are women the same way!
LOL
I so agree wisdom comes from intuition and just knowing that you know..and honoring that inner wisdom without questioning it!
I also love listening to older people…esp those who are “aware” and not stuck in the dramas of the past. I remember delving into many questions of my dad about 4 years before he died..wisdom of the ages…
Thanks as always for coming by and offering up some ingredients for the wisdom soup! I know it will be quite hearty when others add their own personal wise words to the mix!
Love you!
A
It is fun to read other's thoughts and sharing.
This is a very nice place to share.
Hello abundantlife! You must have been posting when I was responding to Deb! Thanks for your comments!
Is understanding the same as knowing? What do you think? Since we can understand many things from differing aspects, like heart, head, etc, then knowing would also have differnet aspects too right? hmmmm…
I love this:
I learned how to research with methods taught to me and specific instructions. Over time with practice and guidance I became more skilled. I then realized I was discovering with synchronicity without effort. Trippy really!
DO you think Mattie “got out of the way” because he was open with his Heart and he knew from his inner Heart his Soul Essence message for this life?
I kind of agree wtih Deb that Mattie may have “chosen” a life that would be short for his mission in it, but of course, we have no proof of that. I do think he was deeply attunded to his soul and the messages in his poetry show wisdom beyond any years he had lived. Such is the way of great mystics…and he may have been one of those..!
Thanks for sharing!
love, Aley
Aley,
I believe it is ALL of this and more.
I too, believe Mattie CHOSE to come here with his short life.
Then I realize we can remember as children our Soul's message, attunement and more.
There are so many ways! I love it!
I agree with how you describe “understand and knowing” here Aley.
I noticing, there are ways to awaken because I believe we have infinite wisdom that we forget or are asleep and not aware of sometimes.
I so enjoyed seeing Mattie on Oprah. What a sweet Human.
Aley, your pic reminds me of little owl, here it is the only one that hunts in daylight, the other owls are active when the sun goes down. I agree, intuition does play a large role in wisdom and a lot of scientists start with a hunch and work to prove it. Experience is a good teacher too, also staying with silence., amazing what pops up then. You concoct a good wisdom soup.
Hi Aley! Yes there is no fool like an old fool and perhaps the problem is the getting older part! Lol! I think wisdom is magic and comes via intuition and knowledge, like learning to fix your car comes through sweat and tuition.
Mozart was talking about wisdom when he said “Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.”
I think he was right.
You are absolutely correct! =) Thanks for the philosopher. I am going to look him up. That's a shame he died some young, but he certainly showed his wisdom at such a young age and that is honorable. =)
Very nice, Aley….thank you.
love and wonder,
CG
Aley, you are such a bright button, knowledgable & wise in the same package, I adore you!
& kinda cool popping in here a day late with the extra gift of comments galore.. as I could NOT comment yesterday..hrmph! fingers itching with restlessness & them lil toes tic toc tapping impatiently.
I love talking to older people too, my grandmother is 90 today, yay! & when she's out of the past drama mode, she's a hoot; need to mention Osho, who to me represents the bestest of knowledgable wise people.. with his ability to add humor to the depths of wisdom..
love & joy tara
Hello Tara,
My Grandmother is 90 also. I enjoy talking with her too. She use to talk about the past drama and now she does not. She has released. She puts puzzles together and chats with us. She picks the puzzle, picks the topics and we laugh together.
I enjoy Osho too.
Thanks thanks thanks everyone….sorry I am so busy today, but appreciate all your comments!
:)
I lvoe that Mozart Quote Doug.
knowledge is learning, wisdom is taking what you've learned and applying it to your everyday life. it's the difference between sitting in a training room somewhere for a job, and actually doing the job.
Osho always makes total sense to my heart and mind. Recently flowerchild/Denise posted a good one in the Living Metaphysics pod at this link - http://pods.gaia.com/living_metaphysics/discussions/view/303054
Wishing everyone in the US a pleasant holiday weekend.
Deborah