Dialogue - Knowledge and Wisdom
Student: Sir, what does this line mean - “Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers?”
Teacher: This line is from a poem by Tennyson, called “Locksley Hall,” in which the poet talks about the great increase of scientific knowledge in the 19th century. He says that men have more knowledge than they used to have, but they are no wiser.
Student: But is not wisdom the same thing as knowledge? In the history lesson the other day you said that James I, King of England, was called the “wisest fool in Christendom,” and you told us that wisest meant “most learned.”
Teacher: Correct, I did, and in that phrase it does. But that is not the proper meaning of the word, “wise.” It would have been better to speak of King James as the most learned fool.
Student: Then what is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
Teacher: Knowledge or learning means to know many facts and theories about a specific subject. It is accurate and systematized information. And a person who knows a great deal about a subject is a learned person or a scholar.
Student: But isn’t this person also a wise person?
Teacher: Not necessarily, a learned scholar is a master of his / her subject but may be a fool in practical matters of life. This person may be so buried in books and studies, that he /she knows nothing of men, little of business and the ways of the world. So in practical matters, he / she may be like a child - easily deceived, often confused and frequently doing silly things.
Student: Then what is wisdom?
Teacher: Wisdom is knowledge applied to everyday life, but the knowledge behind wisdom is not available from books and study, but from experience - life itself. Wisdom is knowing the best way to manage one’s life - what is best to seek and to do, and what is best to avoid. And to not only know this as a theory, but to also carry it out in practice. So wisdom shows itself in action, and is partly moral strength and power of will.
Student: But isn’t a wise man a scholar?
Teacher: Again, not necessary. Just as a scholar may be a fool, so an ignorant or uneducated man may be wise. Many Indian farmers, who cannot read or write, has never heard of history or philosophy, are wise. They know how to live, what is best to do and what should not be done. They have learnt by experience how to manage their lives.
Student: Which is best to have - learning or wisdom?
Teacher: It is best to have both, learn from your teachers and read a lot of books to develop knowledge, and then from life’s experiences to gain wisdom to manage the different situations life presents. In this manner, a person can live a satisfying and fulfilled life.
