Wisdom

The world is simultaneously facing many crises that humanity is failing to solve. Yet, at the same time, humans are smarter (with IQs on average thirty points higher than a century ago) and more knowledgeable (with the world's knowledge base at our fingertips), and scientific advances are accelerating. However, intelligence and knowledge are not enough: wisdom harnesses these strengths to serve the common good. Education is focused on acquiring knowledge, but schools would do better also to teach and test for the development of wisdom. To a lot of people, wisdom is an abstraction, but there is a growing body of scientific research into what wisdom is and how it works. This introduction sets out why wisdom is so important. Drawing on insights from psychology, philosophy, science, and common sense, this book provides a complete account of wisdom and how we can develop it throughout our lives.

'Two world leaders in the science of wisdom have teamed up to write the first broad survey of the field, considering what wisdom means in this growing field, why it matters, how it can be measured, how it develops, and how it can be cultivated in ourselves and in society. Written in an easy and engaging style, this book has something to offer everyone, from those newly interested in wisdom to seasoned researchers exploring this topic for themselves.' Michel Ferrari, Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology and Education, University of Toronto, Canada, 'Robert J. Sternberg and Judith Glück are pioneers in wisdom research. Their new book is full of deep insights needed in the polarized and uncertain world of today. Instead of viewing wisdom as an unattainable ideal bestowed on selected few, these authors show that most of us can cultivate wise thinking in our daily lives.' Igor Grossmann, Director of the Wisdom and Culture Laboratory and Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Canada, 'We urgently need a wiser world. I hope this book helps bring it about.' Nicholas Maxwell, Emeritus Reader in Philosophy of Science, University College London, UK, 'You can't get much better than Robert J. Sternberg and Judith Glück to introduce people to the psychological concept of wisdom. They are among the pioneers who have transferred this ancient concept from the realm of philosophy to the science of psychology. Their conversational style will entice many readers to an understanding of the considerable erudition they have to offer.' Bernard McKenna, Emeritus Associate Professor of Business Communication, University of Queensland, Australia, 'This book explains how psychological science contributes to our understanding of wisdom. We have come far and it is time to apply what we have learnt to mastering the big challenges of the twenty-first century. Robert J. Sternberg, a pioneer of psychological wisdom research, and Judith Glück, one of the stars of wisdom research today, combine forces to respond to this need.' Ursula M. Staudinger, Rector, Dresden University of Technology, Germany

Robert J. Sternberg is Professor of Human Development at Cornell University, USA, and Honorary Professor of Psychology at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He won the Grawemeyer Award in Psychology and the James McKeen Cattell and William James Awards of the Association for Psychological Science. Judith Glück is Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. Her research investigates what wisdom is, how it develops, how it can best be measured, and how it is influenced by situations and other people.