From knowledge to wisdom: the need for an academic revolution

At present the basic intellectual aim of academic inquiry is to improve knowledge. Much of the structure, the whole character, of academic inquiry, in universities all over the world, is shaped by the adoption of this as the basic intellectual aim. But, judged from the standpoint of making a contri...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Nicholas Maxwell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UCL Press 2007-06-01
Series:London Review of Education
Online Access:https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=32c40fb8-cd7b-40bc-b658-dc429c8bd6f1
Description
Summary:At present the basic intellectual aim of academic inquiry is to improve knowledge. Much of the structure, the whole character, of academic inquiry, in universities all over the world, is shaped by the adoption of this as the basic intellectual aim. But, judged from the standpoint of making a contribution to human welfare, academic inquiry of this type is irrational. Three of four of the most elementary rules of rational problem-solving are violated. A revolution in the aims and methods of academic inquiry is needed so that the basic aim becomes to promote wisdom, conceived of as the capacity to realize what is of value, for oneself and others, thus including knowledge and technological know-how, but much else besides. This urgently needed revolution would affect every branch and aspect of the academic enterprise.
ISSN:1474-8479