Actually, a higher than average IQ is probably necessary for the development of wisdom, so one cannot lose too many IQ points and still gain wisdom. Before elaborating, I will provide Aristotle’s distinction between IQ and wisdom. In the quote below, Aristotle uses the term “Prudence” to describe wisdom.
Although the young may be experts in geometry and mathematics and similar branches of knowledge, we do not consider that a young man can have Prudence. The reason is that Prudence includes a knowledge of particular facts, and this is derived from experience, which a young man does not possess; for experience is the fruit of years. Aristotle –Nicomachean Ethics. 350 BC
Wisdom is, indeed, an elusive concept. The ancient Greeks defined two kinds of wisdom, sophia and phronesis. Sophia is a subjective or transcendent wisdom manifesting as intuitional understanding, while phronesis is the practical wisdom needed to solve everyday problems. Both elude precise measurement because there is no consensus on precisely what is meant by wisdom though, like beauty, we think we know it when we see it. To attempt a measure of wisdom, Robert Sternberg, Professor of Psychology at Cornell University has presented a triarchic model, presenting wisdom as consisting of 3 components:
• analytical intelligence, as manifest in the ability to complete problem-solving tasks, such as those used in traditional intelligence tests.
• synthetic intelligence, the ability to formulate a course of action to deal successfully with novel situations by drawing on existing knowledge and skills.
• practical intelligence, the ability to adapt to everyday life by drawing on existing knowledge and skills to determine a course of action.
In this model, we observe that analytic and synthetic intelligence, i.e. g (measured as IQ) constitute only two of the three components of wisdom, so a high IQ may be a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for wisdom. In order for a Hi-Q person to have wisdom, she would need also to possess what Sternberg calls “practical intelligence.” While Sternberg suggests that “practical intelligence” is an overarching cognitive capability like g, psychologists generally regard “practical intelligence” as a learned domain-specific skill. As Warne observes:
Indeed, the evidence is very scarce that there is any general cognitive ability besides g, though there are many other abilities in Stratum I and Stratum II in both the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC ) and bifactor models [of intelligence].
So, for example, Ben Franklin was a Hi-Q person who applied his superior intellect to study human nature, thereby acquiring the ability to influence people. Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, on the other hand, was a highly intelligent person with an IQ of 168, but his terrorist choices would probably not qualify him as wise.
While the triarchic definition is useful in viewing wisdom as high intelligence coupled with some acquired personal skills, the dependence of wisdom on acquiring knowledge means that it varies across domains. For example, Mahatma Ghandi, generally regarded as a wise man in his political battles against the British occupation of India, was a failure as a parent. Believing that character is more important than knowledge, he denied his children a formal education. He was wise in matters of state, but perhaps, not so in matters of parenting.
Similarly, Albert Einstein recognized as wise in many domains, displayed significant wisdom in declining to accept the appointment as Israel’s second President, explaining that he lacked the natural aptitude for social interaction required in such a political position.
While some components of intelligence are measurable, the concept of wisdom is somewhat subjective. Most of those to whom we attribute wisdom have been great philosophers, writers, or leaders who have displayed an insight into human nature and the conundrums of human existence. The adages of Socrates and Confucius capture in a flash the lessons that take a lifetime to learn. The insights of Shakespeare and Goethe lay naked the inner motivations of the human psyche that drive us to decisions that later manifest as wise or foolish. Distilling this information into a single insight leads us to conclude that wisdom is high intelligence accompanied by an acquired depth of self-knowledge and interpersonal skill. In the absence of this final component, a Hi-Q person, may be nothing more than a Hi-Q person whose influence is restricted to a specific domain.
Einstein observed, “Intelligence is knowing how to solve problems; wisdom is knowing how to avoid them.”
