Wisdom leads to wiser choices in wicked domains. A choice is wiser if the benefits are greater for more people, but such a utilitarian argument is intrinsically oxymoronic. Wisdom is necessarily humane.
The uber-rational is not wise. There is a component to wisdom beyond defined scales of costs and benefits. The humane subsumes compassion and empathy.
To be wise, one must be engaged, caring, accepting and generous. This implies that wisdom is an orientation more than a skill in the same way that trust is an orientation. This means that building wisdom is entirely different to and separate from thinking better.
To be wise then, one must orientate differently.
The principles of medical ethics seem wise: to avoid harm, to act for the good and to respect the choices of those who consult us without neglecting the rights of the wider society.
These principles seem wise because they contextualise all our interactions in place, time and community seeking a balance. It is a dynamic balance that needs to be actively maintained.
Wisdom then must include an acceptance that understanding is developmental, that we were lesser and will be greater yet if we can be more inclusive whilst making finer distinctions.
Better thinking and widom are different: as you sow, so shall you reap....
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