UC San Diego

Wisdom is an ancient concept that has been cross-culturally recognized throughout history (Birren & Svensson, 2005; Jeste & Vahia, 2008). Wisdom has been subject to a number of definitions, including a system of logic for understanding the world, a notion that is the basis of modern science. Wisdom has also been considered the human embodiment of Gods. Though there are a variety of definitions of wisdom, the notion of personal wisdom is considered the oldest and most familiar and generally refers to the ability to cope with life and live it to its fullest.