Reflection Paper: Wisdom and Intellectual Skills
By taking the lecture on wisdom and intellectual skills, I learned the nature of wisdom from the philosophical perspective, the traits of a wise person, and a detailed breakdown of analysis, assessment, and argument. As a result, I understood the role of wisdom in human life and how one can attain wisdom from disorganized facts and figures. In addition, I gained an insight into how the mastery of analysis, assessment, and argument skills helps in my personal and professional life.
Application
Most importantly, I learned about the process of wisdom creation, which appeared to be systematic rather than intuitive. An individual can attain wisdom from data by proceeding through the pyramid-style algorithm. Data becomes transformed into information via the application of context, meaning turns information into a basis of knowledge, which creates conditions for gaining wisdom-producing insights. Additionally, the lecture taught me the essence of analysis, assessment, and argument skills, which I believe to be vital for a nurse. Analysis and assessment allow nurses to make correct decisions and reflect on their activities, while the knowledge of argument is necessary for productive teamwork.
Integration
The lecture aided my personal and professional growth by explaining the true sense of Socrates’ words. As Socrates said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” In my opinion, the famous Greek philosopher talked about the importance of analysis and assessment. An individual does not understand the true nature of events until these procedures are performed. From the nursing perspective, a specialist is likely to make a wrong decision if they act without sufficient preparation, presuming that they know everything. In this regard, the philosophy of “knowing nothing” by default allows a nurse to avoid dangerous errors stemming from prideful overconfidence.
Human Dimension
The content of this lecture is significant both from personal and professional perspectives. As a person, I learned what constitutes a wise individual — patience, humility, discipline, the ability to listen, think critically, and learn from mistakes. Consequently, I will strive to cultivate these qualities in my personality. As a professional, I understood how a nurse could benefit from the knowledge of analysis, assessment, and argument techniques. Analysis and assessment allow a nurse to take safe, responsible actions, whereas argument skills are vital for productive professional discussions. Overall, the lecture offered an example of philosophy’s practical value to human lives.