Let’s not be foolish!

Proposing a source and remedy for foolishness

In an earlier post (here) I wrote that “What cognitive science proposes is that being wise is the state where we can see through delusion and foolishness and act more closely in line with reality.”

Highly intelligent – indeed, highly educated - people can be foolish.  So, what exactly is foolishness?

What seems to be emerging is that education is focused on propositional and procedural knowing which, if conscientiously followed, leads to a well-developed intelligence and high degree of education.

What is not being developed systematically is perspectival knowing (e.g., situational awareness) or participatory knowing (e.g., our fittedness to our world).

When these latter forms of knowing are not well developed then we cannot see reality very clearly, we lack the capacity to fully appreciate what is important to consider and what not, and we may make unfortunate – foolish – decisions.

Perspectival and participatory knowing are developed in the relationships we have with wiser adults.  For this to happen in schools, students need to have the right kinds of relationships and they need to be with wiser adults.

Such relationships and capabilities are more important than ever.

 John Corrigan is an expert in helping individuals to bring their whole of mind to their daily life and increase their effectiveness and the effectiveness of those around them. This expertise scales from the individual to the team to the organisation. At the core of this work is the practice of encounter.  Earlier blogs can be found here.

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