Inthisbook,renownedphilosopherJohnKekesdevelopsanddefendsahumanisticconceptionofwisdomasapersonalattitude--onethatcanguidehowwefaceadversitiesandevaluatetheoftenconflictingpossibilitiesandlimitsoflifeinthecontextinwhichwelive.Wisdomincludesbasicassumptionsabouttheconcreteandconstantlychangingconditionsoflife;reflectiveunderstandingofhowwecanrelyonreasontoevaluatethepossibilitiesopentousandrecognizethelimitswehavenochoicebuttoaccept;anditincludesdepththatenablesustoacceptthatperennialproblemsarepartofthehumanconditionandyettorestrainourfalsehopesanddisenchantedreactionstothevicissitudesoflife.Theevaluativeattitudeofwisdomispersonal,nottheoretical;anthropocentric,notmetaphysical;context-dependent,notuniversal;andhumanistic,notscientific.Itrecognizesthattherearemanyformsofworthwhilelives,anddeniesthatthereisoneidealofTheGoodthateveryoneshouldtrytoapproximate.Itacceptsthatallofourbeliefs,emotions,anddesiresarefallible,yettheyarecorrectableprovidedwearesufficientlycriticalofthem.Theresultingconceptionofwisdomisintendedasacontributiontophilosophyasahumanisticdiscipline.Itisaradicaldeparturefromtraditionalwaysofthinkingaboutwisdom.
