Lessons in How to Age With Wisdom
Septagram illustrating disciplines which comprise cognitive science (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) BY PHYLLIS KORKKI Since ancient times, the elusive concept of wisdom has figured prominently in philosophical and religious texts. The question remains compelling: What is wisdom, and how does it play out in individual lives? Vivian Clayton, a geriatric neuro psychologist in Orinda, California , developed a definition of wisdom in the 1970s that has served as a foundation for research on the subject ever since. After scouring ancient texts, she found that most people described as wise were decision makers. So she asked a group of law students, law professors and retired judges to name the characteristics of a wise person. She determined that wisdom consists of three key components: cognition, reflection and compassion. Research shows that cognitive functioning slows as people age. But a recent study in Topics in Cognitive Science pointed out that older people have much more info...