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CONCLUSION
In the future, we experience consolidation of inner and outer values in
an "age of wisdom" in contrast to conflicts between inner and
outer in the "age of information." This is made clear by discussion
of Claude Shannon's definition of "information."
Bitter Information Shannon describes information as
the number of bits required to reduce uncertainty to zero. That is, the
greater the information required for a given event, the greater the initial
uncertainty. The game of 20 questions implies that you have get 20 yes/no
opportunities to discover the intended item. Two to the power of 20 is
represents much uncertainty! If only 2 yes/no opportunities were needed,
then the question had far less uncertainty and presumably far less associated
"angst" or anxiety.
Thus, the age of information is equivalent to the age of uncertainty
and angst. We need the web because we have so many questions. In contrast,
wisdom is the inverse of information. Wisdom utilizes an intuitive understanding
of how things should be, and thus effortlessly cuts through the Gordian
knot of information glut.
The Wisdom Conjecture But where does wisdom come from?
The developmental trajectory we see in life suggests that wisdom is an
emergent property that comes with later "maturity." We find
wisdom in those whose judgment is not clouded by impulse or personal,
selfish bias. In such persons, wisdom brings the innate, empathic sense
of how things should be for a fulfilling life. A wise person councils
the listener in a manner solely to draw out the full potential of that
conversational partner.
Let's draw upon this humanistic analogy which allows prediction of the
developmental stage of wisdom. We suggest that "wisdom systems"
of the future support the growth of each individual's own prescient abilities
that make him or her special in our world. Whereas today we must adapt
our personal lives to the molds established by rigidly defined channels
of information technology, in the future the information systems will
adapt to us. They will provide ubiquitous support for meeting our basic
needs, leaving us with quality time. And in our work, we can develop those
highest of human traits such as friendliness, compassion, and inner happiness.
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