Knowledge and Wisdom

Jen Yokoyama

Knowledge and Wisdom

     Knowledge and wisdom seem very similar to each other at first glance, but when one really thinks about it, there is a vast difference between the two.  A person can quickly attain knowledge, and lots of it, on certain subject areas and topics, but a person gains wisdom about a topic or subject when they themselves have experienced what the knowledge simply lists.  Atul Gawande's viewpoint and even tone to an extent changed over the course of his book, and that change reflected his transition from simply knowing about a subject to becoming wiser about it.

     My impression of Gawande's "path to wisdom" is that in the beginning of the book, Gawande has a certain viewpoint that he is arguing from: should quality of life take prevalence over the physical treatment of a patient?  He supports his opinion by citing facts, and brief personal experiences.  But, as you read farther into the book, you begin to notice that Gawande's viewpoint starts to shift a little in a different way.  He realizes that it's not as simple as "quality of life over medical treatment" Especially when his father became very ill, Gawande was forced to think about what really was best for his father and what would make his father the happiest.  From that point on, he gained a little but of wisdom about how to deal with death and decisions regarding it rather than just knowing statistics and case files about patients who died.  He has been in a position where the knowledge that he acquired came into play, and using what he knew, his decisions and choices regarding his situation led him to become more wise about other similar situations and topics, because he has experienced what it is like to be faced with a loved one dying and the dilemmas that come with it.