<aside> 🧑🏼‍🔬 This section is really just notes. You can get most of what’s here just by reading the outline.

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What is Wisdom?

So, in this chapter, I’d like to define Wise AI and show some actually working examples. But before I can do that, I have to define wisdom. And to do that, **I need point out something about sources of meaning. Something I didn’t mention yet.

I’ll make it quick.

Sources of meaning are connected to feelings.

See:

• If I'm angry, one way to interpret that is that some source of meaning for me—a way I want to live—is blocked.

Similarly:

• if I'm sad, it might be because some terrible thing has placed me far away from a way I want to live.
• If I'm grateful, some fortunate event has brought me in contact with a way I want to live.

Whatever I'm feeling, whether it's a positive or negative emotion, will point to something important to me, a source of meaning.

Emotions are a way to find new sources of meaning, in new contexts.

For instance, imagine you get promoted at work. Now you are the manager of a small team. You’ve never been a manager before.

You feel cowed by having such an influence on your team’s lives. You start out a bit too unstructured, letting them work on what they’re most passionate about. But, this leads to a kind of insecurity regarding who covers what. Also, many of them don’t have strong intuitions on what to do.

You feel embarrassed. You see it’s more important to set a strong direction, while talking regularly to people about how it’s going for them personally.

What’s happening here, is a kind of moral learning. You’re learning what’s honorable and meaningful in a new context.

You’re grappling with the moral consequences and possibilities of your new position.

You’re getting wiser.

Wisdom is what you get from doing this. Wisdom is knowing what's important in different contexts. Knowing what to pay attention to, depending on the situation.