Difference Between Knowledge and Wisdom

Knowledge vs Wisdom

Knowledge is a noun that refers to the information, understanding and skills that you gain through education or experience. It refers to the hard facts and the data that can be available to anyone if he has the right resources. For example, you can have practical, medical or scientific knowledge. You can also say that someone has a wide knowledge of, for example, the taxation system.

Wisdom, on the other hand, is a noun that refers to the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have. Someone may have all the knowledge about a subject but may not have the wisdom to utilize this knowledge properly to be able to act in a sensible manner! That is why they say you can gain knowledge by educating yourself but you can gain wisdom only by experience.

Knowledge also refers to the state of knowing about a particular fact or situation. For example, she sent the letter without my knowledge or the film was made with the King’s full knowledge and approval. Knowledge can also be used as an idiom . For example, something can be common or public knowledge implying that everyone in a particular group or community knows about it. For example, you can say someone’s dishonesty was common knowledge in the club.

Wisdom can also be used as referring to the sensibility of doing something. For example, you can say I question the wisdom of giving a child so much money. Wisdom also refers to the knowledge that a society or culture has gained over a long period of time. For example, the wisdom of the Native American people.

Wisdom when used in the phrase ‘conventional wisdom’ refers to the collective belief or view that a people or society can have.