Knowledge is what we know to be true through the proper stewardship of our senses and exercise of our reason. Even beyond combing information for knowledge, any sane use of knowledge requires wisdom , which is not merely the accumulation of facts. Although a scarcity of information is at the root of numerous problems, many chronic maladies have little to do with the need for more information. What we need is wisdom. Facts found in cyberspace and strung together will probably lack the imprint of wisdom, a faculty by which we rank the significance and meaning of what we know, discern what we need to know, and decide how to put what we know into action responsibly.
Wisdom takes knowledge and discerns the meaning therein.
Wisdom is truth applied to the soul as guided by divine love. The mightiest hard drive, the fastest modem, the most sophisticated word processor, and the most powerful Internet search engine on the planet will not download wisdom into the human soul. The possession of wisdom is a uniquely personal quality not reducible to any technique. The soul can thrive only in atmospheres that are rich with truth, and truth will only be conveyed by those dedicated to its demands. Douglas Groothuis is Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Ethics at Denver Seminary .