HUMAN GROWTH TOWARDS WISDOM

"Wisdom happens in communication. If wisdom were ideas, they would already be empty phrases." (Pekka Sauri)

This seminar examines wisdom from multiple perspectives: what it means, how it manifests, and whether it can be learned, taught, or consciously developed. Wisdom is approached as multifaceted thinking and as a phenomenon intertwined with life experience, personality development, and human inner growth.

The speakers are philosopher and science writer Pekka Sauri, university lecturer Terhi Ek from the Faculty of Education and Psychology who has researched children's wisdom, and research director Katja Kokko from the gerontology research centre, a doctor of psychology. A video greeting is presented by Olli-Pekka Heinonen, secretary general of the International Baccalaureate Organization, former minister of education and science, and former director of YLE and the National Agency for Education. The discussion is led by docent Eeva K. Kallio from the University of Jyväskylä - she has published several works on developmental psychology in adulthood and wisdom, and led a sub-project in the Finnish Academy's "Wisdom in Practice" project.

Although wisdom is often associated with ageing, the programme also addresses children's wisdom, an emerging research topic. The seminar is organised by the Jyväskylä Festival Association, further information: [email protected].