Estoy siguiendo un curso de “Model Thinking” de la Universidad de Michigan bastante interesante. Una de las primeras sesiones se basa en aclarar que son los modelos y porqué son tan importantes en las ciencias empíricas, las sociales o en los negocios, la política o los movimientos sociales.

No resumiré horas lectivas en este corto comentario, pero sí me parece interesante esta reflexión, de Scott E. Page en su libro “The Model Thinker”.

The answer doesn’t lie in the Internet. We’re not going to solve these problems with data and information alone. We need two things that are even more precious. We need knowledge. And we need wisdom.

By knowledge, I mean an understanding of relationships and connections between pieces of information. Knowledge of basic physics enables me to know that that energy is neither lost nor gained –so that when I’m coasting downhill on my bike, I know I’m not getting a free ride. Knowledge of chemistry explains how metallic bonds are stronger than hydrogen
bonds, which explains why I can dive into a lake and rely on the hydrogen bonds giving way, but why if I attempt to dive through a steel floor, I encounter significantly more resistance.

By wisdom, I mean an understanding of which knowledge to apply. Almost by definition, complex situations will have multiple forces at play. Wisdom requires the capacity to identify those components and forces that are most relevant at any given moment in time. One can have complete knowledge of the functioning of the human body, but it takes wisdom to know how to cure the sick.

Realmente en muchas ocasiones es sorprendente ver como personas que tienen acceso a los datos, por carecer del conocimiento, o la sabiduría para utilizar ese conocimiento se dejan arrastrar o toman decisiones totalmente equivocadas.