ABSTRACT
Wisdom is primary happiness, according to the long-held philosophy of Aristotle. Meaning and purpose lead to greatest well-being when grounded in knowledge and wisdom. Some scientists have agreed, calling wisdom the supreme source of happiness while others have questioned whether having a well informed and wise view of reality may reduce happiness or even lead to despair. Fortunately, studies have tended to support Aristotle's view and shown a positive relationship between wisdom, meaning, and happiness. For most people, purpose and meaning comes from serving a cause greater than ourselves, believing in something bigger than us-be it a deity, a religion-or having a purpose to serve humanity in some way. Finally, wisdom is further developed from an openness to learn from the successes and failures that derive from the informed actions a person take. Philosophy from the times of the ancient Greeks and before has emphasized wisdom as a basis for cutting through ignorance and thus enhancing quality of life.
