The Wisdom Imperative: Peace Through Education for a Sustainable World

Abstract

Unsustainable consumption is a problem of conscience and a societal challenge thwarting a sustainable world. Morally conscious consumption is grounded in wisdom. The paper thus ties wisdom to consumption as a way to help sustain the world. After profiling wisdom as a construct, the discussion turns to conceptualizing both peace (seven types) and peace education (i.e., education about peace, for peace, and peace through education). Special attention is given to peace through education (including problem-posing education) and to wisdom and practical wisdom as avenues to a sustainable world. By experiencing a form of education that helps them learn from their accumulated consumption experiences, people can gain wisdom that can be applied to their marketplace decisions for the good of humanity. Revamping the education system so it leads to wisdom, practical wisdom, and multifaceted peace is a daunting prospect, but it cannot compare to the loss of a sustainable world.