Where is the Wisdom We Have Lost in Technology?

Wisdom has been at the heart of practical, philosophical, and theological interest since antiquity but is now attracting interdisciplinary scientific interest from academic researchers in diverse disciplines. Practical wisdom is important from the IS perspective because we have built information tools and technologies that can harm or benefit us in various ways and it is important that we understand the implications of these technologies. The purpose of this panel is to start and stimulate conversations with the IS community on a broad array of individual, organizational and societal issues at the intersection of wisdom and technology. The hope is to take the first steps to bring together disparate notions on wisdom in an IS context and to explore new frameworks to advance research in this emerging area representing wisdom-based IS. Broadly, this panel will explore topics relating to extending knowledge management concepts for wisdom; making meaningful distinctions between knowledge, wisdom, ethics, and other related concepts in the context of information systems teaching, research, and practice; the design, management, use, and implications of technologies for consciously discovering, creating, sharing, and supporting wisdom in individuals, organizations, and societies; interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary understanding of the nature of wisdom in a technology-driven world; and mindful living with and connected by technologies for personal, professional, and societal well-being

In Bed with Technology? Peril, Promise, and Prudence

Are we in bed with seductive information technologies? And what have we begat? This panel, delivered at AMCIS in Auckland on 8 December 2014, resulted in thought-provoking dialog that generated critical reflection on several themes linking technology and practical wisdom that aligned with the conference theme “Integral IS: The Embedding of Information Systems in Business, Government and Society”. The panel found common ground, although each author began from a different starting position. The common ground was that neither utopian nor dystopian stances on the value of technology achieve much practical value. Instead, perennial universal insights of wisdom viewed in a contemporary, practical, and scientific context may provide a path in technology research, design, management, and use. We believe the topics addressed during the panel session, which we summarize in this paper, are vital and relevant to the information systems field as a whole. The panel’s deliberations hold importance for academics and practitioners alike and have implications that extend to individuals, organizations, and society at large