title: On wisdom.
abstract: This article explores some of the features involved in making wise decisions in couples and family therapy. Delineating what qualities are involved in making wise decisions in life--so as to live the "good life" in the polis, and the necessary contributions of life experiences in this task--was first discussed by Aristotle. A major problem that therapists face today is that our society offers many different ways of living well--or for that matter, badly--and our theories do the same. Family therapy theories are not value free. I clarify that different family theories embody different values: clear boundaries, good attachments, the ability to communicate, and so on. If our theories foster certain values, then, as Isaiah Berlin has made clear, seeking to achieve a particular value leads to placing less value on another. The article concludes with some thoughts about values that therapists could appropriately follow in their work.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grunebaum
mesh_terms: D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000941:ethics*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D011361:Professional Competence; D012945:Social Values