Wisdom and the Other: Responsiveness in development between the egocentric and xenocentric style

Abstract

This text networks contributions from three disciplines: phenomenological-philosophical perspectives on the Other, current discussions in wisdom research, and developmental models of social perspective-taking. The common theme is the concept of the “other,” which is ambivalent, because, on the one hand, it may produce othering that can be the entry point into vicious circles of xenophobia, hate, and annihilation, but the Other may be the source of responsiveness and wisdom, on the other hand. A deeper understanding of responsiveness in the self-other relation results from a reading of Waldenfels’ philosophy. This sharpens the perspective on wisdom emerging from the relation to the Other, for which the neologism “xenosophia” is suggested, which supports the view that wisdom as xenosophia and xenophobia are opposites. The implications of Waldenfels’ responsive phenomenology for wisdom research are exemplified for two key concepts, intellectual humility and perspective-taking. Finally, for a developmental perspective on responsiveness to the Other, a typological model is proposed with reference to models of social perspective-taking in the tradition of Piaget and Selman. The proposed typology includes four styles of responsiveness: the egocentric, conventional, negotiatory, and xenocentric style. Implications for research are discussed.