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Commentary: On Wisdom

2006, Family Process

T heoretical certitude and emotional distance often keep us from making the best decisions'' (p.125). So writes Henry Grunebaum (2006) in his insightful essay, ''On Wisdom.'' He suggests that ''practical wisdom is the essential quality necessary for helping couples and families with the complicated and difficult decisions that they often face'' (p. 127). He takes further the themes that he discussed almost 30 years ago, when he criticized overevaluation of science and the certitude in single explanatory theories in family therapy (Grunebaum, 1988). Isaiah Berlin's reflections on value choices are still an important source for him. In his essay, Dr. Grunebaum discusses difficult decisions in therapy in the light of Aristotle's concept of practical wisdom. His analysis is inspiring. Dr. Grunebaum emphasizes that the therapist ought to be close to the family in order to recognize the particulars that the wise decisions have to take into account. I doubt if the therapist will ever be close enough to the particulars of the family's life to make wise choices about them. However, she or he is within therapy relationships and has all the particulars of them. Therefore, it is possible to make wise decisions about therapy. In discussing this distinction, I will make use of John Shotter's concept, ''knowing from within relationships'' (1993), and P. Y. Gal'perin's ideas on subjective orientation (1969). ''I believe that both theoretical certainty and neutrality are mistaken'' (p. 125) writes Dr. Grunebaum. In reply, I want to discuss tolerating uncertainty. The dependence that an experienced therapist or an uncertain learner will have on theory is likely to be different. Certainty, in turn, has a bearing on the interaction with the client. Moreover, tolerating uncertainty in difficult value conflicts must be hard even for the experienced therapist working alone. It could be more viable through a dialogue between those involved. My final comments will be on evidence-based research. It would be unfortunate if the only passable way to assess therapy was to reduce it to one-way interventions upon ''objects.'' Practical wisdom would certainly be lost. PRACTICALWISDOM WITHIN RELATIONSHIPS Grunebaum eloquently states that phronesisFpractical wisdomFrequires proximity: ''Recognizing the particulars' requires that the therapist be close to the family