Does grandma really know best?

Does older always mean wiser? Researchers at the University of Michigan investigated whether older people are more likely than the young to accept differences in value systems, deal with uncertainty and accept change. The conclusion? If you define wisdom by those principles, age actually does contribute to wisdom.

We talk with author Stephen S. Hall about his new book, “Wisdom: From Philosophy to Neuroscience,” and about what this new study shows. And we also chat with two members of the “Young at Heart Chorus.” Pat Ervin and Andy Walsh are both octogenarians and say that since retirement, they have found it easier to look back on their experiences and glean lessons from them.

Carolyn, a listener, writes on Facebook:

“Wisdom does not automatically come with age, but must be cultivated. I think I *am* wiser, calmer and more balanced than I was in my 20’s, but then again I thought I was pretty wise back then!”