Using Michael S. Brady’s article on learning from Adversity: Suffering and Wisdom

By the account of which Michael S. Brady puts it serves nothing more than the learning phenomenon one might have to endure in order to come to that commonplace where suffering is seen as that negative affective experience. Let us examine the real-world issue of homelessness and all its negative implications while using a philosophical view that we’ve discussed in class to shed light on this puzzling issue. In the United States, there are over half a million people experiencing homelessness as we speak. In the case of an enlightened experience, Brady offers us a justifiable claim that this idea of suffering can be good for us. This idea has many precedents we can look at as we examine the interest of what it means to suffer. According to many Eastern and Western cultures they have taught us that the value of suffering, is also this examination of this idea that suffering is necessary for wisdom. What is puzzling about the issue is, it has to do with it’s  very own phenomenon of homelessness in our country. This brings me to this question, why do people become homeless? To look at many factors of the causations of this issue, it can be relatively related to the characteristics of this misunderstood demographic. The reason for this matter is because the relation to suffering is an overview of what the author points out in his article that by nature, we can see our suffering as the means to being good for us. It draws us to this implication that the concept of understanding is defensible for knowing that suffering can also serve a purpose. The faculties to this philosophical view can shed further light into that probable cause for homelessness. Brady’s view on suffering captures that type of thinking for this type of analysis.

Drawing on further clarifying information on the matters of homelessness, the use of this philosophical view discussed in class shed’s light into all the implications surrounding homelessness. When we draw focus to these sociological studies and investigate some of the factors that dramatize this view, we can get a better grasp for what Michael S. Brady is doing in his article. The central reason for this view of suffering is needed, because it debuts to his philosophical claim that with a prior experience of suffering that intensifies our experience can bring some level of value, so that later it can be experienced more pleasant as a result (Brady 10). Basically, stating that if we encounter that suffering, we in turn gravitate towards a newer solution for viewing our problems in a brighter light. Due to this notion of suffering and its relatability to this real-world issue, Brady gladly emphasizes on the succinct need to look at our values closely and what they mean for us in the case of wisdom and understanding. Michael S. Brady explains that suffering is epistemically important; for it seems that some forms of suffering are essential for our access to certain values, and hence essential for our understanding of these values (Brady 10). When we look at this issue, the substantial proportion of homelessness does not stem from an individual perspective, research has shown that some findings in families all together do indeed go homeless as well. The problem however can only be understood if we are considering it as an anthropological observation.

What tends to grow from here is asking the questions on those preliminary problems for homelessness? All these questions can be related to chronic economic, educational, vocational, and social problems or even sometimes serve as a religious purpose. So how can we continue to quote judiciously in Brady’s case relating to this dilemma? How does he proposal his view as a justifiable one that can solve this problem? Well, the strategy here is to identify with those implications for this argument and all the individuals that are involved. The value of emotions does really give us knowledge in these findings. Adversity is part of life and part of that difficulty, the greater understanding for suffering is going to offer us a solution to this problem. Suffering is not simply a source of salience, however; emotions such as fear and shame do not just direct and focus attention they tend to capture and consume attention (Brady 11). So, what exactly is Brady offering here in terms of his philosophical claim and constructive view of suffering? It appears that the framework Brady is offering here is that because of this suffering, we can reinterpret our own understanding and considering the situation as a whole

However, considering this probable solution, someone might object to this claim that suffering is not in the means of gaining wisdom. The objection might propose that the argument serves to magnify the problem rather than come to a solution. That the account for which studies go into homelessness, might also propose that these problems are heterogeneous. Some might argue that the negative implications with homelessness might be insufficient in outcomes to health and wellbeing. The diverse claim might also explain that the lack of stability in residency might predict long term issues in other areas of life. Clearly the objection in this matter is serving to raise further investigations on the issues of homelessness. Those involved in this real-world issue might not see suffering as the need, but rather look at it from a more objective perspective than a subjective matter.

As for Michael S. Brady’s theory, in order to gain understanding he pushes his claim that wisdom requires excellence in making important decisions, solving difficult problems, and—as a corollary—giving advice to others as to how they should respond to their situation (Brady 7). What he does here, he gives us the frame of mindset to look at our suffering experiences as a way to make better choices that with time in those experiences we become a wiser person. In his article he quotes that wisdom is therefore associated with reflection and reflectiveness, both in psychological models and folk accounts (Brady 8). It by this reflective mindset, we can better look at this philosophical view to better see what is going on for us. When we experience numerous amounts of negative experiences in our lives, sometimes those experiences, according to Brady, make life become associated with psychological maturity. Therefore, proposing that we should use this philosophical view to shed light onto this real-world issue.

Who Are the Homeless? – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218239/.

Homeless Population by State 2022, https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/homeless-population-by-state.

Brady, Michael S. “Learning from Adversity: Suffering and Wisdom.” SpringerLink, Springer International Publishing, 1 Jan. 1970, https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-15667-1_9.