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What is the meaning of this famous quote?
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| Tech0rz |
True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing, and in knowing that you know nothing, that makes you the smartest of all. - Socrates
I've had a few ideas but anyone know what he's actually getting at? |
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| willson |
I believe imo,that it is pointing on the fact of modesty,if you know you do not know everything then that will help you in your decissions,but just taken to the nth degree?
I cannot really explain what I mean,as I know nothing,but meh if you understand what I mean then cool,cool. |
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| basd |
| I've always thought it was about people ever wanting to learn more and ever being critical about certain subjects (whatever they may be) being deemed the most intelligent. |
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| Boomer187 |
| quote: | Originally posted by basd
I've always thought it was about people ever wanting to learn more |
mhmm, be humble, and search for more, there is always something to learn. |
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| eulerfx |
| nothing is certain and everything is a matter of perspective, relative to our very small frame of reference |
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| Renegade |
| Ignorance is the state of not being aware of what you don't know. If you think you know everything, or even "a lot" in the grand scheme of things, then you probably don't. I find, for instance, that the more I find out about the world the more I become aware of just how much there is that I don't know. I think this is what Socrates was getting at. |
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| ::TranceVanDyk:: |
| there is an infinite amount of knowledge. when u compare our finite, limited knowledge, u come to realize, that it cannot be compared to the potential amount of infinite knowledge. an analogy would be, what is 80 years of a human life to the ages of eternity?? nothing. |
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| Tech0rz |
It's the "knowing that we know nothing" bit that throws me. I always took it more literally, like we can never actually know anything is true for a fact, and only overcoming our ignorance to that is the first step to true knowledge.
Obviously there are a number of ways that you can translate it, but I was curious as to what Socrates actually meant by it when he proclaimed it. |
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| Ian^ |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
Obviously there are a number of ways that you can translate it, but I was curious as to what Socrates actually meant by it when he proclaimed it. |
I always considered it to be of the school of thought that if you thought you were better than you are, then you'd lose a lot of what made you that person, so modesty & humility are needed |
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| Silky Johnson |
| Just think about it. If you go around with the attitude that you know everything, in a sense you're closing off your mind. If you think you know everything, you won't have the desire to know any more...and you'll never truly come to understand many things. Like boomer said, it's about being humble...which is an ego thing. In this case, the proverb is saying don't let your ego stop you from understanding things. |
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| Tech0rz |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
Just think about it. If you go around with the attitude that you know everything, in a sense you're closing off your mind. If you think you know everything, you won't have the desire to know any more...and you'll never truly come to understand many things. Like boomer said, it's about being humble...which is an ego thing. In this case, the proverb is saying don't let your ego stop you from understanding things. |
True. I understand now. The more you think you know, the less capacity for true knowledge you have. Therefore, knowing that you know nothing, will make you smartest of all, because imo, it will open your eyes to an infinite new world of things you can learn.
All eye-opening interpretations though. |
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| paranoik0 |
| It means he didn't study enough for some exam, so he came up with this stupid excuse for not knowing his . |
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