explain "One thing I know, I know nothing"?

Question

dictums by socrates

Answer 1

I can't explain that you know nothing, because you know that you know nothing...

Answer 2

The smartest people know that they will never know everything. There is always more to learn. Better to be a humble learner than to claim you know everything and be proven wrong.
ie: Person A and person B have great business skills. They both decide to open their own business. Person A seeks advice from other successful entrepenuers (knowing that you can never have too much info.) They give him some great tips on things he never even considered, such as how to create more repeat business, word of mouth advertising is the best advertising you can have, and that you must have enough capital to get you through establishing the business. He charges a fair price and treats his customers well. Meanwhile, person B (knowing he's so smart) goes it alone. He spends tons of money on advertising but does nothing to generate repeat business. He gets lots of customers in the door by undercutting the price of the competition, but doesn't pay attention to the customers and to the fact that they do not return. In 6 months, person A has captured all the repeat business and person B has run through all the bargain hunters and all his capital and now has no business. He is forced to close. Person B just can't understand what happened. He should have realized that as much as he thought he knew, he knew nothing.

Answer 3

Yes, Socrates said this and Newton in his pursuit of knowledge had realised this. The significance of the statement is that ignorance is vast and knowledge is very very difficult to get. The easy-going persons - the Sophists in Socrates' time - boasted of being wise possessing vast knowldge. But Socrates in his interaction with some such persons like Isocrates showed how empty their claims were. The person who knows does not boast of knowing; he is rather humble to say that he does not know. Ancient Indian wisdom puts it in cryptic style that he who knows, does not know; he who does not know, knows (Isa Upanisad).

Answer 4

When you know something, you realize you actually know nothing.

And when you think you know everything that is the sign you know nothing, so humility is the first step of all knowing, as knowing comes only when the doorway of heart opens with humility.

As for the mind it can only know a few facts, and gather data and information, real wisdom is the realm of the heart.

That is why all great knowers are loving people, while knowledgeable people are not.

No wonder, they say that when in doubt ask your heart, as it knows, always.

Answer 5

It is one of those things people say when they want to sound deep but are either too lazy or too dense to actually think. It is not a statement that promotes a dialogue nor does it relay any information, but it sounds like the person is intellectual. I actually have a friend who uses the phrase all the time, especially when drinking--in general, with him, for he is a pretty smart guy, it means he is feeling mentally lazy (or too damn drunk) at the time.

Answer 6

This statement can not be. This is because the statement starts by saying.. "One thing I know";hence, the statement "I know nothing" which comes after the first statement can not be.

Answer 7

It means, one can not know everything. If you are a musician, though, there's no reason to learn mathematics. And if your a philosopher and want to know everything, what you'll find out is that musicians know about music and mathematicians know about mathematics.

Answer 8

U can't be sure, since you said you know nothing, there's a contradiction in it.
But what i understand is that people should consider that they never know enough, so never sure they know enough.

Answer 9

Considering the vast wealth of knowledge out there, no person can know it all.

What I know pales in comparison to what I don't know. I don't even know what I don't know.

Answer 10

The one who knows only one thing is that he/she knows that he/she knows nothing.......