The Socratic rule: An unconventional path to wisdom

Richard Feynman is famous for his work on quantum electrodynamics. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965.

Feynman was an intellectually humble genius.

Despite his valuable contribution to science, he maintained his curiosity and observed that we could easily fool ourselves because of what we know or think we know. He said, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.”

Feynman pursued rationality and the fundamental truth at all times.
He would rather admit his ignorance and find objective knowledge than belief in false knowledge or assumptions. He applied the Socratic rule and maintained his curiosity throughout his career.

Feynman pursued the truth, knowing that his assumptions, beliefs and preconceptions can easily influence the outcome. That’s why he observed that “you are the easiest person to fool.”

Socrates famously said, “I know that I know nothing”. He was never ashamed of what he didn’t know. Socrates was very much aware of his own ignorance.

Socrates always tried to reason with the wisest people and challenge them mentally to learn something new and different. Or better still, he was more interested in objective reality that can help him reason logically.

He pursued wisdom at the expense of other responsibilities. That’s how much he valued better knowledge.

It’s an intellectual humility principle that can prevent you from fooling yourself. To protect yourself against prejudice, thinking blindspots and mental errors require actively trying to overcome your intellectual ego.

What you know can quickly become your only reality or obstacle for growth — which may not be the objective truth. So, it’s essential to start with a beginner’s mindset.

Even when you think answers to problems are apparent, it’s even more important to question them. It’s the only way to fight intellectual laziness and improve how you think.

The wisdom of Socratic ignorance is hard to understand, especially if you think you are an expert or know what you know.

Making better conclusions and decisions starts with the scientific mind

Have an open mindset ready to learn something new, experiment with new ideas, and, more importantly, be prepared to correct or test existing assumptions and realities.

People who don’t want to fool themselves know that their wisdom is just the beginning of wisdom. And that lifelong learning is a timeless skill that helps them improve upon what they already know.

Experts, specialists, and people who have honed their craft are prone to settle. But the wisest among them continue to learn from other intelligent people. Knowing one thing doesn’t necessarily mean that you know what you don’t know.

The Socratic rule (embracing your ignorance and learning to overcome your blind spots) allows you to overcome what I call “the fallacy of the specialist.”

This simple principle opens so many opportunities to learn more about yourself, the world around you and the many ways you can upgrade what you know or learn what you don’t know.

Richard Feynman once observed, “We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and there is no learning. There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question requires doubt. People search for certainty. But there is no certainty.”

To be wise is to know that you are not invincible. Socratic wisdom, also known as Socratic ignorance, is a call to seek better ways to improve how you think, decide and make better judgments.

It’s a reminder to stay humble no matter your level of intelligence.
A curious mindset can help you find better knowledge to adapt where necessary in a rapidly changing world. It can also help you become a better version of yourself.

A curious or beginner’s mind can help you find better answers to many of life’s problems and think beyond conventional wisdom. “The best way to do this is to start out with a skeptical attitude, assuming one is not certain about anything,” writes Emrys Westacott of ThoughtCo.

Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”. “… Socrates used to say that we should never lead a life not subjected to examination, “Epictetus wrote in his book, Discourses.

For a more curious and mentally active life, improve your intellectual curiosity skills. Examine or review your actions, put your knowledge to the objective test and learn to improve how you think.

This article originally appeared in Medium.