An Introduction
Socrates - humble intellectual extraordinaire
Well after years of talk I’ve decided to finally start a blog. Not the public diary kind mind you (we have one of those here) but the kind where I can discuss politics, philosophy, religion and other of life’s more weighty matters. Even those who know me well are probably unaware of the enormous percentage of my daily free time that’s devoted to researching these subjects. It’s far more than I’d care to admit frankly. But I’ve long been without a significant outlet for the information and ideas that are constantly swirling around in my head and I’m hoping that this blog will rectify that situation. But more than just an online sounding board, I’m hoping that this blog can become a place for similarly-interested individuals to discuss these complex issues with dispassionate rationality and constructive debate. Which brings me to my next topic.
So why the stupid name? After much thought I’ve decided to name my blog for one of the principles that I hold most dear: Intellectual Humility. This is a perspective, born of knowledge and honest self-reflection, that recognizes that what we know about the world and life pales in comparison to what we still have yet to understand. Its a principle that Einstein talked about frequently, and Lao Tzu touched on, but which Socrates said most succinctly when he said, “I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance”.
Interestingly, this kind of intellectual humility tends to grow with increasing knowledge. This principle has been clearly demonstrated to me since starting medical school, as I’ve already learned far more about many subjects than I knew there was to learn. The subject of immunology is an instructive example… Continue reading
