I dreamt Wolfgang chatting with Socrates, discussing about Knowledge

“Doubt grows with knowledge” said Johann Wolfgang (Proverbs in Prose, 1819), while entering my mind’s make-believe debate, while Socrates rushed to reply: “I know that I know nothing (?ν ο?δα ?τι ο?δ?ν ο?δα)”.

I kinda got stuck when I first read Wolfgang’s words, not even aware that the screenshot of a notepad’s cover, was a famous quote after all. And it surely got me thinking, since I first couldn’t quite get the essence of it. It was only after a seminar I was delivering few days after, that I found one of its applications being realized in front of me, mocking me, because I hadn’t understood it at once.

Do you doubt? Do you often doubt what others say? Do you doubt because you really have something to doubt and debate about, or just because you own an opinion based on premature, reckless and unconsidered thoughts? Do you lead yourself to hurried judgments or make assumptions? And have you, among all above, ever tried to back them up with knowledge and valid arguments? Well, that was what led me to examine two cases below, aligned with this article’s topic.

So, let’s say there’s someone that knows little on a subject and is by all means considered junior in experience of a field or practice. Recruitment for example. One who has definitely not seen, thousands of profiles passing before his eyes, in a volume that can make you see details, mistakes, wrong spelling, truth, lies, talent, strategy, pretenses, in just a blink of an eye. One that cannot decide in 90 seconds (yes, that’s what researches have shown us recruiters need in terms of time) whether the candidate will make it to the shortlist or even more, to the final race-line. One that cannot decipher desperation, confidence, vanity and hard work, in “between lines” of a person’s professional life. And to that end, he reads a profile and starts making assumptions about a human being, degrading his effort of re-engineering his life and professional steps, as the only "appointed" to bring home the bacon.

Is that fair? Ooops! We weren’t talking about fairness though, right? Point made though.

On the trail of the 2nd case, let’s examine one who knows that he knows nothing (?ν ο?δα ?τι ο?δ?ν ο?δα"), the famous Socrates paradox. Who, in parallel, constantly tries to back up his arguments, beliefs, opinion and judgment on knowledge gained (e.g. experience, not through grapevine), or simply researches and collects data instead. To him, unknown territory and uncertainty become challenges leading to development. His questions, in search of knowledge, take the form of thirst and follow the process of active listening, reasoning and judgment upon perception and learning so far. That is, instead of questions in the form of indirect and affirmative declarations of assumptions, leaving no room for debate, just acting as reality definitions. Can we call that healthy search for knowledge? Or in fact, solid doubts?

Why don't we define knowledge first. Knowledge, says Vicky (as I often banter about Wikipedia), is a state of familiarity, awareness or understanding of someone or something, such as facts, information, descriptions, or skills, acquired through experience or education, by perceiving, discovering, or learning. Hence, there can't be room for doubt when one doesn’t own knowledge, whereas there can, when one has experienced facts or gained learning. Careful! It's not doubt that leads to learning, experience, hence knowledge. Non-biased scrutiny, questions, research and solid arguments do. Doubt can be the next step, the negatively biased one, when one can support his findings.

...then Albert (Einstein) barged in the dream, shouting like a baby: “the only source of knowledge is experience”. Johann and Socrates, stood still for a second, then continued chatting like he wasn't present...

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Ethel Agelatou is a Career Branding Coach & an Executive Search Consultant, as well as an Editor of Career Consulting Journals (online & offline), covering topics on personal branding, unemployment, Social Media and entrepreneurship (businesscoachinglab.gr, wearesocialmedia.gr, kariera.gr, hominumopus.gr, HR Professional, CareerGuide.gr).

But most passionately of all, she is a LinkedIn Trainer & Evangelist, conducting:

• In-house corporate trainings (customized services on clients’ needs/online brand)
• Open seminars (speeches/hands-on workshops)
• One-to-one sessions, improving personal or corporate e-branding

Follow Ethel's work on her LinkedIn Greek Community Facebook page, Twitter and About.me.