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Socrates and the limits of expertise

Being good at a craft does not make us experts on everything: a Socratic question can put our confidence in perspective.

An imagined scene: an elderly, bearded Socrates talks on a bench with a young adult holding a plain cup.
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Socrates left no writings: we know him through ancient accounts that do not always agree. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy cautions us about this. His questioning nevertheless offers a useful idea: recognising the limits of what we know. [1]

In Plato’s Apology, Socrates encounters craftspeople with skills he does not possess. Trouble begins when that ability convinces them they are wise about other matters too. Being good at something does not automatically grant a universal licence to know. [2]

Take this with youOur exercise: choose one of your beliefs and ask what evidence could change it. Your inner know-it-all deserves at least an afternoon off.

Read the sources (2)
  1. Socrates Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy · accessed 10 Sept 2026
  2. Apology The Internet Classics Archive · MIT · accessed 10 Sept 2026

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