Competent people don’t think they are very competent

I’ve learned that the more one knows something it seems the more they know they don’t know much.

Rather than suffer from the the Dunning-Kruger effect, I’d like to assume I don’t know much, that I may have a beginner’s mind, such that I can be open to all the data being presented to discover the truth. Understanding other viewpoints only strengthen my own viewpoint if my viewpoint is valid in the first place.  I see no purpose in a conversation or debate if the object of the discussion is not about finding the truth i.e. what is valid, what is real. I believe it is one aspect of being humble as humility is about what is true – supernaturally, we are all created in the image of God, each of us has something to contribute as we are unique reflections of God, and before God [who is bigger than the universe], we really don’t know much and the learning process never ends.

If you’re incompetent, you can’t know you’re incompetent. […] the skills you need to produce a right answer are exactly the skills you need to recognize what a right answer is.

—David Dunning[7]

This is why when I am certain I will use the word “is” while when I use the word “seems” it is my postulation and an invitation for feedback while I am in the process of learning.

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