Vicki Kyriakakis

Me to my 7 year old tonight: You know Socrates once said, ‘a wise man knows that he knows nothing’…

My 7 year old: But if he knows nothing then he can’t know that he knows nothing. 🧐

Me: But… Socrates… he said… I mean the point is… 😶… just eat your dinner.

#kids #philosophy #parenting

Nov 25, 2022 at 8:21amWeb
Show threadS. Z. Attwell ☕️💻Nov 25, 2022
@VickiKyriakakis this is a beautifully meta illustration of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Show threadchrisNov 25, 2022
@VickiKyriakakis "He only *suspected* it. Ha! ... now eat your dinner"
Show threadPhilPartonNov 25, 2022
@VickiKyriakakis more broccoli
Show threadVicki KyriakakisNov 25, 2022
@PhilParton Exactly
Show threadJulian LassNov 25, 2022
@VickiKyriakakis nice story, now you are like someone who does not know!
Show threadHans (Unverified)Nov 25, 2022

@VickiKyriakakis smart kid.

At the epistemological level, knowledge is impossible. You can always keep asking: "How do you know that?"

Scientific knowledge is our best (and imperfect) approximation to knowing stuff.

Show threadVicki KyriakakisNov 25, 2022
@athyHans As it turns out she wants to be a scientist 🙂
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsNov 25, 2022
@VickiKyriakakis PFFT. LOGIC. 😂
Show threadVicki KyriakakisNov 25, 2022
@cyborg_writer 😂
Show threadWistaheNov 25, 2022

@VickiKyriakakis Haha. It's a Socratic dialogue!

I think the story is one a 7 year old would enjoy a lot. The oracle of Delphi said no Greek was as wise as Socrates. Confused by this Socrates talked to many people considered wise. His conclusion was that he could only be considered wiser because he did not claim to know what he did not. A lesson even the brightest of adults don't always remember!

Show threadVicki KyriakakisNov 25, 2022
@wistahe Love this. I’ll tell her. She’ll appreciate it.