Is it true that the more you know the less certain you are?

It would appear to be true for you.

I think it’s true that the more you know, the more you’re aware of what you don’t know. But that isn’t necessarily the same thing.

Are you sure you got that quote right?

It is to a point. Sooner or later if you keep learning about something certainty is a possibility. Depends on what it is of course.

The more you know the more you understand that things are complicated and there are no easy answers.

@Jeruba Its the more you are educated the less your convictions are. Not sure about the exact quote.

@RedDeerGuy1, that too is a different assertion. Knowledge and education have some common ground but are by no means identical. Downright ignorance can be found across the educational spectrum, and so can certainty.

Truisms such as that are only true when they’re true, about what they’re true about, in the context in which they are true.

A complementary truism to that one: Certainty is often just a mask over focus, close-mindedness, and/or ignorance.

Yes, it’s just the Dunning-Kruger effect.

Nah, I’m certain I know it all. I’m a walking encyclical pediatrician.

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” -Socrates

@Kropotkin The Dunning-Kruger Effect says that the less you know, the more certain you are. It doesn’t necessarily follow that the opposite is also true.

A common saying cannot be applied to all things as it’s not even backed up by scientific evidence. If I’ve learned and practiced a lot about baking an apple pie then I’m certainly more than certain that I’ll be successful to bake an apple pie.

I’m going to say yes it’s true.

A philosophy professor told you that. That would indicate that the subject is entirely moot.

@janbb You’re right. It was incorrect of me to associate it with the D-K effect the way I did.