Socrates quotes
470 – 399 BC · Ancient Athens, 5th century BC · Philosopher
About Socrates
Born c. 470/469 BC in Athens, he left no writings; we know him mainly through Plato and Xenophon. He is famed for questioning assumptions, exposing contradictions, and cultivating intellectual humility. He challenged the claimed knowledge of politicians, poets, and craftsmen. His trial and execution in 399 BC had a lasting impact on Western thought.
Quotes
“As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”
Source: Apology, 21d–22d (c. 399 BC) · Check the source
Disputed attributionWhat we know
- What is documented
- Scholarly evidence ties the idea to Plato’s Apology (especially around 21d–22d) where Socrates explains his relative ‘wisdom’ as awareness of ignorance.
- What remains uncertain
- The familiar modern wording is a later paraphrase; the exact phrase does not appear verbatim in Plato and its direct attribution is disputed.
This saying captures Socratic intellectual humility: true wisdom begins by recognizing what one does not know. The exact wording is a later condensation, but Plato’s Apology records Socrates’ claim that he’s wiser because he doesn’t pretend to know.