I like to think about the things that matter most, yet, day to day, don't matter at all. Philosophy would be the best title, I suppose. Anyway, one of my common quandaries stems from the old phrases, "I don't know" and "All I know is that I don't know." At a glance these seem to state the same thing(I think they were both intended to portray the same idea), but examination brings some conflict to light. These are my thoughts.
"I don't know."
I firmly believe that "knowing" is dangerous. We stop looking for answers when we accept we that we have them. This phrase supports that idea in saying we do not know, and I read it as being separate of time, and the most accurate answer to every question that matters(yet not at all). The problem here is that this statement expresses knowledge of the lack there of, starting a logic loop. If you know you don't know, you know you don't, but you don't know.. err...... Enter "All I know"
"All I know is that I don't know"
As you can see, if you don't think im a lunatic already, this statement includes the knowledge of the lack of knowledge. Yet, something still doesn't feel quite right.. It contradicts itself. "All I know is" expresses knowledge of a singular item, and the statement leads on to "that I don't know." which is an all inclusive lack of knowing. If you don't know you cannot know that you don't.
I find this to be a prime example of our trouble converting thoughts into spoken language. Although the idea being expressed can be understood, a direct interpretation leads to these logic loops, (and some good thought food!)
After much time and thought, I came up with a phrase I believe accurately translates this idea into English without logic loops.
"I know one thing, and that's it."
At a glance the second half of this statement seems to reiterate the first half, simply restating that there is only one thing known, but thoughts can change interpretations.
"I know one thing," There is one thing known.
"and that's it." That one known thing is the knowledge of knowing only one thing.
( That)
pronoun/determiner
referring to a specific thing previously mentioned, known, or understood.
"that's a good idea"
I used "that" to represent the entire first half of the statement.
That = "I know only one thing"
Thanks for reading!
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