Tao Te Ching Chapter 71: The Wisdom of Not-Knowing
Original Chinese Text
知不知，尚矣；
不知知，病也。
圣人不病，以其病病。
夫唯病病，是以不病。
Pinyin (Pronunciation)
Zhī bù zhī, shàng yǐ;
Bù zhī zhī, bìng yě.
Shèngrén bù bìng, yǐ qí bìng bìng.
Fú wéi bìng bìng, shì yǐ bù bìng.
Structured Translation & Interpretation
Knowledge Paradox Matrix
| Cognitive State | Chinese | Translation | Value Judgment | Modern Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aware Ignorance | 知不知 | “Knowing you don’t know” | Superior (尚) | Scientific mindset |
| Delusional Knowledge | 不知知 | “Not knowing but thinking you know” | Diseased (病) | Dunning-Kruger effect |
| Sage’s Immunity | 病病 | “Treating the disease” | Cure | Metacognition mastery |
Therapeutic Process
- Diagnosis → Recognize “knowledge disease” (不知知)
- Treatment → Apply “awareness medicine” (病病)
- Immunity → Achieve “healthy not-knowing” (不病)
Plain English Paraphrase
- The Hierarchy of Knowing
- Best: “I know my limits” (Socrates’ wisdom)
- Worst: “I don’t know but think I do” (Political dogmatism)
- The Sage’s Secret
- “They cure ignorance by first recognizing it” → Like spotting virus symptoms
- “Their vaccine? Constant self-doubt” → Antidote to arrogance
- The Ultimate Freedom
- “By fearing ignorance, they escape it” → Paradoxical prevention
Key Philosophical Terms
| Chinese | Literal Translation | Cognitive Science Parallel |
|---|---|---|
| 尚矣 | “Supreme” | Growth mindset |
| 病病 | “Disease the disease” | Cognitive behavioral therapy |
| 不病 | “Not ill” | Intellectual humility |
Modern Applications
For Leadership
- “Great CEOs embrace ‘I don’t know'” (知不知) → Satya Nadella’s Microsoft revival
For Education
- “Failing grades should measure certainty, not uncertainty” → 不知知 reform
For AI Development
- “Machine learning’s confidence scores vs. human overconfidence” → 病病 algorithm
“Like a smartphone’s ‘storage almost full’ alert—the wise mind constantly monitors its knowledge capacity.”
— Digital metaphor for 知不知
Connections to Other Chapters
- Chapter 33: “Knowing others is wisdom…” → Complementary knowledge taxonomy
- Please proceed to the following link for Chapter 56: *Those who know don’t speak* → Behavioral manifestation. Thank you. : “Those who know don’t speak” → Behavioral manifestation
Would you like:
- Psychological studies on intellectual humility?
- Historical examples of 病病 in action?
- Contrast with Western “fake it till you make it” philosophy?