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Gary asked:
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A co-worker once told me 'I don't know isn't an acceptable answer'. I seem to remember from a
college philosophy class that Socrates (or a contemporary?) said 'I don't know IS an acceptable
answer. Someone asks you a question. You think about it, but you don't know. Therefore, 'I don't
know' is a completely acceptable answer. What is your opinion on this?
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It's not important what Socrates said, or is thought to have said. In the real world, 'I don't know' is
never an acceptable answer. 'I don't know, but I know a man who does', or 'I don't know, but my best
guess is...', or, 'I don't know, but I'll try to find out for you', those are acceptable answers. We're not
talking epistemology here, we're talking manners.
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You raised your question in the context of 'what a co-worker once told me'. That is significant. It was
not just anyone who told you, but someone who works with you, someone who depends on your
input. Not just as a source of factual information, but as a member of a team prepared to pull his
weight in contributing to a positive atmosphere of trust and co-operation. Work can be hell when the
fragile understanding between co-workers breaks down, and it's every person for him or herself.
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Of course, it doesn't help anyone to pretend to know when you don't know. You've got to be honest.
But there's all the difference in the world between admitting when you don't know, and giving
someone the brush-off.
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Geoffrey Klempner
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