Why did Socrates say that recognizing ignorance is the beginning of wisdom?

Socrates argued that human wisdom begins with the recognition of one’s own ignorance because it serves as the essential foundation for genuine inquiry and the pursuit of truth. By professing to be an "ignorant inquirer" rather than a teacher, Socrates used the Socratic method to challenge the unexamined assumptions of his fellow citizens.12

While many of his interlocutors claimed to possess knowledge about complex concepts like virtue or justice, Socrates demonstrated through rigorous questioning that their beliefs were often contradictory or poorly understood. For Socrates, acknowledging one's lack of knowledge is a form of wisdom because it clears away the illusion of certainty, allowing an individual to begin the "examined life"—a pursuit he considered the most important human obligation. This stance was not a rejection of all truth; rather, it reflected his conviction that while he held certain firm ethical beliefs, he remained painfully aware of the limitations of human understanding regarding the most profound questions of existence.12