Socrates , a philosopher of ancient Greece , once admitted that “ I know that I know nothing . ” Having accepted his own ignorance , he continuously questioned the unknown and as a result acquired wisdom and enlightenment . Through repetitive questioning , he mastered deep conceptual understanding and founded new ideals , principles , and philosophies previously unknown to his contemporaries . His accomplishments became the philosophical foundation of Western philosophy . We must strive to become individuals with excellent question intelligence like Socrates .