Dagger of the Mind

Apology presents a befuddled Socrates who cannot quite comprehend the Oracle's judgement that he is the wisest among all. As it turns out, Socrates is indeed wiser than all the others as he alone knows that he doesn't know while the ignorance of others has not yet dawned on them.

This motif of Socratic ignorance seems pertinent for economists and captains of the state who deal with complex systems such as the economy. But, given the piece of work that man is, the itch to solve non-existent problems only to actually conjure them out of existing benignity is more likely. It's consequences are usually quite asymmetric with the brunt falling heavily on innocent bystanders.

Besides a firm grip on key concepts and underlying theory, all it would take to correct this are love for wisdom, humility and humaneness of a Socrates or of a Nachiketa.

Sarthak Karki is a central banker by profession. He is also an economics enthusiast with an incorrigible inclination for liberalism and rational thinking and an equally natural aversion to dogmatism and all forms of irrationalism including mysticism.

Sarthak has previously published a politico-philosophical novel entitled 'ljajatpatra' (Approval Letter).