I Have a Doubt

"I have a doubt."

The first time I heard this phrase it grabbed my attention. At the time I was not familiar with Indian English vernacular, and wasn't quite sure how to interpret it. The novelty of the expression piqued my curiosity.

In my previous experience, the word "doubt" carried with it a connotation of disbelief. In this usage it seemed to signify uncertainty, instead. Indeed, this usage was typically followed by a question for specific clarification. This makes perfect sense if you doubt your understanding, in the sense of believing that you don't understand. It says nothing about the truthfulness of the statement you don't understand.

In western societies, we're often cautioned to avoid self-doubt. The self-help industry will offer you books and videos and seminars to eliminate your self-doubt. In western society, projecting self-confidence is seen as A Good Thing™ and any uncertainty may be seen as a flaw. As a result, we've all seen instances of people around us being confidently wrong. Western society often rewards confidence over correctness.

Making decisions using incorrect information, though, can lead to unfortunate outcomes. Once you get beyond situations of trying to convince humans, the universe is mostly indifferent to your confidence. And while convincing humans regardless of truthfulness is a common path to riches, remember that you, too, are a human. Consider Richard Feynman's warning, "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool."

I suggest that doubting yourself has great value, but do so with nuance. Doubt your understanding of things, not your intrinsic worth. Doubt what you know, not who you are. Let your doubts pique your curiosity, and provoke exploration. That's how you learn and grow!

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