The Beginning of Wisdom

Doctors go through years of school.

The result is the inability to say, "I don't know."

There is the image problem of saying it.

There can be some ego involved.

And there is the potential reaction of the patient. 

"If you don't know, who does?"

So, there are phrases used to say,

"I don't know" without saying it directly.

The phrase that used to be used was,

"It’s a bacteria."

Then it was changed to, "It’s a virus."

Now the phrase is, "It’s genetic."

These phrases were said

Without any tests done to determine the cause.

A medical classification for "I don't know"

Is the word syndrome.

When the word "syndrome" is attached

To the end of some medical condition,

It means the reason for the condition is unknown.

IBS means Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

This name of the condition means,

"Your bowel is irritated and we don't know why."

Yet, there is the Zen philosophy of the "empty cup."

If you have a cup of coffee or tea

And you want to put fresh liquid into it,

You must first empty the cup.

It would also help to rinse/wash the cup

To remove the old before pouring in the new.

This is why there is the saying,

"I don't know is the beginning of wisdom."

It is the empty cup on the subject

That will allow you to pour in the new

Without it being polluted by the old.