Quite frankly, we can't judge our own competence very well without the wisdom of age and careful observation & contemplation. Even then, we can only judge our c

Quite frankly, we can't judge our own competence very well without the wisdom of age and careful observation & contemplation. Even then, we can only judge our competence relative to others. This is assuming we have a working, widely accepted definition for competence which we tend to gloss over and use only in specific contexts. I also strongly disagree with "it is a a wise man who knows he knows nothing". A wise man knows what he doesn't know, but he certainly knows some things. He knows where to apply his own judgment and where to apply the thinking of others.