> Our findings expand on the idea of readiness by showing that what children think they know, but don’t know, can boost their curiosity and motivate learning.

For adults, I expect this still requires a neutral ground context before it can work. It’s easy to find arguments where people fiercely believe untrue things because the conversation starts in a judgemental and hostile place.

Personally, I love reflecting on the fact that there are very few things I can actually say I “know” for absolutely certain, in the sense that I have verified it myself, not in the sense that I learned it or read it or have a strong belief. The number of things I’m quite certain about vastly vastly outnumber the things I can say I know for sure. I think it does help me stay curious, but mostly when I’m free to ponder and explore, not when I’m in the middle of a heated debate.