the wise respect their ignorance

Physicists know a great volume of knowledge which very often tends to make them believe that because they know so much, that is all that is known. Therefore they, knowing all that is known, know all that is to be known. They lose respect for their unknowns dazzled by their knowns. An example of this is when when one knowledgable and eminent said that the concept of an after life was interesting, but that he would believe when he had proof. If one has proof no belief is required. His idea of belief as a birth place of knowledge was apparently limited. How do new ideas and knowledge spring out of that view?