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Ignorance

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The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible

Abstract

Ignorance is an inherently broad and comprehensive notion, which, ironically, can refer to both the worst enemy of science and knowledge-related efforts and, in its Socratic form, their best ally. Indeed, by understanding the concept of ignorance, one can discuss a variety of topics, such as error, falsity, and prejudice but also surprise, wonder, and creativity. Unsurprisingly, so, the current research about ignorance is varied and interconnected. Thus, this chapter will be divided into two main sections: the first will be dedicated to a brief presentation of the different research areas that shape current ignorance studies; in the second section, a few questions will be asked: What can we do about our ignorance? How can ignorance be exploited and become useful? How can ignorance define the limits of our possibilities? Even if the answers presented in this chapter will not provide an exhaustive picture of how ignorance interacts with human chances, they will hopefully offer suggestions for further steps in its analysis and investigation.

Oh, happy he, who still renews

The hope from Error’s deeps to rise forever!

That which one does not know, one needs to use,

And what one knows, one uses never.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,

Faust, Dover Thrift Editions (2018), Trad. by B. Taylor, p. 32The Future and Its Enemies, Touchstone Edition (1999), p. 88.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Selene Arfini

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  1. Selene Arfini
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Correspondence to Selene Arfini .

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  1. Kingston University, Kingston, United Kingdom

    Wendy Ross

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Arfini, S. (2020). Ignorance. In: The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98390-5_123-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98390-5_123-1

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-98390-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-98390-5

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