Understanding Ignorance

Public life today seems to reward not knowing. Some officials openly distance themselves from science, and a debate over a state motto drew objections because the phrase was written in Latin, with one critic insisting the country is not Mexico or Latin America. Direct experience is increasingly offered as a qualification in place of expertise. Misinformation and repeated falsehoods can harden into deeply held beliefs. Gaps in basic knowledge of American government and history are troubling enough that the notion of a well-informed electorate sounds almost old-fashioned. Conspiracy theories flourish, even though this is supposed to be the Information Age and our collective knowledge does not match the access we have.

Philosopher Daniel DeNicola examines ignorance itself, looking at how widespread it is, why it persists, and what it costs.