There are at least four varieties of ignorance (passive ignorance, active ignorance, essential ignorance, and enlightened ignorance) two of which are beneficial; one of these actually supersedes knowledge
11 Comments Posted
I find this article interesting on many levels, least of which is its capacity to demonstrate different tendencies toward knowledge. In many ways, the discussion of a cultivated or "illuminated ignorance" engages a long debate in the humanities regarding the ignorance of wisdom. In fact, Socrates is our primary contributor to this hypothesis. As the Oracle led him to believe, he was the wisest because he perceived himself as ignorant. I think this is a very important lesson to learn. My own experience concurs. The most important knowledge I have learned in college and graduate school is how much knowledge I don't have, and how the knowledge I do have could be wrong in the first place. This has led me to believe that any dogmatic assertions or adherence to doctrines may also be an ignorant proposition. For me, it follows that an all-encompassing skepticism inevitably leads to the rejection of any strong principles.
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Dear Yaakov Brawer,
I am drawn to your essay and will quote it in the Rosh Hashanah edition of our newsletter, The Beth El News. It just happens that 30 years ago I was sitting in a lecture hall with a friend studying neurophysiology at Ann Arbor. I have always tried to cultivate a childlike openminededness in spit of the trouble it brings me. People do not respect it. However, I find delight in viewing the world that way. I do not want to "plug my work" but in your field you might happen on to a stereology book that I completed for a man who himself cultivated that view. It permeates his work. (Hilliard (deceased) and Lawson, Stereology and Stochastic Geometry, Kluwer 2003) Read through the problems more than the text.
Again, I enjoyed your essay.
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I have truly found the essay "In Pursuit of Ignorance" by Yaakov Brawer a delight to read, and of profound spiritual value. I felt I should post a comment as his words of struck a chord and caused a smile. If you could pass on a thank you and a blessing I would be appreciative.
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I respect your essay, it is an excellently clear exposition of the 'root of all evil'. I am also intrigued by the jewish angle you offer, as I have to confess my limited knowledge of your faith. However I would query your decision that the soul must exist. There are many possible theories that could account for our individual subjectivity (your teacher was indeed a fool). Also, after Camus, I would call your transcendence of reason a form of 'philosophical suicide', whereby you negate reason in order to eliminate the tension between our impassioned metaphysical questioning, and the indifferent silence of the universe.
I say keep the tension alive. One can live without faith.
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Sir,
You have a link with the Allmighty.
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Could it also be said that essential ignorance is acquired through humility? How can one know what he or she is uncapable of knowing, without the law that allows them to realize that they have not been perfect. Without being perfect we are able to be humbled. In all circumstances, people do not let themselves be humbled by what they cannot know or do. There are so many things that only G-d can know or do.
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There are radio waves all around us, but unless we have a radio receiver they cannot be perceived by our brain. Likewise, knowledge of God cannot be perceived by our minds but can nevertheless be "experienced" in our souls. The experience of God is not only ineffable; it is unthinkable.
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That was the single most intelligent thing I have ever heard. Thank you for writing this; you have inspired me greatly.
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"In fact, logic and truth played no role in his thinking. Lurking within that supremely confident, scientific, erudite exterior was a fearful, irrational, child."
-That made me smile
Couldn't have said it better myself... Spot on and very true. Thanks for this article
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You found the words for what we know, but did not have the words to say.
Thank you so much for putting a structure around our knowing.
Because of you and others like you, I just love this place.
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I really appreciated this article.
Until now, I was taught to think critically about the world around me. Now I know that those evil scientists were just conspiring to spread their atheist ways. How deceptive of those scientists to offer testable, repeatable, or observable explanations for natural phenomena. Boy, what a waste my education was!
Now, if one of those tricky scientists provides me with volumes of data and observation, critically examined and peer reviewed, I will know to shut my eyes and cover my ears.
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