"It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, therefore, he that can perceive it hath it not"
- Jeremy Taylor
About this Quote
This quote by Jeremy Taylor talks to the difficulty of trying to make individuals understand their own lack of knowledge. It is difficult to make someone understand their own ignorance due to the fact that it needs knowledge to acknowledge it. Simply put, somebody who is able to acknowledge their own ignorance should already have understanding in order to do so. This quote speaks with the concept that knowledge is a requirement for understanding one's own ignorance. It likewise implies that those who have the ability to acknowledge their own lack of knowledge are likely to be more well-informed than those who are not able to do so. This quote functions as a tip that knowledge is an important possession which it is essential to pursue greater understanding.
"What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things... it is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface"