We are ignorant of our ignorance

Every month or so for the last few years, I have been having a Zoom conversation with my good friend Charles Savage in Munich, who never fails to inspire me.

I thought I'd share some words of his after a fascinating conversation with him this morning.

Are we moving from “managing knowledge,” the “known” to exploring the frontier of the “unknown?”

Realizing my “ignorance” has been most humbling – and it is revitalized by intense “curiosity!”

So moving from the SMART to the WISE (Wondering, Inquiring, Searching and Exploring) is a delight!

After all, the “insights” we share with one another light up and enlighten our understanding!

Credit: Charles Savage

After writing about science curiosity recently, I have been wondering about how we might become more curious. After my chat with Charles I am wondering if recognizing our real ignorance is part of the answer.

The dérive as practiced by Clive Holtham is a practical way of developing curiosity.

Charles and I were talking about ignorance as I had shared with him some of the ideas from the book The Knowledge Illusion, which I think might be better dubbed the Knowledge Delusion.

I am writing about the subject myself but early days yet - very much work in progress.