Ignorance: A History of the Phenomenon from a Global Perspective

Author's Name: Peter Burke

Throughout history, each generation has believed it possessed deeper knowledge than the one preceding it. The Arabs described the period before the advent of Islam as the Age of Ignorance, and humanists called the Middle Ages the Dark Ages. In the Age of Enlightenment, ignorance was viewed as the foundation of tyranny, fanaticism, and superstition, which rational people hoped would be eradicated by an era of reason and knowledge. Today, modern nations seek to eradicate the "monster" of ignorance in a world teeming with information and closely connected to its ever-changing horizons. What about the knowledge that has been lost over time? Are we truly less ignorant today than our ancestors? The book presents a history of the phenomenon of ignorance that has accompanied humanity in various fields, such as religion, science, politics, wars, business, and natural disasters. It presents numerous historical examples that shed light on the different types of ignorance, whether intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious. To achieve an in-depth investigation of human knowledge throughout the ages, and to recognize its limits.