1b. Nicolas of Cusa: On Learned Ignorance

The second concept that I learned which is included in the title and perhaps the more important of the two concept is that of learned ignorance. As stated before everything is understandable regardless of human recognition or knowledge of it. So then not knowing is then knowing in itself. Socrates claimed that he knew nothing except that he knew nothing. He recognized that he could in no way ever know everything that was possible because of him being human, so instead he said that compared to all the possible knowledge in the world, he knew very little of it.

Solomon said that not everything can be put into terms that we as humans could understand, because not everything simple enough of a concept and putting the concept into the restrictions if word one might then restrict and somewhat water down the concept, making it lose value. For example the concept of love, we have indeed given this emotion a word that corresponds but what other words can truly and honestly describe it in such a way that does not take meaning away. Have you ever tried to explain love, it is very difficult, and so Solomon had the same idea that some concepts cannot be explained.

Learned ignorance is the notion that we will never know everything so don't claim to and once you don't claim you know everything you will be able to learn.