--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ignorance is the mother of all evils." description: "\"Ignorance is the mother of all evils.\" — Francois Rabelais" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png" --- # Ignorance is the mother of all evils. ![“Ignorance is the mother of all evils.” quote by Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png) > “Ignorance is the mother of all evils.” [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance breeds harmful actions and societal . **In simple terms:** Ignorance causes evil. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge to prevent harm. Themes education wisdom society Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - public policy - parenting - self‑education Key Concepts epistemology morality human behavior Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to stay informed and ethical? - How does curiosity combat prejudice? A Different Perspective Knowledge alone doesn't guarantee ethical choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evils/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-mother-2332670/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-evils-2332671/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [If one evil eats at the moral fiber of human life in this world that could be termed as Mother of Evils, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-joseph-benziger/if-one-evil-eats-at-the-moral-fiber-of-human-life-in-this-world-that/) [T Joseph Benziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-joseph-benziger/) > [Laziness is the mother of all evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/laziness-is-the-mother-of-all-evils/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Ignorance is the mother of admiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-chapman/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-admiration/) [George Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-chapman/) > [Ignorance is the Mother not of Devotion, but of Heresy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cotton-mather/ignorance-is-the-mother-not-of-devotion-but-of-heresy/) [Cotton Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cotton-mather/) > [Ignorance is the mother of research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-research/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Ignorance is the mother of presumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-gournay/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-presumption/) [Marie de Gournay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-gournay/) > [For your ignorance is the mother of your devotion to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/for-your-ignorance-is-the-mother-of-your-devotion-to-me/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“Ignorance is the mother of fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-homes/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-fear/) [Harry Homes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-homes/) > [Many infidels have maintained that Ignorance is the mother of Devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/many-infidels-have-maintained-that-ignorance-is-the-mother-of-devotion/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Ignorance is the mother of suspicion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rounseville-alger/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-suspicion/) [William Rounseville Alger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rounseville-alger/) > [Ignorance is the mother of devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-devotion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Being ignorant is truly bliss compared to being misinformed, especially if you’re aware of the depths of your own ignorance. As Mother says, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/being-ignorant-is-truly-bliss-compared-to-being-misinformed/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“Ignorance is the mother of all the evil and all the misery we see. Let men have light, let them be pure and spiritually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-the-evil-and-all-the-misery-we-see-let/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [The so-called evils are evils only in relation to a certain thing, and that which is evil in relation to a certain existing thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-so-called-evils-are-evils-only-in-relation-to-a-certain-thing-and/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) ## More by Francois Rabelais > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [If in your soil it takes, to heaven A thousand thousand thanks be given; And say with France, it goodly goes, Where the Pantagruelion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/if-in-your-soil-it-takes-to-heaven-a-thousand-thousand-thanks-be/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/a-child-is-not-a-vase-to-be-filled-but-a-fire-to-be-lit/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [A certain jollity of mind, pickled in the scorn of fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/a-certain-jollity-of-mind-pickled-in-the-scorn-of-fortune/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Indeed, said the monk, a mass, a matins, and vespers well rung are half-said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/indeed-said-the-monk-a-mass-a-matins-and-vespers-well-rung-are-half/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [I do not drink more than a sponge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-do-not-drink-more-than-a-sponge/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [ I recognize in \[my readers\] a specific form and individual property, which our predecessors called Pantagruelism, by means of which they never take anything… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-recognize-in-my-readers-a-specific-form-and-individual-property/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Tell the truth and shame the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/tell-the-truth-and-shame-the-devil/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Half the world does not know how the other half lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/half-the-world-does-not-know-how-the-other-half-lives/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [But where are the snows of last year? That was the greatest concern of Villon, the Parisian poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/but-where-are-the-snows-of-last-year-that-was-the-greatest-concern-of/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [The Lord forbid that I should be out of debt, as if indeed I could not be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/the-lord-forbid-that-i-should-be-out-of-debt-as-if-indeed-i-could-not/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Science sans conscience n' est que le ruine de l'âme. Knowledge without conscience is but the ruine of the soule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/science-sans-conscience-n-est-que-le-ruine-de-l-me-knowledge-without/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [I've often heard it said, as the common proverb goes, that a fool can teach a wise man well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-ve-often-heard-it-said-as-the-common-proverb-goes-that-a-fool-can/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [One falls to the ground in trying to sit on two stools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/one-falls-to-the-ground-in-trying-to-sit-on-two-stools/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Go, all of you poor people, in the name of God the Creator, and let him forever be your guide. And henceforth, do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/go-all-of-you-poor-people-in-the-name-of-god-the-creator-and-let-him/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) [Explore all 184 Francois Rabelais quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) ## More Evils quotes > [The so-called evils are evils only in relation to a certain thing, and that which is evil in relation to a certain existing thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-so-called-evils-are-evils-only-in-relation-to-a-certain-thing-and/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [In the history of man it has been very generally the case that when evils have grown insufferable they have touched the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/in-the-history-of-man-it-has-been-very-generally-the-case-that-when/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Imaginary evils are incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/imaginary-evils-are-incurable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [There are evils that have the ability to survive identification and go on for ever... money, for instance, or war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-are-evils-that-have-the-ability-to-survive-identification-and/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Of your philosophy you makeno use If you give place to accidental evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-your-philosophy-you-makeno-use-if-you-give-place-to-accidental/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-worst-evils-which-mankind-has-ever-had-to-endure-were-inflicted/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“So then, according to Jesus, the ‘evils’ which we think, say and do are not due primarily to our environment, nor are they bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/so-then-according-to-jesus-the-evils-which-we-think-say-and-do-are/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“Hope is the worst of evils because it protracts torment.” “Your”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/hope-is-the-worst-of-evils-because-it-protracts-torment-your/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [The only important property of evils of the past is that they not be repeated in the future, in any way, shape, or form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-only-important-property-of-evils-of-the-past-is-that-they-not-be/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [To repay evils with kindness is the religion I was taught to practise, and this will forever be my rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/to-repay-evils-with-kindness-is-the-religion-i-was-taught-to-practise/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [“The wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient horror that men will not speak against it. That men have just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-wicked-know-that-if-the-ill-they-do-be-of-sufficient-horror-that/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [They who talk much of destiny, their birth-star, etc., are in a lower dangerous plane, and invite the evils they fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/they-who-talk-much-of-destiny-their-birth-star-etc-are-in-a-lower/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Trump is literally the epitome of evil, all the evils of this country - be it racism, capitalism, sexism, homophobia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/trump-is-literally-the-epitome-of-evil-all-the-evils-of-this-country/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [“If we want truth and justice to rule our global village, there must be no hypocrisy. If there is no truth, then there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/if-we-want-truth-and-justice-to-rule-our-global-village-there-must-be/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) [Browse all 300 Evils quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evils/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ignorance is the mother of all evils.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois Rabelais" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evils" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3aa/francois-rabelais-2038_evils_ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils-183_1838752.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ignorance is the mother of all evils.” — Francois Rabelais", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francois Rabelais", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ignorance is the mother of all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/ignorance-is-the-mother-of-all-evils/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```