--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On our plane knowledge and ignorance are…" description: "\"On our plane knowledge and ignorance are the immemorial adversaries.\" — Frederick Soddy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg" --- # On our plane knowledge and ignorance are the immemorial… ![“On our plane knowledge and ignorance are the immemorial adversaries.” quote by Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg) > “On our plane knowledge and ignorance are the immemorial adversaries.” [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge and ignorance are eternal opponents, shaping human progress and misunderstanding. **In simple terms:** Knowledge opposes ignorance forever. Key Takeaway Seek truth, question assumptions. Themes science philosophy human nature Mood reflective inquisitive Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - personal learning Key Concepts epistemology entropy duality Questions to Reflect On - How do you confront your own blind spots? - What role does humility play in learning? A Different Perspective Ignorance can persist despite knowledge if not actively addressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversaries/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Immemorial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-immemorial-5303643/) [Immemorial Adversaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immemorial-adversaries-5303642/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-ignorance-417778/) [Plane Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane-knowledge-5303644/) [Planes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planes/) ## Related quotes > [Much that we hug today as knowledge is ignorance pure and simple. It makes the mind wander and even reduces it to a vacuity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/much-that-we-hug-today-as-knowledge-is-ignorance-pure-and-simple-it/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [While the dogmatist is harmful, the sceptic is useless ...; one is certain of knowing, the other of not knowing. What philosophy should dissipate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/while-the-dogmatist-is-harmful-the-sceptic-is-useless-one-is-certain/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Throught human history, illusions of knowledge, not ignorance, have proven to be the principal obstacles to discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/throught-human-history-illusions-of-knowledge-not-ignorance-have/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [“The rejection of knowledge (ignorance) attracts a reaction from God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-rejection-of-knowledge-ignorance-attracts-a-reaction-from-god/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Indeed, the most important product of knowledge is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/indeed-the-most-important-product-of-knowledge-is-ignorance/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [“And whenever any one informs us that he has found a man who knows all the arts, and all things else that anybody knows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-whenever-any-one-informs-us-that-he-has-found-a-man-who-knows-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Inspiration springs more readily from knowledge than from ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-kallen/inspiration-springs-more-readily-from-knowledge-than-from-ignorance/) [Horace Kallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-kallen/) > [“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-greatest-enemy-of-knowledge-is-not-ignorance-it-is-the-illusion/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [To realize that our knowledge is ignorance, This is a noble insight. To regard our ignorance as knowledge, This is mental sickness. Only when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/to-realize-that-our-knowledge-is-ignorance-this-is-a-noble-insight-to/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The more we learn about the world, and the deeper our learning, the more conscious, specific, and articulate will be our knowledge of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-more-we-learn-about-the-world-and-the-deeper-our-learning-the/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There are two threats to reason, the opinion that one knows the truth about the most important things and the opinion that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/there-are-two-threats-to-reason-the-opinion-that-one-knows-the-truth/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [“Modern man's narrow-mindedness is best shown in his belief that there is no riddle before him. His wisdom is the sum of his knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alija-izetbegovic/modern-man-s-narrow-mindedness-is-best-shown-in-his-belief-that-there/) [Alija Izetbegović](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alija-izetbegovic/) > [There are in fact two things, science and opinion. The former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/there-are-in-fact-two-things-science-and-opinion-the-former-begets/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Probability fractions arise from our knowledge and from our ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/probability-fractions-arise-from-our-knowledge-and-from-our-ignorance/) [Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/) > [ “The Knowledge that does not manifest into conduct; that is not Knowledge at all, it is ignorance (aGnan). Gnan \[true Knowledge\] is always bound… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-knowledge-that-does-not-manifest-into-conduct-that-is-not/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Frederick Soddy > [The pure air and dazzling snow belong to things beyond the reach of all personal feeling, almost beyond the reach of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-pure-air-and-dazzling-snow-belong-to-things-beyond-the-reach-of/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [It is probable that all heavy matter possesses - latent and bound up with the structure of the atom - a similar quantity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/it-is-probable-that-all-heavy-matter-possesses-latent-and-bound-up/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Innumerable entirely new compounds have been produced in the last century. The artificial dye-stuffs, prepared from materials occurring in coal-tar, make the natural colours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/innumerable-entirely-new-compounds-have-been-produced-in-the-last/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [There is something sublime about its aloofness from and its indifference to its external environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/there-is-something-sublime-about-its-aloofness-from-and-its/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [An honest money system is the only alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/an-honest-money-system-is-the-only-alternative/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [ \[The human control of atomic energy could\] virtually provide anyone who wanted it with a private sun of his own. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-human-control-of-atomic-energy-could-virtually-provide-anyone-who/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [There has been no discovery like it in the history of man. It puts into man's hands the key to using the fundamental energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/there-has-been-no-discovery-like-it-in-the-history-of-man-it-puts/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [ \[The blame for the future 'plight of civilization\] must rest on scientific men, equally with others, for being incapable of accepting the responsibility for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-blame-for-the-future-plight-of-civilization-must-rest-on/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [In so far as such developments utilise the natural energy running to waste, as in water power, they may be accounted as pure gain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/in-so-far-as-such-developments-utilise-the-natural-energy-running-to/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Some of the beliefs and legends bequethed to us by Antquity are so universally and firmly established that we have become accustomed to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/some-of-the-beliefs-and-legends-bequethed-to-us-by-antquity-are-so/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [With all our mastery over the powers of Nature we have adhered to the view that the struggle for existence is a permanent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/with-all-our-mastery-over-the-powers-of-nature-we-have-adhered-to-the/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Four circles to the kissing come, The smaller are the benter. The bend is just the inverse of The distance from the centre. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/four-circles-to-the-kissing-come-the-smaller-are-the-benter-the-bend/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [The dropping of the Atomic Bomb is a very deep problem... Instead of commemorating Hiroshima we should celebrate... man's triumph over the problem \[of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-dropping-of-the-atomic-bomb-is-a-very-deep-problem-instead-of/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Physical science enjoys the distinction of being the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, and its laws are obeyed universally, so far as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/physical-science-enjoys-the-distinction-of-being-the-most-fundamental/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [It is curious to reflect, for example, upon the remarkable legend of the Philosopher's Stone, one of the oldest and most universal beliefs, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/it-is-curious-to-reflect-for-example-upon-the-remarkable-legend-of/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) [Explore all 40 Frederick Soddy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) ## More Adversaries quotes > [In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-all-matters-of-opinion-our-adversaries-are-insane/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [There were various aspects of Sun Tzu's approach that appealed to Ho Chi Minh: a) to learn to understand both the enemy and yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/there-were-various-aspects-of-sun-tzu-s-approach-that-appealed-to-ho/) [William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/) > [Marriage, in my view, should be a balanced stalemate between equal adversaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-in-my-view-should-be-a-balanced-stalemate-between-equal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's like I'm married to the silencer, Until I file for divorce and release my ex-calibers. Do art with your arteries, place that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharoahe-monch/it-s-like-i-m-married-to-the-silencer-until-i-file-for-divorce-and/) [Pharoahe Monch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharoahe-monch/) > [Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations. Man's capacity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/educational-exchange-can-turn-nations-into-people-contributing-as-no/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/) [Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/) > [It is better to make friends than adversaries of a conquered race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/it-is-better-to-make-friends-than-adversaries-of-a-conquered-race/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [“The most courageous act in politics is to try to understand your opponent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-most-courageous-act-in-politics-is-to-try-to-understand-your/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [My adversary is the world of finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/my-adversary-is-the-world-of-finance/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [Often GOP political strategy seems like the human wave theory of the Chinese military translated to politics. Where Beijing uses masses of soldiers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/often-gop-political-strategy-seems-like-the-human-wave-theory-of-the/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [Our ability to fall in love requires enough comfort with our masculinity to join it with someone's femininity and feel enhanced. .. . If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/our-ability-to-fall-in-love-requires-enough-comfort-with-our/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-negotiate-in-bad-faith-if-you-do-not-forgive-your-adversary/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We should seek after spiritual gifts. They can lead us to God. They can shield us from the power of the adversary. They can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/we-should-seek-after-spiritual-gifts-they-can-lead-us-to-god-they-can/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) [Browse all 446 Adversaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On our plane knowledge and ignorance are the immemorial adversaries.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Soddy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are-the-immemorial-adversaries/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversaries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are-the-immemorial-adversaries/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/127/frederick-soddy-16246_adversaries_on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are_2277774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On our plane knowledge and ignorance are the immemorial adversaries.” — Frederick Soddy", "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": "Frederick Soddy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On our plane knowledge and ignorance...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are-the-immemorial-adversaries/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/on-our-plane-knowledge-and-ignorance-are-the-immemorial-adversaries/#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 } } ] } ```