--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is impossible to make people…" description: "\"It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, therefore, he that can perceive it hath it n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png" --- # It is impossible to make people understand their… ![“It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, therefore, he that can perceive it hath it not.” quote by Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png) > “It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, therefore, he that can perceive it hath it not.” [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding one's own ignorance requires the knowledge to recognize it, which paradoxically means the ignorant cannot recognize it. **In simple terms:** You can't realize you don't know something without knowing it. Key Takeaway Seek humility and continuous learning. Themes humility knowledge self-awareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - personal growth - leadership - decision making Key Concepts epistemology paradox cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster environments that reveal hidden ignorance? - What practices help us recognize our own blind spots? A Different Perspective People may claim ignorance without insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Requires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-requires-1125611/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-perceive-1125614/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-understand/) [Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive/) [Requires Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-knowledge-1125613/) [Understand Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-ignorance-1125612/) ## Related quotes > [You are the knower of knowledge; you perceive perceiving. Come to this place, and see if any questions remain there within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/you-are-the-knower-of-knowledge-you-perceive-perceiving-come-to-this/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [“Intuitions are mere reflection of your knowledge to perceive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rd/intuitions-are-mere-reflection-of-your-knowledge-to-perceive/) [RD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rd/) > [“Good teachers understand knowledge, but brilliant teachers understand ignorance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-wright/good-teachers-understand-knowledge-but-brilliant-teachers-understand/) [Trevor Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-wright/) > [“It is not enough that you understand in what ignorance man and beast live; you must also have and acquire the will to ignorance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-not-enough-that-you-understand-in-what-ignorance-man-and-beast/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“In the perusal of philosophical works I have been greatly benefited by a resolve, which, in the antithetic form and with the allowed quaintness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/in-the-perusal-of-philosophical-works-i-have-been-greatly-benefited/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“Took me a few years to understand what intelligence is; Took me an entire lifetime to understand ignorance. I still haven't found an explanation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/took-me-a-few-years-to-understand-what-intelligence-is-took-me-an/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [Technology requires knowledge and expertise more than it requires money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raymond/technology-requires-knowledge-and-expertise-more-than-it-requires/) [Jonathan Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raymond/) > [“Logic requires knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-alvi/logic-requires-knowledge/) [Kamil Alvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-alvi/) > [No amount of knowledge will nourish or sustain your spirit, it can never bring you ulimate happiness or peace. Life requires more that knowledge;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/no-amount-of-knowledge-will-nourish-or-sustain-your-spirit-it-can/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [I'd love to run for office, but it requires such knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-d-love-to-run-for-office-but-it-requires-such-knowledge/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/is-love-an-art-then-it-requires-knowledge-and-effort/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [A man speaks of what he knows, a woman of what pleases her: the one requires knowledge, the other taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/a-man-speaks-of-what-he-knows-a-woman-of-what-pleases-her-the-one/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Democracy requires information. Plato knew that informed decision-making requires knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/democracy-requires-information-plato-knew-that-informed-decision/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [They do not understand Islam, and I think that is one area where perhaps I hope one day I will play a role in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-khan/they-do-not-understand-islam-and-i-think-that-is-one-area-where/) [Imran Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-khan/) > [For people to understand me when I travel, I speak with my hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-carne/for-people-to-understand-me-when-i-travel-i-speak-with-my-hands/) [Marcel Carne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-carne/) ## More by Jeremy Taylor > [“there are sicknesses that walk in darkness, and there are exterminating angels who fly wrapt up in the curtains of immateriality and an uncommunicating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/there-are-sicknesses-that-walk-in-darkness-and-there-are/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [The private and personal blessings we enjoy- the blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty and integrity- deserve the thanksgiving of a whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/the-private-and-personal-blessings-we-enjoy-the-blessings-of-immunity/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Drunkenness is an immoderate affection and use of drink. That I call immoderation that is besides or beyond that order of good things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/drunkenness-is-an-immoderate-affection-and-use-of-drink-that-i-call/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Marriage is the mother of the world. It preserves kingdoms, and fills cities and churches, and heaven itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/marriage-is-the-mother-of-the-world-it-preserves-kingdoms-and-fills/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Enjoy the blessings of this day, if God sends them; and the evils of it bear patiently and sweetly: for this day only is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/enjoy-the-blessings-of-this-day-if-god-sends-them-and-the-evils-of-it/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [The thing framed says that nothing framed it; the tongue never made itself to speak, and yet talks against him that did; saying that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/the-thing-framed-says-that-nothing-framed-it-the-tongue-never-made/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [The pharisees minded what God spoke, but not what He intended. They were busy in the outward work of the hand, but incurious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/the-pharisees-minded-what-god-spoke-but-not-what-he-intended-they/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [In self-examination, take no account of yourself by your thoughts and resolutions in the days of religion and solemnity; examine how it is with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/in-self-examination-take-no-account-of-yourself-by-your-thoughts-and/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Adultery itself in its principle is many times nothing but a curious inquisition after, and envy of another man's enclosed pleasures: and there have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/adultery-itself-in-its-principle-is-many-times-nothing-but-a-curious/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [This grace (purity of intention) is so excellent that it sanctifies the most common actions of our life and yet is so necessary that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/this-grace-purity-of-intention-is-so-excellent-that-it-sanctifies-the/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [We each define our god, and from this definition, we set the criteria for self-love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/we-each-define-our-god-and-from-this-definition-we-set-the-criteria/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [The Lord's Prayer is short and mysterious, and, like the treasures of the Spirit, full of wisdom and latent senses: it is not improper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/the-lord-s-prayer-is-short-and-mysterious-and-like-the-treasures-of/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Faith converses with the angels, and antedates the hymns of glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/faith-converses-with-the-angels-and-antedates-the-hymns-of-glory/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [By friendship you mean the greatest love, the greatest usefulness, the most open communication, the noblest sufferings, the severest truth, the heartiest counsel, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/by-friendship-you-mean-the-greatest-love-the-greatest-usefulness-the/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Faith gives new light to the soul, but it does not put our eyes out; and what God hathgivenusinournature could never be intended as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/faith-gives-new-light-to-the-soul-but-it-does-not-put-our-eyes-out/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) [Explore all 116 Jeremy Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) ## More Ignorance quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“If knowledge does not liberate the self from the self, then ignorance is better than such knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-sanai/if-knowledge-does-not-liberate-the-self-from-the-self-then-ignorance/) [Hakim Sanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-sanai/) > [You are senile old fool, and because of your impudence, I cannot fathom how you still live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-senile-old-fool-and-because-of-your-impudence-i-cannot-fathom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) [Vashti Quiroz-Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vashti-quiroz-vega/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Those who embrace prejudice doom themselves to live in ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-lintz-sr/those-who-embrace-prejudice-doom-themselves-to-live-in-ignorance/) [John P Lintz Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-lintz-sr/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/sanity-can-take-one-of-only-two-forms-that-of-ignorance-or-denial/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) [Browse all 5,657 Ignorance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, therefore, he that can perceive it hath it not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeremy Taylor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understand-their-ignorance-for-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ignorance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understand-their-ignorance-for-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/jeremy-taylor-4089_ignorance_it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understa_2507761.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and…” — Jeremy Taylor", "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": "Jeremy Taylor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is impossible to make people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understand-their-ignorance-for-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/it-is-impossible-to-make-people-understand-their-ignorance-for-it/#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 } } ] } ```