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The etymology of unknowing
The word “unknowing” does not generally have positive connotations. It is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as an adjective (though also used as a barely distinguishable present participle) meaning: Not knowing; not possessing knowledge or understanding; ignorant; ill-informed; naive. The sense in which I’m using it is almost the opposite of this. I’m… Read more
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The age of ignorance
We are, says Tim Harford, living in an age of ignorance. He refers to the work of Robert Proctor, a historian of science, who coined the term “agnotology” to describe the study of ignorance. Proctor’s insight, arising from his analysis of the tobacco industry’s efforts to create doubt about the adverse impact of smoking, was… Read more
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