The Inexcusability of Ignorance

Ignorance is not inaccessibility to knowledge; it is rather the willful or unwitting denial or rejection of knowledge. It is a function of ignoring the truth.

Literally the word 'Ignorance' is rooted in the French Ignore or the Latin variant ignorantia- which implies, not aware or not acquainted. The verb derivation ' ignore' suggest an act 'not to know' which gives a sense of disregard or not paying attention.

In biblical parlance- when God said "my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6), He was not referring to a nebulous state of mind but a flagrant refusal to embrace the truth. Israelites practically shut their hearts to know the truth by ridiculing and persecuting their prophets and rejecting divine instructions.

Romans 1:19-20 gives us some insight into the inexcusability of ignorance. " For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiwork). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification],"


Today the postmodern revolution of information and communication, the impact of globalization riding on the instrumentality of the new media, and the paradigm shift in the constructs of the traditional media leave no room for the excuse of ignorance. 

We are in the age where the increase of knowledge is as the waters cover the sea. These premises brings a whole new perspective to the definition of ‘ignorance’. Ignorance is inexcusable. If you are ignorant it is because you chose to be.