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Entire ignorance is not so terrible or extreme an evil, and is far from being the greatest of all.
Plato
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Complete ignorance isn't the worst thing; there are worse states of being.

Plato suggests that while ignorance is often viewed negatively, it shouldn't be seen as the worst possible condition. There are more severe existential challenges and states of being than simply not knowing something, highlighting that ignorance can sometimes be a less serious affliction compared to pain, suffering, or moral failures.

Themes

IgnoranceWisdomPhilosophyKnowledgeTruth

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion on what makes life meaningful, one could use this quote to illustrate that there are worse things than not knowing.

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Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow... even if that someone is yourself!
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Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety.
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