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Ignorance
A Global History
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Brief Description
Ignorance by Peter Burke "A fascinating catalogue of the conditions and agency of ignorance"—Jeffrey Collins, Times Literary Supplement "A declaration of love for education"—Stefan Bauer, History Today "Dazzling . . . a deliciously knowledgeable history of ignorance"—David Armitage A rich, wide-ranging history of ignorance in all...
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Ignorance
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A rich, wide-ranging history of ignorance in all its forms, from antiquity to the present day
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Description
Ignorance by Peter Burke
"A fascinating catalogue of the conditions and agency of ignorance"—Jeffrey Collins, Times Literary Supplement
"A declaration of love for education"—Stefan Bauer, History Today
"Dazzling . . . a deliciously knowledgeable history of ignorance"—David Armitage
A rich, wide-ranging history of ignorance in all its forms, from antiquity to the present day.
Throughout history, every age has thought of itself as more knowledgeable than the last. Renaissance humanists viewed the Middle Ages as an era of darkness, Enlightenment thinkers tried to sweep superstition away with reason, the modern welfare state sought to slay the "giant" of ignorance, and in today's hyperconnected world seemingly limitless information is available on demand. But what about the knowledge lost over the centuries? Are we really any less ignorant than our ancestors?
In this highly original account, Peter Burke examines the long history of humanity's ignorance across religion and science, war and politics, business and catastrophes. Burke reveals remarkable stories of the many forms of ignorance—genuine or feigned, conscious and unconscious—from the willful politicians who redrew Europe's borders in 1919 to the politics of whistleblowing and climate change denial. The result is a lively exploration of human knowledge across the ages, and the importance of recognising its limits.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300276503
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 09 April 2024
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 20 b-w illus.
Audience: Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Width: 127.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 336
About the Author
Peter Burke is emeritus professor of cultural history at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of many distinguished books that have been translated into more than thirty languages, including The Polymath and What Is the History of Knowledge?
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