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"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
- Thread starter Mihail
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Lucky Forward
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If you're quoting Pope, it's "learning", not "knowledge":Mihail said:
AUTHOR: Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
QUOTATION:
A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
In the IT support field users who have a little PC knowledge are a shitload more dangerous to us network support folks than those who have no knowledge at all. Those with no knowledge tend to leave shit alone while those with a little knowledge like to screw around with settings because they think they know what the hell they are doing... most times they don't.
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
It's all about context really. Depending on the circumstances, a totally ignorant person could do more damage, or - as the IT examples point out - a half-educated person could do more damage.
More, I personally look at it this way:
Everyone is dangerous when they do not know that they do not know.
Whether totally ignorant or half-educated or even fully educated, people tend to fuck up when they assume they know more than they do and proceed to act based upon that assumption.
More, I personally look at it this way:
Everyone is dangerous when they do not know that they do not know.
Whether totally ignorant or half-educated or even fully educated, people tend to fuck up when they assume they know more than they do and proceed to act based upon that assumption.
I can see that...Ignorance is bliss, but it is also complacency to an elevated degree...more nuetral than anything else, really. A little bit of knowledge leads to false conclusions and assertions. How else did this administration get us into a Iraq if it wasn't for the use of limited information?
A completely ignorant person wouldn't be biased or prejudicial...instead he would be a blank slate waiting to be written on. You could even say that we are surrounded by ignorant people all the time...our children. They are, litteraly, a blank slate waiting to be written on to. I would, however, agree that an ignorant person can be as equally dangerous as one with a little knowledge. It really all depends on whats written onto the blank slate first, though.
Teach someone that black people are bad and his ignorance is elevated to the realm of dangerous.
A completely ignorant person wouldn't be biased or prejudicial...instead he would be a blank slate waiting to be written on. You could even say that we are surrounded by ignorant people all the time...our children. They are, litteraly, a blank slate waiting to be written on to. I would, however, agree that an ignorant person can be as equally dangerous as one with a little knowledge. It really all depends on whats written onto the blank slate first, though.
Teach someone that black people are bad and his ignorance is elevated to the realm of dangerous.
Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments
Abstract
People tend to hold overly favorable views of their abilities in many social and intellectual domains. The authors suggest that this overestimation occurs, in part, because people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it. Across 4 studies, the authors found that participants scoring in the bottom quartile on tests of humor, grammar, and logic grossly overestimated their test performance and ability. Although their test scores put them in the 12th percentile, they estimated themselves to be in the 62nd. Several analyses linked this miscalibration to deficits in metacognitive skill, or the capacity to distinguish accuracy from error. Paradoxically, improving the skills of participants, and thus increasing their metacognitive competence, helped them recognize the limitations of their abilities.
Abstract
People tend to hold overly favorable views of their abilities in many social and intellectual domains. The authors suggest that this overestimation occurs, in part, because people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it. Across 4 studies, the authors found that participants scoring in the bottom quartile on tests of humor, grammar, and logic grossly overestimated their test performance and ability. Although their test scores put them in the 12th percentile, they estimated themselves to be in the 62nd. Several analyses linked this miscalibration to deficits in metacognitive skill, or the capacity to distinguish accuracy from error. Paradoxically, improving the skills of participants, and thus increasing their metacognitive competence, helped them recognize the limitations of their abilities.
Cauliflower of Love
Banned
sonicfan said:
I wish I had that problem, instead I know what I can't do and not try. =(
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