Is Ignorance Bliss?

Sekolah Bogor Raya

The Ethics of Ignorance: Balancing Individual Bliss

and Societal Responsibility

A paper by:

Alyyah Fadhilah Fajrin

alyyah_fadhilah@sbr.sch.id

Dian Thiani Amalia

dian_thiani@sbr.sch.id

Felicia Audrey Nugroho

felicia_audrey@sbr.sch.id

Giselle Inara Nugraha

giselle_inara@sbr.sch.id

Jashan Rohit Kumar

jashan_rk@sbr.sch.id

Mario Nicholas Chandra

mario_nicholas@sbr.sch.id

Nareswari Ayu Prabowo

nareswari_ayu@sbr.sch.id

Zalwa Elvina Maharani

zalwa_elvina@sbr.sch.id

Ziefanya Elyoenai Andrian

ziefanya_elyoenai@sbr.sch.id
 Is Ignorance Bliss? Sekolah Bogor Raya

“Knowledge is the eye of desire and can become the pilot of the soul.” - Will Durant.

Knowledge plays a crucial role in shaping human behaviour and decision-making.

While ignorance may provide temporary relief from anxiety and responsibilities, it can also

lead to a sense of powerlessness and lack of control. Thus, embracing knowledge and

engaging with uncomfortable truths can ultimately lead to greater agency and autonomy in

one's life. The main focus of this writing is how ethical considerations intertwine with the

ignorance of knowledge in the context of individual bliss and societal responsibility. Ethics is

the set of moral standards that differentiate right from wrong. We will discuss how

individuals and societies should approach their knowledge gaps and the responsibilities that

come with them. This writing will explore how individuals and societies ought to approach

their knowledge gaps in human sciences along with natural sciences, and the responsibilities

that come with doing so.

To start with, religion provides an articulation of concepts that remain unexplained

scientifically. The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden highlights the tension

between the desire for knowledge and the risks that come with it. It reflects the struggle that

humans face when trying to balance the pursuit of knowledge with the risks and

consequences that may come with it. Each religious belief too provides interpretations of

occurrences, such as the afterlife. For instance, while Buddhism affirms the idea that

resurrection occurs after death, Catholicism presents heaven or hell as a prospect. Those with

firmness upon a certain religious belief may present the idea of bliss in ignorance, as the

sense of having a higher power who controls their world and provides answers to the doubts
 Is Ignorance Bliss? Sekolah Bogor Raya

of the scientific world encapsulates their perspective to that sole view; a view which is the

normal and truth to them, despite the uncertainties of religious knowledge.

Moving on, the political perspective from the Marxist ideology recognizes the harm

of concentrating power and knowledge in a few hands, especially for the disadvantaged

working class vulnerable to oppression and marginalization. People are not given access to

knowledge and are instead subjected to manipulation and control, as is the case with

Machiavellianism, where people are manipulated by denying access to knowledge,

disregarding morality for power and self-interest. For example, the Soviet Union achieved

state control of the economy and wealth redistribution. Although it resulted in gains for

citizens, it also resulted in a lack of political freedom and human rights violations, resulting

in millions of deaths. Therefore, ignorance which is institutional and intentionally imposed

isn’t ethically beneficial to society, and the bliss gained is by powerful people controlling

their weaker counterparts. Furthermore, the scenario from Plato’s Allegory of the Cave urges

us to consider the nature of truth and embrace discomfort and uncertainty for intellectual

inquiry. Meanwhile, powerful individuals may control marginalized groups without realizing

their actions, causing prison-like situations for the oppressed. This means that the ignorance

of society somehow can't be bliss for themselves, while it'll be more beneficial to those

powerful people.

Furthermore, in the context of natural sciences, breakthroughs have been established

to help understand the world better. Despite the beneficial outcomes that scientific

discoveries have to offer, the process of certain discoveries may include unpleasant processes

that raise ethical concerns. An example of this would be the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment.

The American Public Health Service studied a group of syphilis-infected African American
 Is Ignorance Bliss? Sekolah Bogor Raya

men between 1932 and 1972. Effective treatments for syphilis were available, however, the

men weren’t made aware of their condition and were instead told they were being treated for

"bad blood." The study intended to look at how syphilis develops naturally, however, it was

undertaken without the subjects' informed agreement and in violation of several ethical

standards, including the principles of nonmaleficence and respect for individuals.

In addition, mathematics is often used as an objective tool in the exploration of

real-world phenomena. In uncertain situations like stock market forecasting and COVID-19

forecasting, mathematical models in the form of linear regression models assisted us in

making informed decisions.

Taken from JHR “COVID-19 case fatality rates across Southeast Asian countries (SEA): a preliminary estimate using a

simple linear regression model.”

However, as we become more aware of the dangers and risks associated with them, we

reduce our "blissful ignorance". While ignorance may seem preferable to uncertainty, it is
 Is Ignorance Bliss? Sekolah Bogor Raya

important to recognize its limitations and strive for a deeper understanding of the world

around us as mathematics could be used as leverage by leaders to manipulate their followers.

Consequently, those in power with a higher understanding of mathematical concepts

could use mathematical models and statistics to persuade their unknowing followers to

believe in their ideologies or policies, which maybe is unethical or inaccurate in various

fields such as economics, politics and even science. The use of mathematical models to

justify these decisions can lead to a loss of individual autonomy and agency as people blindly

trust in the numbers without a strong understanding of mathematical concepts and potential

biases. It is therefore important for individuals to have a foundation to develop critical

thinking to avoid being manipulated by those in power and for mathematicians and experts to

have an ethical responsibility to ensure that their work is used for the betterment of society

and not to advance the interest of the select few.

Ultimately, the examination of various perspectives and evidence reveals that while

ignorance can provide temporary bliss, the consequences of sustained ignorance can be

severe and far-reaching, not only for the individual but for society as a whole. In conclusion,

the concept of bliss from ignorance cannot be regarded as purely personal, as it has broader

implications. Considering everything, we have brought up the knowledge claim that

ignorance may provide a temporary sense of bliss, but failing to address certain

knowledge gaps may have far-reaching consequences for society, and we believe that

significant events in human history, ranging from religion to vicious experiments like the

Tuskegee Syphilis Study, substantiate the claim that knowledge is power. These events

demonstrate that ignorance provides only temporary bliss, which can have long-term negative

consequences for society.

 Is Ignorance Bliss? Sekolah Bogor Raya

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