Friday, January 8, 2010 — In response to the general tenor of the times, and in homage to our predecessor, we re-publish a piece from our paper of October 21, 1757. In it, Daniel Fowle asks the question (we paraphrase) “Why are those who know the least, the most confident of their knowledge and wisdom?” We’re proud to say the conclusion he reaches anticipates that of scientists David Dunning and Justin Kruger by 242 years. We’re discomforted more-or-less dumbfounded to note that it also anticipated the philosopher Bertrand Russell by 175 years.
Philosophical Reasons, why the most Ignorant MEN are generally most conceited.
The vanity of the human heart is the most incurable of all moral distempers. The reason is, because every man must be his own physician, and self tenderness will not permit the use of CAUSTICS, which are as necessary to the cure of such deep rooted ulcers of the mind, as of the body: In both cases much pain must be endured: but that of the mind is most intense, because of its greater sensibility. Besides, self examination is a nauseous draught, that the squeamish stomach of self conceit will not digest; and yet it is the only preparative which can purge off the ill humours of the soul, and qualify it for the reception of healing applications; or, to change the allusion, self conceit is the dropsy* of the mind, generated by ignorance, and bloated by laziness. After the purgation before hinted, nothing can cure it radically, but constant exercise in the MINES of knowledge, which, like the most precious ore, lies deepest in the recesses of nature.