De docta ignorantia

work by Nicholas of Cusa

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June 25, 2026

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De docta ignorantia, meaning "On Learned Ignorance," is a significant work by Nicholas of Cusa published in 1440. Cusa, a cardinal, mathematician, and philosopher, argued that true wisdom lies in recognizing the limits of human knowledge, particularly concerning God and the universe.1

He proposed that God is the "coincidence of opposites" and is absolutely infinite, while the universe reflects this divine perfection and is relatively infinite. Cusa used mathematical symbols to illustrate how, in infinity, contradictions can coexist. He suggested that human knowledge of the infinite is limited to conjecture or approximation, leading to the concept of "learned ignorance". This philosophical approach anticipated later scientific ideas, such as the relativity of place and motion.21

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Nicholas Of Cusa
In De docta ignorantia (1440; “On Learned Ignorance”) he described the learned man as one who is aware of his own ignorance. In this and other works he typically borrowed symbols from geometry to demonstrate his points, as in his comparison of man’s search for truth…
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In De docta ignorantia (1440; “On Learned Ignorance”) he described the learned man as one who is aware of his own ignorance. In this and other works he typically borrowed symbols from geometry to demonstrate his points, as in his comparison of man’s search for truth…
Read More