The
expression "
Ignorance is Bliss" is best known from the classic work "
A Theory of Justice" (1971) by the
moral philosopher John Rawls, although its origin is much older.
The central idea of "
A Theory of Justice" is the "
veil of ignorance". Rawls asks the reader to imagine that representatives from a fictional society are taken behind the
veil of ignorance, which hides their
race,
gender,
class etc. In this way, they are deprived of their defining characteristics. They view each other as
free and
equal persons, rather than
rich or
poor,
male or
female, etc.
When these ideal and ignorant people have to
bargain, the
veil of ignorance will make them
impartial, even when they bargain out of
self-interest. Rawls proposes two principles that all bargainers will agree on out of
self-interest. First of all, all participants will agree on the greatest
liberty possible, to maximize their chances. Secondly, the bargainers will want all
social and
economic inequalities to be adjusted to the benefit of the least well off, because each one of them may be the poorest of the poor when the veil is removed.
This second principle, known as
the difference principle, was
revolutionary. It would be
irrational, Rawls reasoned, for people behind the
veil of ignorance to permit gross inequalities of income, because they might very well be members of the least advantaged classes. The result of
the difference principle, Rawls concludes, is that
liberty must be limited to provide the greatest benefit to the poorest classes of society.
Nowadays "
Ignorance is bliss" has become a catch-phrase that is quoted in very different contexts. E.g. in the movie "
The Matrix" it is quoted by
Cypher in his discussion with
Agent Smith.