Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.

The quote reframes education not as the accumulation of certainties but as an expanding awareness of complexity and unanswered questions. As one learns more—history, science, philosophy—simplistic explanations tend to collapse, revealing deeper layers of nuance and ambiguity. Durant’s phrasing suggests that genuine learning produces humility: the educated person becomes more alert to gaps in understanding, the provisional nature of many “facts,” and the vastness of what lies beyond any individual’s grasp. In this view, education’s value is partly moral and intellectual—training the mind to doubt, inquire, and remain open—rather than merely practical or credential-based.