Ignorance is Not an Excuse!

 

Have you heard the idiom “Ignorance is not an excuse?” Well, there is some truth to that when it comes to understanding the depths of one’s sins. In the Catholic faith, we even have a specific name for it: Vincible Ignorance. We define Vincible Ignorance as the “lack of knowledge regarding some aspect of the moral law because of a failure of due diligence on our part.” 1 Vincible Ignorance applies when we fail to seek the necessary knowledge and understanding to grasp the consequences of our actions and the negative impact said actions will have on ourselves and others. We are still culpable, but to a lesser extent for lack of knowledge.

Let’s take an example and apply it to the concept of Vincible Ignorance:

As a bank auditor (in my past life), I audited several different departments of the bank. On this hypothetical assignment, I had to hit the ground running, with no time to learn the business. As I progressed through my work, I saw something that looked odd to me. However, I needed to get my work done quickly. Since time did not permit me to delve deeper, I let the oddity go without reviewing it.  Bottom line: If, as an auditor, I fail to perform the proper due diligence to ensure that the business unit operates in accordance with professional standards, then I share in the moral responsibility for the oddity later found in the business unit, even though that was not my intention. Where Vincible Ignorance might be an excuse, there is no excuse for dropping the ball.

Knowledge Banishes Ignorance

In my example, I would be vincibly ignorant because I did not do my due diligence, thus, decreasing my degree of culpability. How so? Well, knowledge “determines... Read more...