Project Gutenberg 2005-09-01 Public domain in the USA. 192 Foster, John 1770 1843 An Essay on the Evils of Popular Ignorance Produced by Distributed Proofreaders "An Essay on the Evils of Popular Ignorance" by John Foster is a philosophical essay written in the early 19th century that addresses the profound issues resulting from widespread ignorance among the populace. In the text, Foster explores how this lack of knowledge contributes to moral degradation, societal unrest, and national decline, positing that ignorance is not merely a benign absence of information but a critical force behind vice and misery. He employs historical examples, particularly focusing on the ancient Jewish and pagan societies, to demonstrate how ignorance leads to destructive behaviors and societal ramifications. The opening of the essay lays the groundwork for Foster's arguments by highlighting the calamities associated with ignorance. He reflects on the general indifference towards the suffering caused by widespread ignorance, drawing connections to the historical consequences and deplorable conditions of societies that have neglected education. Through a series of observations, Foster critiques those in power who perpetuate this state of ignorance, emphasizing the need for a concerted effort to educate the masses to avert national disaster. The beginning establishes a tone of urgency and a moral imperative for better educational practices, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of how knowledge can lead to societal improvement and personal fulfillment. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 35.3 (College-level). Difficult to read. en Education Missions -- India Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century Religious education Literacy LC Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: Philosophy & Ethics Category: Teaching & Education 590030 2025-07-04T07:33:31.862493 text/html 586618 2014-08-22T14:05:24 text/html 297618 2025-07-04T07:33:39.747438 application/epub+zip 306598 2025-07-04T07:33:35.018453 application/epub+zip 288581 2025-07-04T07:33:33.884478 application/epub+zip 577810 2025-07-04T07:33:43.601443 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 553169 2025-07-04T07:33:39.018428 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 516449 2022-09-04T12:38:20.221368 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 579295 2025-07-04T07:33:31.385476 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 579564 2014-08-22T14:05:16 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 579557 2014-08-22T14:05:10 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 21850 2025-07-04T07:33:43.736411 application/rdf+xml 18574 2025-07-04T07:33:34.379457 image/jpeg 4133 2025-07-04T07:33:34.128444 image/jpeg 212299 2014-08-22T14:06:16 application/octet-stream application/zip 214086 2014-08-22T14:06:16 application/octet-stream application/zip 212272 2014-08-22T14:06:16 application/octet-stream application/zip 293424 2025-07-04T07:33:31.909510 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia