Franklin distinguishes between lacking knowledge and refusing to acquire it. Ignorance can arise from limited experience, education or opportunity, and is therefore not necessarily a personal failing. What matters more is how a person responds when confronted with something they do not understand.

The greater fault, in Franklin’s view, is an unwillingness to learn. Refusing instruction, evidence or correction can preserve ignorance even when opportunities for improvement are available. The saying therefore values curiosity, humility and openness over the appearance of already knowing everything. It also suggests that recognising one’s limitations is an important part of learning, because improvement begins with accepting that knowledge is incomplete. The broader lesson is that not knowing something is often temporary and correctable, while resistance to learning can become a lasting obstacle to judgement, growth and understanding.