The Quote
“There are levels of ignorance. The first level sees a glass as either half full or half empty. The next level sees a glass that is always full. The third level sees a glass that is always empty. The fourth level sees there is no glass to begin with. There are always levels of ignorance beyond what you think you already know. Be humble, and learn from those who truly know.”
— Godwin Delali Adadzie
Context and Inspiration
This reflection emerged from observations about how people approach knowledge and learning across various domains—theology, science, philosophy, and everyday life. A consistent pattern appears: those with minimal understanding often display the most confidence, while those with deep expertise demonstrate remarkable humility about what they don’t know. The “glass half full or half empty” metaphor serves as an entry point to explore how our understanding evolves through distinct levels—from simple binary thinking, to more sophisticated analysis, to philosophical insight, to meta-cognitive awareness that questions the very frameworks we use to understand reality. This progression reveals an uncomfortable truth: no matter how much we know, there are always deeper levels of understanding we haven’t reached. True wisdom begins with recognizing the limits of our current knowledge.
Unpacking the Levels: A Journey Through Knowledge
Let’s explore each level of this philosophical framework and what it reveals about human understanding.
Level One: The Glass Is Half Full or Half Empty
What This Level Sees:
This is the most basic level of analysis. The person at this level has noticed the glass and its contents. They can observe that there is some water in the glass, but not a full amount. They engage in the classic debate: is it half full (optimistic perspective) or half empty (pessimistic perspective)?
What This Level Reveals:
People at this level have awareness, but it’s limited to surface observation and subjective interpretation. They can perceive reality, but they’re trapped in binary thinking—either/or, black/white, full/empty. Their understanding is shaped primarily by their emotional disposition (optimism vs. pessimism) rather than deeper analysis.
The Limitation:
This level assumes the question is about perspective and attitude when there may be much more to understand. It’s not wrong—the glass does indeed have water in it, and perspective does matter. But it’s incomplete. The person thinks they understand the situation because they can describe what they see, but they haven’t questioned their assumptions or explored deeper realities.
Real-World Example:
A beginning theology student reads Scripture and sees either God’s love (half full) or God’s judgment (half empty) depending on which passages they focus on. They think this binary choice represents the full spectrum of theological understanding.
Level Two: The Glass Is Always Full
What This Level Sees:
This person has moved beyond basic observation to a more sophisticated understanding. They recognize that the glass isn’t “half” anything—it’s completely full. Half is liquid water, half is air. From a physics perspective, the glass is always at capacity.
What This Level Reveals:
This represents a significant intellectual leap. The person has questioned their initial assumptions and discovered a deeper truth. They’ve moved from subjective interpretation to objective reality. They feel quite clever for having figured this out, and they might even feel superior to those still stuck at Level One.
The Limitation:
While factually correct, this level is still limited to material observation. It understands the physical reality but hasn’t considered other dimensions of the question. The person thinks they’ve solved the riddle, when actually they’ve just scratched the surface. They know more than before, but they don’t know what they don’t know.
Real-World Example:
A theology student who has learned about biblical context, original languages, and historical backgrounds feels they now understand Scripture “properly,” unlike the simple believers who just read the text. They’re not wrong—context does matter—but they may miss the spiritual and mystical dimensions that transcend academic analysis.
Level Three: The Glass Is Always Empty
What This Level Sees:
This is the philosophical or spiritual perspective. From certain frameworks—particularly Eastern philosophy or quantum physics—the glass is always empty because “empty” doesn’t mean “lacking something” but rather “lacking inherent, independent existence.” The glass, the water, the air—all are temporary configurations of atoms and energy, constantly changing, ultimately impermanent.
What This Level Reveals:
This person has moved beyond physical observation to philosophical or spiritual insight. They understand impermanence, interdependence, and the limitations of material categories. They see that our distinctions (full/empty, solid/liquid) are mental constructs imposed on a reality that is more fluid than our language suggests.
The Limitation:
While profound, this level can become abstract and detached from practical reality. Yes, everything is impermanent and interdependent, but you still need to drink water to survive. The person at this level might become so enamored with philosophical sophistication that they lose connection with embodied reality. They know a great deal, but may not realize there are even deeper levels of understanding.
Real-World Example:
A theology student discovers apophatic theology (via negativa)—the idea that we can only speak about God by saying what He is not. They become so focused on the unknowability of God that they dismiss all positive theological statements as naïve, missing the complementary truth that God has also revealed Himself positively through Scripture, Tradition, and the Incarnation.
Level Four: There Is No Glass
What This Level Sees:
This is the mystical or meta-cognitive perspective. It questions the entire framework of the discussion. Why are we talking about a glass? Who decided this was the question worth asking? What assumptions underlie our entire way of framing reality?
What This Level Reveals:
This person has achieved what we might call “frame awareness”—the ability to step outside the entire system of thought and recognize it as one possible framework among many. They see that the “glass question” itself reflects certain assumptions about reality, perception, and knowledge that may or may not be true.
From a mystical Christian perspective, this might mean recognizing that all our categories and concepts—even sophisticated theological ones—are ultimately fingers pointing at the moon, not the moon itself. God transcends all our frameworks.
From an epistemological perspective, this means understanding that knowledge itself is constructed, that what we “know” depends on the frameworks we use to organize experience, and that there may be entirely different ways of knowing we haven’t imagined.
The Limitation:
Even this level is not ultimate knowledge. It’s a high level of understanding, yes—but the person who reaches this level must remain humble enough to recognize that there may be Level Five, Level Six, levels beyond counting. The moment you think you’ve reached the top is the moment you’ve stopped climbing.
Real-World Example:
A theologian realizes that all theological language—even the most orthodox—is analogical and limited. God is not literally a “Father” in the way humans are fathers, not a “King” in the way earthly rulers are kings. Even our most cherished doctrines are attempts to speak the unspeakable, to comprehend the incomprehensible. This realization leads to profound humility.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect: Why Beginners Think They’re Experts
Modern psychology has documented a phenomenon that perfectly illustrates why understanding the levels of ignorance matters: the Dunning-Kruger effect.
David Dunning and Justin Kruger discovered that people with minimal knowledge in a domain consistently overestimate their competence. They mapped this on a curve:
Stage 1: Peak of “Mount Stupid”
When you first learn something, you gain confidence rapidly. You think you understand far more than you do. This is the person at Level One who thinks they’ve figured out whether the glass is half full or half empty and feels very smart for having an opinion.
Stage 2: Valley of Despair
As you learn more, you realize how much you don’t know. Your confidence plummets. This is the transition between levels—the humbling moment when you realize your previous understanding was incomplete.
Stage 3: Slope of Enlightenment
Gradually, with sustained study and practice, true competence develops. But it comes with humility, because you now know enough to recognize how vast the field is.
Stage 4: Plateau of Sustainability
True expertise—which always includes awareness of the limits of one’s knowledge.
The dangerous people are those stuck at the Peak of Mount Stupid who never descend into the Valley of Despair. They have just enough knowledge to feel confident but not enough to recognize their ignorance.
Biblical Wisdom on Intellectual Humility
Scripture has much to say about knowledge, wisdom, and the danger of intellectual pride:
Proverbs 3:5-7
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
This passage warns against trusting our limited understanding as if it were complete knowledge. It calls us to humility before God, recognizing that His wisdom transcends ours.
1 Corinthians 8:2
“Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.”
Paul identifies the core problem: thinking you know when you don’t. True knowledge includes awareness of its own limitations.
1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
Even Paul, one of the greatest theological minds in Christianity, acknowledges that his current knowledge is partial and incomplete. He sees dimly, in a mirror (which in ancient times gave distorted reflections). Full knowledge awaits the Beatific Vision.
James 3:13
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
True wisdom is marked by humility. The wise person doesn’t boast about what they know but demonstrates wisdom through how they live.
Socrates’ Wisdom
Though not Scripture, Socrates’ famous dictum deserves mention: “I know that I know nothing.” The Oracle at Delphi declared him the wisest man in Athens because he alone recognized the limits of his knowledge. This pagan philosopher grasped what many religious people miss: wisdom begins with humility.
The Catholic Intellectual Tradition: Faith Seeking Understanding
The Catholic Church has always maintained a both/and approach to knowledge:
Faith and Reason
St. Augustine said, “Believe in order to understand, and understand in order to believe.” Faith and reason are not enemies but partners. Reason without faith becomes arrogant; faith without reason becomes fideism.
The Scholastic Method
St. Thomas Aquinas exemplified intellectual humility while being one of history’s greatest minds. His Summa Theologica carefully considers objections to his positions, engaging seriously with contrary views before presenting his arguments. He knew that truth can withstand questioning.
Near the end of his life, after a mystical experience, Aquinas said of his voluminous writings: “All that I have written seems like straw to me compared to what I have seen.” Here was a man at Level Four or beyond, recognizing that even his sophisticated theology was a pale shadow of the divine reality.
Doctrinal Development
Blessed John Henry Newman’s Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine shows how the Church’s understanding deepens over time. The deposit of faith is complete, but our comprehension of it grows. We move through levels of understanding as the Holy Spirit guides the Church into fuller truth.
The Limits of Theology
The Fourth Lateran Council declared: “Between Creator and creature no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude.” Every true thing we say about God is more false than true, because God infinitely exceeds our concepts. This is ultimate intellectual humility.
Practical Implications: How to Navigate the Levels
Understanding that knowledge has levels and that we’re always somewhere in the middle should change how we approach learning, teaching, and dialogue:
1. Cultivate Intellectual Humility
Recognize that no matter your level of education or expertise, you don’t have the full picture. Stay curious. Stay teachable. The moment you think you’ve arrived is the moment you’ve stopped growing.
Practical Action:
Regularly expose yourself to people smarter than you. Read books that challenge your assumptions. Attend lectures on topics outside your expertise. Practice saying, “I don’t know” and “I hadn’t considered that.”
2. Be Patient with Those at Earlier Levels
Remember that you were once at Level One yourself. When encountering someone who sees things in binary terms or has surface-level understanding, don’t mock or dismiss them. Meet them where they are and, if appropriate, gently invite them to consider deeper perspectives.
Practical Action:
In conversations, ask questions rather than making pronouncements. “Have you considered…?” is more effective than “You’re wrong because…” Questions invite people to think more deeply without triggering defensiveness.
3. Avoid the Trap of Intellectual Pride
The irony is that each level of understanding brings new opportunities for pride. The person at Level Two feels superior to Level One. The person at Level Three looks down on Level Two. And so on. Guard against this.
Practical Action:
When you find yourself feeling intellectually superior to others, pause and remind yourself of areas where you’re still a beginner. We’re all at Level One in some domains. Humility means recognizing this.
4. Seek Teachers Who Truly Know
The quote ends with crucial advice: “Be humble, and learn from those who truly know.” Not everyone who claims expertise actually has it. Look for teachers who demonstrate:
- Deep knowledge in their field
- Awareness of what they don’t know
- Humility about the limits of their expertise
- Intellectual generosity toward others
- Consistency between what they teach and how they live
Practical Action:
Before accepting someone as a teacher or authority, investigate their credentials, their character, and their reputation among other experts. Don’t just learn from popular teachers; seek out those with genuine depth.
5. Integrate Knowledge with Wisdom
Knowledge without wisdom is dangerous. You can be at Level Four intellectually while remaining at Level One morally and spiritually. True growth requires integrating what you know with how you live.
Practical Action:
After learning something new, ask: “How does this change how I should live? What does this mean for my relationships, my choices, my character?” Knowledge that doesn’t transform you is incomplete knowledge.
6. Accept That Some Questions Have No Final Answers
Some questions—particularly theological and philosophical ones—won’t be fully resolved this side of eternity. Be comfortable with mystery. Be willing to hold tension. Don’t rush to closure when the question merits ongoing contemplation.
Practical Action:
Maintain a list of “open questions”—things you’re still thinking about, areas where you hold multiple possibilities. Revisit these periodically. Allow your understanding to evolve.
7. Teach Others While Continuing to Learn
Teaching is one of the best ways to deepen your own understanding. As you explain concepts to others, you discover gaps in your knowledge and refine your thinking. But always teach with humility, acknowledging what you don’t know.
Practical Action:
Find opportunities to teach or mentor in areas where you have competence, but frame your teaching as “sharing what I’ve learned so far” rather than “delivering final truth.”
The Glass Metaphor in Different Domains
This framework applies across multiple areas of life:
In Theology
Level 1: God rewards good people and punishes bad people (simple moral universe)
Level 2: God’s ways are higher than our ways; we can’t always understand His actions (mystery acknowledged)
Level 3: Our very categories of “good” and “bad” are inadequate to divine reality (radical transcendence)
Level 4: Even our concept of “God” is a human construct pointing toward a reality beyond conception (apophatic theology)
In Science
Level 1: Science gives us facts about reality (naive realism)
Level 2: Scientific theories are models that explain observations (instrumentalism)
Level 3: Our observations are theory-laden; we don’t access “raw reality” (epistemological humility)
Level 4: The very distinction between observer and observed breaks down at quantum levels (participatory universe)
In Relationships
Level 1: People are either good or bad, friend or foe (binary thinking)
Level 2: People are complex; everyone has good and bad qualities (nuance acknowledged)
Level 3: Our judgments about people reveal more about us than about them (self-awareness)
Level 4: The boundary between self and other is less fixed than we assume (interconnection realized)
In Scripture
Level 1: The Bible says X; therefore X is true (literal reading)
Level 2: The Bible’s truth must be understood in historical and literary context (critical reading)
Level 3: Scripture has multiple levels of meaning—literal, allegorical, moral, anagogical (medieval exegesis)
Level 4: Scripture is less a container of information than a means of encounter with the living God (transformative reading)
When “Not Knowing” Is Wisdom
There’s a paradoxical truth here: sometimes admitting you don’t know is more honest and wise than claiming certainty.
In Theology:
Augustine wrote an entire book titled On the Trinity—sixteen books actually—and concluded by acknowledging how little he truly understood the mystery. His intellectual honesty enhanced rather than diminished his credibility.
In Science:
The greatest scientists readily admit the limits of current knowledge. “We don’t yet know” is a scientifically respectable answer. It’s the quacks and frauds who claim certainty about everything.
In Philosophy:
The best philosophers recognize that their systems are provisional, their conclusions tentative. They hold their positions strongly but humbly.
In Daily Life:
Saying “I need to think about that more” or “I’m not sure yet” is often wiser than offering hasty judgments. Uncertainty is not weakness; premature certainty is.
The Journey Continues: Always More to Learn
The humbling and beautiful truth is that learning never ends. No matter how much you know, there are always deeper levels. This should fill us with:
Humility: Because we’re never as smart as we think we are.
Hope: Because there’s always more wonder to discover.
Compassion: Because everyone is on this journey, just at different points.
Curiosity: Because the world is more interesting than we can imagine.
Gratitude: Because the gift of understanding is a grace, not an achievement.
Conclusion: The Wisdom of Humility
“There are levels of ignorance… Be humble, and learn from those who truly know.”
This isn’t false humility that denies real knowledge. It’s genuine humility that recognizes knowledge is always partial, always growing, always pointing beyond itself.
The wisest people I know are those who:
- Have studied deeply in their fields
- Recognize how much they still don’t know
- Listen more than they speak
- Ask questions before offering answers
- Hold their conclusions with appropriate tentativeness
- Continue learning until their final breath
They’ve moved through multiple levels of understanding and discovered that each level reveals new depths unexplored. They’ve learned that the glass half full/half empty debate was never the real question. They’ve discovered the glass is always full, always empty, and may not exist at all—and that all these perspectives contain truth.
Most importantly, they’ve learned that wisdom is not found in accumulating knowledge but in knowing how to use knowledge rightly, in service of truth, goodness, and love.
Be humble. Keep learning. Recognize that what you know today will seem primitive compared to what you might understand tomorrow. And seek teachers who embody this same humility, who know deeply but hold their knowledge lightly, who point beyond themselves to truth itself.
The journey through the levels of ignorance is the journey of a lifetime. The destination is not arriving at final knowledge but growing in wisdom, love, and communion with the Truth who is a Person—Jesus Christ, in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).
Reflection Questions
- What level of understanding do you operate at in different areas of your life? Where might you be stuck at Level One thinking you’re at Level Three?
- Can you recall a time when you discovered your knowledge was more limited than you thought? How did that feel? What did you learn from the experience?
- Who in your life demonstrates genuine intellectual humility? What makes them effective teachers or mentors?
- In what areas are you most tempted toward intellectual pride? How can you cultivate more humility in those domains?
- What’s one question you’ve been treating as settled that might deserve deeper exploration?
Related Quotes
- “It is possible knowing all the Scriptures. It is not possible comprehending all the Scriptures.”
- “Academic credentials are good. However, life is not all about masters and doctorates but about master Jesus our doctor.”
- “No amount of worry can solve any problem.”
Want to grow in wisdom and understanding? Explore my Catholic Apologetics Guide 101 or read more articles on faith and knowledge.
