This is a point that Ingrid Mattson makes by referencing Islamic law. Mattson, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Western Ontario and former president of the Islamic Society of North America, notes the distinction in Islamic law between “simple ignorance” and “complex ignorance.” The former refers to inadequate knowledge on a matter resulting from a lack of information. The latter refers to assumed knowledge on a matter even though one is mistaken or has faulty information. With complex ignorance, one has cognitive frames that will not allow correct information to enter the mind and to transform one’s thinking. This means that an entire deconstruction process must take place before one can be open to receiving correct knowledge.

DEFINE: Distinguishes 'simple ignorance' (lacking information) from 'complex ignorance' (holding faulty cognitive frames that resist correction), a distinction from Islamic law via Mattson. XREF: Connects to cognitive science notions of confirmation bias, motivated reasoning, and how entrenched belief structures resist updating.

Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Intro…, loc. 652