Negative Capability
Negative capability is Keats's phrase for the capacity to remain in uncertainty and doubt without grabbing for a resolution.
Full definition of Negative Capability →:: COMPARE ::
Negative capabilityvsIntellectual humility
The short answer
Related but not the same. Humility is about your estimate of your own knowledge; negative capability is about tolerating an unresolved situation. Keats's complaint against Coleridge wasn't arrogance — it was impatience, an inability to rest content with half-knowledge.
Side by side
| Aspect | Negative capability | Intellectual humility |
|---|---|---|
| About | The situation | Your knowledge |
| Failure mode | Impatience | Arrogance |
| Requires | Tolerating doubt | Estimating accurately |
| Source | One 1817 letter | A research field |
What each one means
Intellectual humility
The contrast above sets out how Intellectual humility differs from Negative Capability on the points that actually matter.