Unknown unknown: Difference between revisions

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{{def|Unknown unknown|/ʌnˈnəʊn/|n|
{{a|devil|{{knownbox}}}}{{d|Unknown unknown|/ʌnˈnəʊn/|n|
[[File:Rumsfeld.png|450px|frameless|center]]
}}Something that you don’t know that you don’t know, as famously articulated by [[Donald Rumsfeld]]. This, of course, presents an immediate {{t|paradox}}, because if you ''know'' that you don’t know that you don’t know something — which for you to be talking about unknown unknowns, you must, then this is a [[Known unknown|''known'' unknown unknown]], which I rather think — but to be clear, I don’t ''know'', as such — must be a variety of [[known unknown|''known'' unknown]]. Which makes it an ''unknown'' known unknown unknown. Since I do ''know'' that I am not sure about this I can confidently, and with some relief, rest my case at a known unknown known unknown unknown.
}}Something that you don’t know that you don’t know, as famously articulated by [[Donald Rumsfeld]]. This, of course, presents an immediate {{t|paradox}}, because if you ''know'' that you don’t know that you don’t know something — which for you to be talking about unknown unknowns, you must, then this is a [[Known unknown|''known'' unknown unknown]], which I rather think — but to be clear, I don’t ''know'', as such — must be a variety of [[known unknown|''known'' unknown]]. Which makes it an ''unknown'' known unknown unknown. Since I do ''know'' that I am not sure about this I can confidently, and with some relief, rest my case at a known unknown known unknown unknown.
{{unknowns}}
{{unknowns}}

Revision as of 08:20, 24 February 2022

There are six types of known.

The Rumsfeld three:

And the Jolly Contrarian three:

In which the curmudgeonly old sod puts the world to rights.
Index — Click ᐅ to expand:
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Unknown unknown
/ʌnˈnəʊn/ (n.)
Something that you don’t know that you don’t know, as famously articulated by Donald Rumsfeld. This, of course, presents an immediate paradox, because if you know that you don’t know that you don’t know something — which for you to be talking about unknown unknowns, you must, then this is a known unknown unknown, which I rather think — but to be clear, I don’t know, as such — must be a variety of known unknown. Which makes it an unknown known unknown unknown. Since I do know that I am not sure about this I can confidently, and with some relief, rest my case at a known unknown known unknown unknown. There are six types of known.

The Rumsfeld three:

And the Jolly Contrarian three:

See also