Acknowledging what is unknown is a big part of knowledge and can guide decisions. It is also a question of trust in what we currently think is known and if we "could have known" after the fact. ## Unknowns based on Beck -> Based on [Ulrich Beck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrich_Beck), [Risk Society](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_society) Becks thesis was: "An information society produces mostly unknowns as any knowledge will also create more questions." -- | Unknown | Unknowable ------------ | ------------ | ------------ **Known** | "Known unknowns" - You know that you don't know something | "Known unknowables" - You know that you can't know / it's impossible to know something **Not knowing** | "Not knowing unknowns" - You don't know that something is not known | "Not knowing unknowable" - You don't know that something can't be known / is impossible to know. As the information society constantly produces new constructs that reshapes it, this offers a systematic way of dealing with hazards and insecurities induced and introduced by modernization itself. ## Social - personal extended knowledge model -> *This is based on the Futures Studies course at Berlin university* * **Temporary unknown**: A known knowledge gap that can be closed through knowledge gain -> "We want to research this topic to know more." * **Unacknowledged unknown**: A knowledge gap that could be closed, but isn't acknowledged as a gap -> "We know everything we need to know about this topic (at this moment)". * **Not wanting to know**: A knowledge gap or even earned knowledge that is consciously ignored -> "We don't need to know about this". * **Known not able to know**: Knowledge gap where it is known it can't be closed (at the moment) -> "This is impossible / too complex to know about (right now)". * **Unknown inability to know**: Knowledge gap that is impossible to know that you have (at the moment) -> "We couldn't have known". * **Managed unknown**: There is a system to specifically deal with known knowledge gaps -> "We prepare for when we need to know". Ideally this leads to an acceptance of not knowing things and to be able to better appreciate risks.