Can someone explain this famous Donald Rumsfeld quote. I never really understood it?

Question

"Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."

Answer 1

I have no time for Mr Rumsfeld, but this quote actually makes a lot of sense. It is not an original notion. There is a much older quote a school master told us:

He who knows, and knows they knows, is a leader: follow him.

He who knows, but knows not that he knows, is asleep: wake him.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is teachable; teach him.

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; kick him.

Anyone know where this comes from?

Answer 2

The reason this quote is famous is because no one understands it. He's talking in circles, quite obviously, with this statement. As most of the American public knows, our current President and administration loves to talk in circles.

" Political language. . . is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. " -George Orwell

Answer 3

I don't think it could be any plainer.  The "known knowns" are simply the things we know.  For example, a military commander might know that he lost twelve men in a raid.  "Twelve men" is a known known.  If the firefight ended in withdrawal, then the exact number of enemy casualties is a "known unknown."  The commander knows there were casualties on the other side, and he interviews his troops to get more information, but the exact number is unknown.  On the other hand, there are "unknown unknowns," things that a commander would like to know, but that are so unexpected he does not attempt to to know them.  Thus, the firefight may have involved the death of a rebel leader.  The commander would find this useful information, but he doesn't know enough to ask the question when he questions his troops.

Answer 4

You don't know what you don't know, until you find out what you don't know.  You do know that there are things that you don't know but you don't know what they are.  There you go. Simple as that!

Answer 5

Sorry but this Brit has no idea, but thanks for asking this as it does explain why your president chose him to be on 'the team'.  They obviously conversed very well together.  Now that may be a known known.....

Answer 6

To "know", is to have knowledge, thus knowing what  is known has been acknowledged as "known". There are also many things not "known" to us that has happened that we don't know of.

Answer 7

1. Known Knowns - things we know we know

       I know how to ride a bicycle.

2. Known Unknowns - some things we do not know.

       I do not know how to stop a bicycle.

3. Unknown Unknowns - things we don't know we don't know

       I do not know enough about a bicycle to know if there is anything else I should know

Answer 8

He does not remember his quotes either. He could be a president otherwise.