Unknown unknowns
A quote from Donald Rumsfeld on known knowns, unknown unknowns and . . . well, I dont know what:
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."
When I read this, and meditate upon it, rolling it around on the canvas of my balding brain box, I realize that Rummy is most likely talking about hair loss.
There are known knowns.
We know that DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, is the hormone responsible for activating the process of miniaturization of hair follicles and hair which characterizes pattern hair loss.
We know that genes are also involved because some men and most women do NOT experience pattern hair loss.
We know that there are DHT inhibitors and anti-androgens that can help prevent or stymie this process of miniaturization that leads to pattern hair loss.
These are the things Rumsfeld knows we know.
There are known unknowns.
We know that we dont know all of the genes responsible for hair loss. We also know that we dont know all the processes involved in hair loss, and how to reverse it.
But there are also unknown unknowns
We just dont know what we dont know about what we dont know about hair loss. Its kind of like the weapons of mass destruction we dont know if theyre there, and we dont know where they are if they are there.
The unknown unknows, when it comes to hair loss, are where the cure is hiding.
Rumsfeld . . . he is most wise.
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