bilmediini

Bilmediini is a coined term in Turkish used to describe the realm of information that a person does not know they do not know. The noun derives from the verb bilmek (to know) and is often presented in discourse about epistemic limits, cognitive bias, and information theory as a shorthand for unknown unknowns. The form bilmediini is nonstandard Turkish and is mainly used in informal writing, thought experiments, or popular science contexts to personify gaps in knowledge rather than to report established facts.

Origin and usage: The term emerged in late 20th or early 21st century Turkish online and academic discourse as speakers sought a compact label for the concept of unrecognized gaps in knowledge, akin to the English phrase unknown unknowns. It is commonly used to discuss how individuals or organizations fail to recognize missing information, leading to blind spots in decision making and research.

In philosophy and information science, bilmediini is used illustratively to frame questions about how to detect and reduce bilmediini, for example through inquiry, data collection, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and methodological humility. It is not an officially recognized entry in standard Turkish dictionaries, and its interpretation can vary by context.

See also: unknown unknowns, epistemology, ignorance, metacognition, information theory.