Defining Problems in Terms of Engineering Ignorance

Problem classification according to Adam Kucharski in The Perfect Bet: How Science and Math are Taking the Luck Out of Gambling:

• If we know an object's exact state - such as its position and speed - and what physical laws it follows, we have a textbook physics problem to solve.  Termed the first degree of ignorance.
• If we know the physical laws but don't know the exact state of the object, or cannot measure it accurately.  Engineering in this case must either improve the measurements or limit predictions to what will happen to the object or system in the year near future.  This is the second degree of ignorance.
• The third degree of ignorance is the most extensive form of ignorance.  This is when we don't know the initial state of the object or system or the physical laws.  Engineering can also fall into the third level of ignorance if the laws are too intricate to fully unravel.