No knowledge under conditions of modernity is knowledge in the “old” sense, where “to know” is to be certain. This applies equally to the natural and the social sciences. In the case of social science, however, there are further considerations involved.

DEFINE: Contrasts the old sense of 'to know' (being certain) with modern knowledge as provisional and conditional.

Anthony Giddens, The Consequences of Moderni…, loc. 102