To me it sounds slightly odd to use the word “clueless” for (2), however, given the associations that word has (cf. Cambridge dictionary).
In everyday language I actually think this fits passably well. The dictionary gives the definition “having no knowledge of something”. For (2) I feel like informally I’d be happy with someone saying that the problem is we have no knowledge of how our actions will turn out, so long as they clarified that they didn’t mean absolutely no knowledge. Of course this isn’t perfect; I’d prefer they said “basically no knowledge” in the first place. But it’s also the case that informally “clueless” is often modified with superlatives (e.g. “totally”, “completely”), so I think that a bare “clueless” doesn’t really connote having no idea at all.
Yeah, I’m unsure. I think that the term “clueless” is usually used to refer to people who are incompetent (cf. the synonyms). (That’s why they have no knowledge.) But in this case we don’t lack knowledge because we’re incompetent, but because the task at hand is hard. And one might consider using a term or phrase that implies that. But there are pros and cons of all candidates.
I think this is a good point which I wasn’t properly appreciating. It doesn’t seem particularly worse for (2) than for (1), except insofar as terminology is more locked in for (1) than (2).
Of course, a possible advantage of “clueless” is that it strikes a self-deprecating tone; if we’re worried about being perceived as arrogant then having the language err on the side of assigning blame to ourselves rather than the universe might be a small help
In everyday language I actually think this fits passably well. The dictionary gives the definition “having no knowledge of something”. For (2) I feel like informally I’d be happy with someone saying that the problem is we have no knowledge of how our actions will turn out, so long as they clarified that they didn’t mean absolutely no knowledge. Of course this isn’t perfect; I’d prefer they said “basically no knowledge” in the first place. But it’s also the case that informally “clueless” is often modified with superlatives (e.g. “totally”, “completely”), so I think that a bare “clueless” doesn’t really connote having no idea at all.
Yeah, I’m unsure. I think that the term “clueless” is usually used to refer to people who are incompetent (cf. the synonyms). (That’s why they have no knowledge.) But in this case we don’t lack knowledge because we’re incompetent, but because the task at hand is hard. And one might consider using a term or phrase that implies that. But there are pros and cons of all candidates.
I think this is a good point which I wasn’t properly appreciating. It doesn’t seem particularly worse for (2) than for (1), except insofar as terminology is more locked in for (1) than (2).
Of course, a possible advantage of “clueless” is that it strikes a self-deprecating tone; if we’re worried about being perceived as arrogant then having the language err on the side of assigning blame to ourselves rather than the universe might be a small help