The limits of knowledge

I’m always amazed at what people claim they know.

Not think. Not believe. But know.

As, for instance, in the recent death of Kenyan marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru, who fell from the balcony of his home following a domestic dispute involving his estranged wife and another woman.

One police official called it suicide; another said he jumped to prevent his wife from leaving the house after discovering him with the other woman.

His agent, Federico Rosa, was certain it wasn’t the former.

"I talked to him yesterday and the day before," said Rosa, who claimed the runner’s his training was proceeding smoothly. "It was going well and smoothly and he had no problem at all.

"This I can guarantee, it was not a suicide at all," Rosa said.

Well, sometimes the word “suicide” come with the word “surprise” before it. Two relatively recent ones in the sporting world are Erica Blasberg and Denver Broncos receiver Kenny McKinley. No one saw those suicides coming either. Nobody knows for certain what’s in another person’s mind and heart.

Now, Rosa may be right that it wasn’t suicide. But can he guarantee it? Can he really know?

No.