Information Generation: How Data Rules Our World
by David J. Hand
Information Generation is the story of the seminal role data plays in our lives and explains how the advance of our civilization has come hand in hand with our ability to collect and interpret data. Starting with occasional scratching on cave walls, eminent statistician David J. Hand guides us right up to the modern era where society is completely dependent on an
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Information Generation is the story of the seminal role data plays in our lives and explains how the advance of our civilization has come hand in hand with our ability to collect and interpret data. Starting with occasional scratching on cave walls, eminent statistician David J. Hand guides us right up to the modern era where society is completely dependent on an abundance of data systems for its very survival.
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9781851684458
- Publisher:
- Oneworld Publications
- Publication date:
- 01/25/2007
- Pages:
- 256
- Product dimensions:
- 5.60(w) x 8.88(h) x 1.10(d)
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Let there be Light 1
The world of data 1
The power of data 3
What are data? 7
The cost of data 11
The Origins of Data 14
Numbers, counting, measuring and recording 14
Drowning in data 22
A Lever to Move the World 29
Introduction 29
Magic 32
Science: the genesis 39
Science: the foundations 44
What is science? 51
Beating theories until they squeal 64
Mathematization 67
Science and religions 78
Big Brother's Eyes 83
Your every movement, your every action 83
Geodemographics 93
You do what? 97
Politics 103
Knowing all about you 104
A delicate balance 109
Modern Data Science 111
What is modern data science? 111
Collecting data 114
Survey sampling 117
Experimental design 121
Storing data 128
Statistics 131
Machine learning, data mining, pattern recognition, neural networks and more 147
And even more 156
In Data we Trust 160
Introduction 160
Accuracy, precision and bias 163
Distorted data 166
Missing data 184
Detecting errors in data 192
Preventing errors in data 197
Living with errors in data 200
Relevance, timeliness and beyond 203
The morality of good data 205
Deception and Dishonesty with Data 208
Overlooking, concealing and inventing reality 208
White lies: good reasons for concealing the truth 223
Forensic data analysis 226
Epilogue: the beginning 233
Further Reading 236
Index 240
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