How Data Happened: A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms [Hardcover]

A sweeping history of data and its technical, political, and ethical impact on our world. Wide-ranging.... An informative dive into the history of statistics and data, providing context for the debate over information and who controls it. Trenchant and successfully illuminates the contingency of datas privileged place in modern decision-making. Incisive and thoroughly researched, this one's a winner. This is the first comprehensive look at the history of data and how power has played a critical role in shaping the history. Its a must read for any data scientist about how we got here and what we need to do to ensure that data works for everyone. In a tour de force, Wiggins and Jones put data in context so that we can see the values, politics, and controversies that shape our present reality. This book is truly a semester-long class bottled into a narrative fit for vacation. Sometimes the best way to understand the present and prepare for the future is to look to the past. This insight is at the core of An essential, authoritative history of the increasing power of data, how new capabilities have transformed society, and what we must do to ensure that todays technology reflects our norms and values. Ambitious and bold.& A must-read for everyone interested in how data is changing our lives.