We’re constantly bombarded with stories about how much data there is in the world, but when it comes to big data and the challenges of interpreting it, size isn’t everything. There’s the speed that it moves, and the many varieties of data types: texts, images, video, and audio.
All of these messages are created by people and they require context.
You can take data and make it mean anything, but the challenge is that we have this opportunity to try to create meaning of it ourselves. This is because frankly, data doesn’t create meaning. We do. Because of that, we have a responsibility to spend more time focusing on our critical thinking skills. At this point in our history, we can process x amounts of data at lightning speed and we have the potential to make bad decisions far more quickly and efficiently.
When making decisions with big data, you need context derived from the humanities, philosophies and rhetoric of the world because they help us become better critical thinkers.
If you can find a problem with an argument, it doesn’t really matter if it’s expressed in words or numbers. Causation does not necessarily mean causation, and being able to spot this from far away will make your analysis that much stronger.
Ask yourself this question: did the data really show you this? Or, does the result just make you feel more successful and more comfortable?
If we were to unlock the power of data, we have to treat critical thinking with respect.
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