Big Data: A New Empiricism and its Epistemic and Socio-Political Consequences

Gernot Rieder; Judith Simon

doi:10.1007/978-3-658-12153-2_4

Big Data: A New Empiricism and its Epistemic and Socio-Political Consequences

Gernot Rieder
, Judith Simon

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Book chapter › Research › peer-review

Abstract

The paper investigates the rise of Big Data in contemporary society. It examines the most prominent epistemological claims made by Big Data proponents, calls attention to the potential socio-political consequences of blind data trust, and proposes a possible way forward. The paper’s main focus is on the interplay between an emerging new empiricism and an increasingly opaque algorithmic environment that challenges democratic demands for transparency and accountability. It concludes that a responsible culture of quantification requires epistemic vigilance as well as a greater awareness of the potential dangers and pitfalls of an ever more data-driven society.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Berechenbarkeit der Welt? : Philosophie und Wissenschaft im Zeitalter von Big Data
Editors	Wolfgang Pietsch, Jörg Wernecke, Maximilian Ott
Place of Publication	Wiesbaden
Publisher	Springer
Publication date	2017
Pages	85-105
ISBN (Print)	978-3-658-12152-5
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-658-12153-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-12153-2_4
Publication status	Published - 2017

Keywords

Big Data
epistemology
trust
algorithmic regulation
opacity
transparency
accountability

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-658-12153-2_4

Cite this

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Big Data: A New Empiricism and its Epistemic and Socio-Political Consequences. / Rieder, Gernot; Simon, Judith.
Berechenbarkeit der Welt?: Philosophie und Wissenschaft im Zeitalter von Big Data. ed. / Wolfgang Pietsch; Jörg Wernecke; Maximilian Ott. Wiesbaden: Springer, 2017. p. 85-105.

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Book chapter › Research › peer-review

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AB - The paper investigates the rise of Big Data in contemporary society. It examines the most prominent epistemological claims made by Big Data proponents, calls attention to the potential socio-political consequences of blind data trust, and proposes a possible way forward. The paper’s main focus is on the interplay between an emerging new empiricism and an increasingly opaque algorithmic environment that challenges democratic demands for transparency and accountability. It concludes that a responsible culture of quantification requires epistemic vigilance as well as a greater awareness of the potential dangers and pitfalls of an ever more data-driven society.

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Big Data: A New Empiricism and its Epistemic and Socio-Political Consequences

Abstract

Keywords

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