History, Data Science and Journeys of Discovery
“Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Patryk Babiracki about how my study of history shaped my approach to data science, education and public policy, and my efforts to scale institutionally driven social change. Immersion in history began as a personal project of self-discovery. It evolved into a set of tools that I utilize to perfect and understand the impact of policies and institutions on society. We talk about the past, present, and future of research paradigms.
We discuss the intimate connections between personal and professional experiences of change over time, the joys of applying familiar insights to new domains, and the importance of making the familar strange. What emerges is that the perspectives, questions, and habits of thought gained through the study of deeply personal stories prove useful when we turn to thinking about people, large institutions, and communities.
Our conversation was hosted by the New Books Network and can be found here.
