History 100S, Section 001 LEC

Instructor:     Gretchen Gano

Special Topics in the History of Science
MTWT 12:00P – 02:00P | CCN: 31522

Session Dates: 07/05-08/12/16

In a 2008 article for Wired Magazine, Chris Anderson predicted the “end of theory,” stating “this is a world where massive amounts of data and applied mathematics replace every other tool that might be brought to bear…. with enough data, the numbers speak for themselves.” “Big Data” refers to the ability of society to harness information at a large scale in novel ways to extract new insights or create new forms of value. How did data get to be so big? Does ubiquitous monitoring, recording and analysis indeed spell the end of theory? This course examines the evolution of the idea of “big data” and observations pertaining to the so-called information explosion. Upon completion of the course, students will 1) identify and articulate multiple perspectives on how looking at the world through a lens of numbers has developed and 2) recognize and critically analyze areas where historically constructed ideas about big data inform contemporary events. See more Department of History Summer session course descriptions here.