Epistemology and its impact on data management

Without "data," computer systems are merely calculators. We cannot exploit information technology (IT) without supplying relevant, computer-friendly data. Unfortunately, as computers have become more capable, we begin to encounter fundamental questions about "what we know" and how we can "know what we know."

The adage, "garbage in, garbage out" is reflective of such "epistemological" problems. Although it is long familiar, it is probably not recognized that it sometimes or even often runs "backwards" in that human insistence on "garbage out" has the peverse effect of requiring "garbage data" to be brought in.

This blog is a place to reflect on the practical implications of this topic. For more on systems epistelmology, see www.xmloptimization.com


Fulton Wilcox
Colts Neck Solutions LLC
www.coltsnecksolutions.com