Why Do We Need Data Science When We’ve Had Statistics for Centuries?

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2014/05/02/why-do-we-need-data-science-when-weve-had-statistics-for-centuries/

by petethomas • 12 years ago

10 4 12 years ago

blogs.wsj.com

pitiburi• 12 years ago

So, so much ignorance in only one paragraph. It states that Statistics was only able to understand what is going on now, while Data Science lets us make predictions. And with Data Science we can now apply maths to softer disciplines like Health Sciences.

I... I... I can't even answer, it's so frustrating...

DerpDerpDerp• 12 years ago

I kept trying to write a reply to this, then I just gave up and upvoted your comment.

If only there was some way to offer you a beer over the internet.

jamesaguilar• 12 years ago

Like asking, "Why do we need software engineering when we've had computer science for a century." They're not different things, in any meaningful sense. Data scientists use statistics, combined with the power of computers, to make computations that would have been difficult to do a century ago. But they aren't different disciplines like this guy seems to think.

dj-wonk• 12 years ago

How can we use data science to filter out articles like this? There are some hapless people that read this kind of thing and believe it.

But seriously, we need to make an effort to promote a more accurate view. Who are the journalists that get it?

Why Do We Need Data Science When We’ve Had Statistics for Centuries?

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