By Jack Uldrich
Cross-posted from www.jumpthecurve.net
Chris Anderson, the editor of Wired, has written an excellent
article entitled “The
End of Theory: The Data Deluge Makes Scientific Method
Obsolete” in which he convincingly argues that massive amounts
of data, in combination with sophisticated algorithms and super
powerful computers, offers mankind a whole new way of understanding
the world. 
Anderson believes that our technological tools have now
progressed to the point where the “old way” of doing science –
hypothesize, model and test – is becoming obsolete. In its place, a
new paradigm is now emerging whereby scientists, researchers and
entrepreneurs simply allow statistical algorithms to find patterns
where science cannot.
If Anderson is correct – and I believe he very well could be –
this will take science in a whole new direction. In short, instead
of modeling and waiting to find out if hypotheses are valid the
scientific community can instead rely on intelligent algorithms to
do the heavy lifting.
Before this vision can be achieved, however, it will require a
great many brilliant scientists to unlearn the idea that their
“model-based” method of trying to make sense of today’s
increasingly complex world is the only way to search for new
meaning. (cont.)
The implication for a field such as biology which, as Anderson
points out is actually becoming more difficult to model as learn
more about it (due to our limited understanding of how genetics,
microbes, personal behavior, the environment, and a host of other
factors work in partnership to determine a person’s health), could
be profound. More specifically, we will be able to analyze data
without allowing hypotheses (which are, perhaps, wrong) to cloud
our view of what the data is really showing us.
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