Big Data Epistemology

The post examines how large-scale data changes the way knowledge is produced, interpreted, and validated. It contrasts Heidegger’s warnings about computation with more optimistic claims that big data offers direct access to reality. The argument is that data are not neutral or self-evident, but shape what can be known and how scientific inquiry is organized. This makes the shadow of data a productive concept rather than only a threat. The text questions simplistic realism in both science and digital humanities, especially when data are treated as merely replacing older methods. It also asks how academic research might engage with commercial data practices without losing rigor.