Preface

It’s in all of us. Data science is what makes us humans what we are today. No, not the computer-driven data science this book will introduce you to, but the ability of our brains to see connections, draw conclusions from facts, and learn from our past experiences. More so than any other species on the planet, we depend on our brains for survival; we went all-in on these features to earn our place in nature. That strategy has worked out for us so far, and we’re unlikely to change it in the near future.

But our brains can only take us so far when it comes to raw computing. Our biology can’t keep up with the amounts of data we can capture now and with the extent of our curiosity. So we turn to machines to do part of the work for us: to recognize patterns, create connections, and supply us with answers to our numerous questions.

The quest for knowledge is in our genes. Relying on computers to do part of the job for us is not—but it is our destiny.