Human development though simple on the surface is a tough subject matter to grasp and harness. What constitutes human development is often subjective and the means on which to achieve it is often disputed. Selim Jahan beautifully described it as “development of the people, for the people and by the people.” These words come from Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg address as he describes the government. As a humanity this hope has been partially fulfilled but with cracks along the way. With the way the world has progressed, data science has become a large part in advancing the human condition. Data science has helped bring understanding and discovery. However, there is much complexity in the scope of human development and there is no exact science or formula for it. When it comes to predicting and finding solutions there is a trial and error factor. Humanity must put their best efforts forward and hope at the end of the day, the best path is taken. Alternatively, humanity must not get discouraged if distress arises because the complexity of human development can lead to many unforeseen consequences.
James Madison said “If all men were angels, no government would be necessary.” I believe this relates to human development and the statement “of the people, for the people, and by the people.” Often, the development of the people becomes the development of a select few which sets back the people as a whole. This is seen when in his work “Development as Freedom” Sen remarks that no great famine has ever occurred in a democratic country. Major famines happen in dictatorships or oligarchies. It is because of these dictatorships and oligarchies that the whole system and meaning “of the people, by the people, for the people” becomes tarnished. If all the countries stuck to Jahan’s description of development, human development as a whole would be on a greater path, fulfilling the words manifested by Lincoln. Not all men will work for human development of humanity and will ultimately set the whole back. Fortunately, man for the most part has acted cohesive which is why Owen Barder says these past 50 years have been the most successful in terms of development.
Data science is not a silver bullet when it comes to identifying the human condition and furthering it. Data science is a great tool as humanity works towards finding solutions. With today’s technology incredible things are being done for human development. Social media is being used to help previously ineligible clients receive loans. Systems are marking areas of poverty to identify areas seeking need. Organizations like Gapminder are linking data for the public to utilize for the greater good. Systems are being used to find patterns that shape development to understand how and why it occurs. Though science can sometimes lack a human aspect or have flaws, it is an amazing tool in working towards bettering the human condition.
The reasons that simple quotes and data science do not provide a means to an end is because of the true complexity that is human development and the human condition. So many factors play a role in development. The many freedoms that encourage development have many parts of their own. Different countries that would appear to seek the same fate are often different. The path is complex and nonlinear. There is no formula. Development is often difficult or even impossible to predict. Even when predictions arise they are broad. There is no trend toward equilibrium. There are too many emergent properties to allow for simplicity. It is because of this complexity that there is still so much to learn and understand. Yet, data science is helping us to advance and curate our knowledge.
It would be naive to make claims of solutions with certainty but it is crucial to predict them. Although there is much complexity, it would be foolish for humanity to sit back and hope for humanity to develop on its own. Just because there is no promise of gold at the rainbow does not mean humanity stops searching. Combined domain expertise from the perspective of computer science and statistics with global development may not be sufficient enough on its own, but it lays out a clearer path. Humanity will not know once it has fulfilled its greatest future or if there will ever be a so-called end of the rainbow to reach. What we do know is that there are still unfreedoms and deprivation in the world, and data science is a tool to help guide in eliminating them.
When it comes to selecting the best future path for humanity the main hope is believing that at the end of the day, everyone will have utilized the tools provided to work for the greater good of mankind. Data science is one of the tools for us to use to predict our best path. Jahan’s statement is only fortified when humanity comes together with transparency and the want to participate in the process of human development. The complexity of understanding global human development processes will never become simpler if we do not slowly chip away at it with the tools we have created.