Good Decisions: Data Science as a Moral Practice

FAIN: DOI-293797-23

Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY 13244-0001)
Johannes Himmelreich (Project Director: February 2023 to present)

Research and writing a co-authored book on ethical considerations for the practice of data science. 

This project investigates the technology of data science (a collection of techniques to extract value from data). The project advances the argument that data science is a moral practice. The project makes this argument by bringing normative theories and philosophy of science to bear on the practice of data science. The main goal of the project is to offer a systematic analysis of the nature of data science and its inherent ethical dilemmas. Key activities are the identification of ethical dilemmas in each step in the data science work cycle—these steps include data collection, data “cleaning”, data analysis, and communication. The main project outcome is a book manuscript; further outcomes are two peer-reviewed open access journal publications. Each of the steps in the data science work cycle will be the topic of a book chapter and/or article.