Armas de destrucción matemática

Cómo el big data aumenta la desigualdad y amenaza la democracia

by Cathy O'Neil

Encuadernación rústica con solapas, 280 pages

Spanish language

Published Oct. 30, 2018 by Capitán Swing.

ISBN:: 9788494740848

(3 reviews)

Vivimos en la edad del algoritmo. Las decisiones que afectan a nuestras vidas no están hechas por humanos, sino por modelos matemáticos. En teoría, esto debería conducir a una mayor equidad: todos son juzgados de acuerdo con las mismas reglas, sin sesgo. Pero en realidad, ocurre exactamente lo contrario. Los modelos que se utilizan en la actualidad son opacos, no regulados e incontestables, incluso cuando están equivocados. Esto deriva en un refuerzo de la discriminación: si un estudiante pobre no puede obtener un préstamo porque un modelo de préstamo lo considera demasiado arriesgado (en virtud de su código postal), quedará excluido del tipo de educación que podría sacarlo de la pobreza, produciéndose una espiral viciosa. Los modelos apuntalan a los afortunados y castigan a los oprimidos: bienvenido al lado oscuro del big data.

O’Neil expone los modelos que dan forma a nuestro futuro, como individuos y como sociedad. Estas …

O’Neil expone los modelos que dan forma a nuestro futuro, como individuos y como sociedad. Estas «armas de destrucción matemática» califican a maestros y estudiantes, ordenan currículos, conceden (o niegan) préstamos, evalúan a los trabajadores, se dirigen a los votantes, fijan la libertad condicional y monitorean nuestra salud.

7 editions

Johnny reviewed Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil

An excellent demonstration of the devastating pervasiveness of Big Data

4 stars

This book takes you on a journey through all areas of life and shows how Big Data systems cause harm in all of them. Through the examination of these case studies, it also gets to the fundamental issues with Big Data and proposes ways to change our perspectives on it.

This book is really good. It is clear, understandable for a layperson and very well-rounded. I would give it a 5/5 if there weren't these two points:

it is completely US-centric. The case studies are all domestic. This weakens its explaining power for the rest of the world, imo. (this isn't to say that it doesn't make sense or that it's wrong for a US citizen to only write about the US)
it's 8 years old now, and while it's analyses are not at all outdated, the world of Big Data has evolved since 2016. I often wondered what ended …

This book is really good. It is clear, understandable for a layperson and very well-rounded. I would give it a 5/5 if there weren't these two points:

it is completely US-centric. The case studies are all domestic. This weakens its explaining power for the rest of the world, imo. (this isn't to say that it doesn't make sense or that it's wrong for a US citizen to only write about the US)
it's 8 years old now, and while it's analyses are not at all outdated, the world of Big Data has evolved since 2016. I often wondered what ended up happening to some of the real-world cases discussed in the book. I would be super curious to read a "follow up", maybe a "10 years later" kind of addendum or revision.

Autiste à Vaud L'eau reviewed Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil

An absolut must-read for a world emprisoned in a golden cage

5 stars

If you wish to understand better what is at stakes with the algorithms and the global digital maze we seem to be prisoner of, then, this is a must read. Cathy O'Neil very clearly unravel the intricate technical, philosophical, political and socioeconomic logic at play. She shows how they work together to force an even more violent neoliberalism in every area of our daily lives, whether social, cultural, professional, judiciary, educational or political and economic. It is both quite scary and at the same time empowering, as it gives us the basics to look for collective ways to progressively get out of the maze we've lost ourselves in. As the say goes, knowledge is power, and I believe it has never been more true than today.

I would recommend to read it along Shoshana Zuboff's (bookwyrm.social/author/39159/s/shoshana-zuboff) "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" (bookwyrm.social/book/260163/s/the-age-of-surveillance-capitalism). They nicely complement each …

jkb@books.theunseen.city reviewed Weapons of math destruction by Cathy O'Neil

Suit up for Combat!

5 stars

This was an exceptional book. It's not heavy into statistics but gives the rationale for what is a WMD (Weapon of Math Destruction) and WMDs maybe a new term but we have been under the exploitation of WMDs well before we think. It's not a new phenomenon but it is one that we should be aware of.

Take a read and learn how about them so that we can all do better to combat them and use math to not only help describe the world but make it a better place to live in.