Capstone Project: Quantified Lives: Data, Bias, and the Cost of Categorization

Welcome to Quantified Lives: Data, Bias, and the Cost of Categorization, a digital project and white paper Beyond the Numbers: Reclaiming Humanity in Statistical Narratives exploring the history, methods, and implications of statistical tools used to categorize and rank human populations. This project critically examines the legacy of figures like Francis Galton, Karl Pearson, and R.A. Fisher, tracing their methodologies to modern applications, including the World Happiness Report and artificial intelligence.

Project Overview

The project consists of two main components:

1. Digital Web Pages: An interactive exploration of historical and contemporary uses of statistical tools in categorization and ranking. Includes visualizations, fictional narratives, and case studies to engage readers.
2. White Paper: A detailed academic analysis that dives deeper into the methodologies, biases, and philosophical implications of these tools.

Key Themes:

• Historical misuse of statistical tools in eugenics.
• Modern implications for data-driven decision-making and AI systems.
• Subjective weightings in metrics like IQ and happiness scores.

Features

• Interactive Visualizations: Engage with visualizations like Sankey diagrams and regression charts to see the evolution and persistence of statistical methods.
• Fictional Narratives: Thought-provoking stories, such as "Family #72," challenge readers to question how data shapes narratives about human lives.
• Critical Analysis: Explore how historical frameworks influence current metrics and policies.

View the Project

The digital project is hosted on GitHub Pages:
https://cgeraghty1.github.io/capstone/

Mathematical Appendix

For those interested in the technical details, the project includes:

• Mathematical Examples: Explore the equations and formulas behind tools like regression analysis and correlation coefficients.
• Breakdown of Metrics: Analyze the subjective weightings in frameworks like the World Happiness Report.
  View the additional mathematical webpage here

Technologies Used

• HTML/CSS/JavaScript: For building the digital web pages.
• Python: For generating data visualizations and interactive tools.
• D3.js: For creating dynamic visualizations like the Sankey diagram.
• Tableau: For detailed dashboards and data exploration.
• Google Cloud: Hosting interactive applications for exploring subjective weights.

Repository Structure

• /: Contains the main index.html file and supporting webpages.
• /css/: Stylesheets for each page.
• /js/: JavaScript files for interactive elements.
• /visualizations/: Python scripts and visualization files.

How to Contribute

If you'd like to contribute to this project:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature-name.
3. Commit your changes: git commit -m "Description of changes".
4. Push the branch: git push origin feature-name.
5. Submit a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

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Feel free to adapt or expand this to fit your project's specific needs! Let me know if you’d like help tailoring further. 😊