The Measure of Everything: How Numbers Shape Us

A human-centered examination of the ways that data shapes us and how to use it more effectively

For centuries, people have used data—the systematic counting that includes numbers, calculations, and observations—to build civilization. Gathering and analyzing data is at the foundation of what we have achieved: From it sprang governments, the modern economy, science, technology, and more. But if we want to build a future that’s robust, we have to understand how data can be used more dynamically, Tim Harford argues in his new book. Far from just being numbers, data can reveal both the truth and a better way forward.

In this new book, Harford argues that while numbers matter, we also need to blend them with such values as compassion, kindness, and moral imagination both to avoid repeating past mistakes and to generate new opportunities. Drawing from business, science, and history, and from cultures as varied as ancient Mesopotamia and twentieth-century France, Harford argues that we are on the cusp of great advancements—in science, health, human rights, public policy, business, and beyond—if we can learn to use data more thoughtfully and creatively.

Whether it’s a business leader looking to improve a company’s bottom line, a teacher committed to reaching students, or advocates seeking consensus among competing viewpoints, this book shows how we can apply data in fresh ways to forge a more equitable world.