Focus on scalar indicators is driven by need to describe reality, not change it

Alberto Cottica

@alberto had been hoping that ehnography-at-scale via SSNA could integrate, if not replace, the indicator paradigm, but after trying to get people to assess their own willingness to pay for, say, avoiding the extinction of some type of frog in Madagascar, or lowering the PM10 content by 10%, he found convincing evidence that we could never trust our results

He refers to James Scott’s convincing argument for scalar indicators being propelled by the modernist ideology that underpin the coalescing of modern states. This works for states but not so much for people. Modern states have created a demand for scalar indicators, but this has more to do with their thirst for administrative order than with a drive to understand what is really going on.

Participate in the conversation with Alberto here: On assessing impact, and what Edgeryders could do in that department

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More info: https://edgeryders.eu/t/workshop-on-inequalities-in-the-age-of-ai-what-they-are-how-they-work-and-what-we-can-do-about-them-19-11-brussels/10326/60