Volume 50, Issue 3 (2025)
The Nature of Data Science: Scientific Foundations, Historical Evolution and Disciplinary Articulation
(Pages 350-357)
Author(s)
Felipe Lillo1,∗, Tabita Manríquez1 and Marcelo Rodríguez1
1Department of Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
Abstract:
This article develops a conceptual framework for understanding Data Science as a mature scientific discipline that integrates statistics, computer science, and mathematics in historically determined proportions. Through epistemological analysis and historical review of foundational works, we demonstrate that the discipline operates under scientific method principles, using data as empirical evidence rather than as an object of study in itself. The study addresses key conceptual tensions, including its relationship with statistics and its institutional positioning, proposing that academic programs should be located at the interface between sciences and engineering to fully capture their dual theoretical-applied nature.
Keywords:
Data science, Epistemology of Data Science, Disciplinary Identity, Interdisciplinary Research.
Cite this paper:
Felipe Lillo, Tabita Manríquez and Marcelo Rodríguez, The Nature of Data Science: Scientific Foundations, Historical Evolution and Disciplinary Articulation, The Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies. Volume 50, Issue 3, Year 2025 | PP. 350-357. https://thejspes.com/vol50-a28
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by 'The Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies'.
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