Is Big Data Postmodern?

Presented here is a research prospectus to approach a relatively new phenomenon of big data from a philosophical angle. With a preliminary groundwork completed, this research is in its planning stage. Recognizing that big data, although a novelty at the present moment, will soon become a mature technology, and also that it is an enabling technology to serve as a means to enhancing business performance through better analytics, it is necessary to have a philosophical discussion about the nature of big data, its promises, limitations, potential pitfalls, and some antidotes in case the society neglects such pitfalls. There will be two main contributions of this project. First, it will be a first comprehensive treatment of big data from a philosophical perspective. Second, given the methodological choice, it could produce a serious critical discourse about big data, delineating the hypes from the credible and persuasive rhetoric in the big data literature.