Data Quote by Richard Dawkins
“Saddam Hussein's mind would have been a unique resource for historical, political and psychological research: a resource that is now forever unavailable to scholars... In a small way his execution represents a wanton and vandalistic destruction of important research data.”
About This Quote
The death of Saddam Hussein eliminated a unique source of insight for multiple academic fields, representing a loss of valuable data.
In simple terms: His death destroyed a valuable research resource.
Key Takeaway
Preserve knowledge before it’s lost.
Themes
history
politics
psychology
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
somber
Type
historical
ethical
When to use this quote
- historical analysis
- psychological profiling
- policy making
- archival preservation
Key Concepts
primary sources
state secrets
Questions to Reflect On
- What ethical dilemmas arise from studying controversial figures?
- How can scholars compensate for lost primary sources?
A Different Perspective
Access to such data may be ethically problematic or impossible.
![“The information that the intelligence people used was a combination of satellite information, signals intelligence, and human intelligence. We are not sure to what extent Saddam [Hussein] was trying to convey an incorrect picture to us.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6de/colin-powell-691_combination_the-information-that-the-intelligence-pe_3021709.jpg)
![“We are not sure to what extent Saddam's [Hussein ] own people were conveying an incorrect picture to him. But this body of evidence was believed not only by President George W. Bush. President Bill Clinton used that same body of intelligence before bombing Iraq in 1998.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cf6/colin-powell-691_bills_we-are-not-sure-to-what-extent-saddam-s_2612157.jpg)
![“[Brazil] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data sovereignty."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/edward-snowden-555_brazil_brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-n_14906.jpg)
