Searching for Patterns: How We Can Know Without Asking

Examining the science behind everyday predictions—such as why the supermarket sends particular coupons to the appropriate people and how a bank can foretell if someone will default on a loan within a few minutes—this guide explains the basics of what data mining is, details a variety of data mining and techniques, and profiles the key figures behind the data-mining process. After first demonstrating fundamental approaches such as nearest neighbor and association rules, the resource goes on to analyze probabilistic techniques that use Bayes' theorem and artificial intelligence algorithms using neural networks. With chapters on a wide range of topics—from calculating similarity to dealing with uncertainty and modeling the brain—this comprehensive volume reveals how anyone with enough information can get an intimate view of someone's life and what to do about it.