"Exploratory Data Analysis Whither & Whence: A Personal Journey"

Abstract
In this talk I briefly examine the history of exploratory data analysis, from its 17th century beginnings as a breakaway from Cartesian theorizing through William Playfair's dramatic proof of the value of graphical methods for understanding the complexities of an empirical world. I next jump forward 200 years and point out how John Tukey's remarkable book Exploratory Data Analysis brilliantly expanded and deepened these themes. The power of EDA to illuminate the relationship between God and man is illustrated with one dramatic story. Last I discuss where EDA might be going in the future now that the tools at its disposal allow vastly greater ease of data manipulation. I suggest and illustrate six analysis/display engines that ought to prove useful.