The Parallel Evolution of Understanding: Tukey's Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) ⟷ AI Conversation
Both processes transform detailed records (numbers or words) into visual representations that bridge to human neural networks. Understanding emerges not from single queries, but from iterative dialogue - each step revealing the next layer, peeling the onion.
Pose initial question
Examine from angles
Find new patterns
Ask deeper questions
Each conversation layer reveals deeper understanding
Your numbers → Generated plots
Ideas → Spatial layouts
Meaning → Visual encoding
Connections → Arrows & proximity
Just as Tukey showed you can't understand data through formulas alone, AI achieves its full potential through dialogue. The back-and-forth creates momentum - cognitive ignition - that transforms isolated facts into integrated understanding. This isn't just a feature of these tools; it's the fundamental mode by which humans build knowledge.
One thing leads to the next