Ignocrates – the anti-Socrates – represents the archetypal Wikipedian who doesn't know what she/he doesn't know, and doesn't want to know. I took the name Ignocrates to remind myself every time I edit not to be this person.
I was a bench scientist in biotechnology in my first career, but I got bored with solving linear test and control problems. I have always been attracted to complex multivariate problems, such as the way people communicate and propagate information. My present career path could be described as information science. I find the role of mavens in disseminating information to be particularly fascinating (the original social networking). I use a lot of statistical analysis and SAS programming in my work. I am greatly interested in, and concerned about, the power of Big Data to influence people's lives.
I have several armchair hobbies (i.e., things I like to spend time researching and thinking about that don't generate filthy lucre). Examples of these are quantum physics, constitutional law, the history of Christianity (textual criticism mostly), and learning computer and spoken languages.
I like nature and a lot of it. If I didn't have to data-mine for dollars, I would be spending my time living in a cabin somewhere in northern Maine or the upper Midwest (and I do mean upper as in the UP). That said, I do like university towns; I can't imagine life without having access to a university library. I dislike bigoted, bombastic blowhards.
