Phenomenalism is sometimes described as a type of reductionism. Information about a complex object might be reduced to simple sensory details. For example, ignoring the many interesting features of the ice cream…

I have so far encountered two general types of data . . .

Reductive Data

This is data that conforms to prescribed criteria.  I sometimes describe it has the metrics of criteria or measurements of conformity.  For instance, an organization might want to measure something potentially obscure like "efficiency."  It therefore becomes necessary to establish under what conditions or criteria something is efficient.  I describe…