I submit there are two different definitions of "datum" in play here. The scientific version is a measured or observed fact deemed to be reliable in formulating a hypothesis.

In general discussion about minds and how they work, "men are all the same, out to get you" can be a datum. It won't be a very workable datum, but it can be found in some minds, usually adopted under duress of some sort. "Sunlight reminds me of angels" can be a datum as surely as "steps for long division..." can be. Some data proves out in life, and some doesn't, and some folks can change their unworkable datums easily and some cannot do so as well.


A