The digital is an augmented reality in Stuart Eve's terms - that is, a user works in the "real world while visually receiving additional computer generated or modelled information." But even non-digital historical work is an augmented reality in itself since we approach the past by layering sources and drawing out a complex reality. Hitchcock wants us to understand that the way we approach historical work is sufficient in the non-digital realm as well. Yet the 'reality' is that we face digital tools often and should embrace them. We ought to, though, use our methods of critical thinking to critique the digital tools we use because of the history they themselves have. We must adjust these skills and learn new practices (ex. reading code) to continue our critiques.
Hitchcock, Tim. "Big Data for Dead People: Digital Readings and the Conundrums of Positivism." December 9, 2013.