As simulacra of humanity approach that of a real live person we experience an increase in affinity with said simulacra—but only to a point. For instance, we have no problem with a character like C-3P0, because although he behaves like a human he bears only the most passing resemblance to a person. The epitome of the uncanny valley is a corpse, because while it looks just like a living person, it lacks that requisite humanity. The same is true of robots, androids and cinema. Humans like to try and emulate human emotion and expression, and as of now, artificial intelligence is far from perfect, though that won’t stop scientists from trying to obtain “more human than human” perfection. Latest AI scientists seek to program computers (and thus robots) with cognitive thought so that a computer will have the ability to visibly read--and understand--the expressions on the user's face. With a flick of the user's finger or a tightening in his lips, a computer may soon be able to read these motions as "angry," and react accordingly. For some people, advanced technology such as this will be world-breaking, exciting, a new way of approaching our more mechanic counterparts; for others, however, the mere thought of computers with cognitive thought is downright frightening and shocking. The uncanny valley is really an uncanny wall in which those who strive to create a human that is "more human than human" will continuously face a Zeno's paradox situation in which no matter how close an animator or sculptor gets he will never reach perfection.
This might be in part explained by Kristeva’s theory of abjection—that humans are repulsed by those objects which challenge our sense of boundaries and limits. Things which come from the body but are not alive, which are part of oneself but simultaneously not part of oneself, meet this criterion, and according to Kristeva this explains the disgust of a human when viewing spit, dung, or other forms of bodily discharge. Similarly, androids who approach, but do not reach, a human appearance may fall into a gulf which challenges our perceptions of what it is to be human. Androids force us to acknowledge the fact that we are cyborgs, and differ from our machines in degree, not in kind. This terrifying (and liberating) revelation has led to a new late-20th and 21st century conception of intelligence and consciousness as detached from any specific state of matter (such as the human body)—the posthuman is a construct which we use to understand our existence as cyborgs, and to try to reframe the paradigms through which we understand our existence in relation to other beings, both living and mechanical.
That being said, it is also important to realize that while AI is still imperfect, it is constantly improving, and as it continues to improve, it constantly challenges our conception of what it means to be human and blurs the lines between human and computer. In our presentation, we used examples like the computer-generated post-modern essay and the Turing test using the Internet chatbot A.L.I.C.E. to show how difficult it can be to distinguish between human and something else—something robotic, something computer-generated, something virtual, something other. So, if we can’t tell the difference between human and this robotic other, what is the difference, and why does it matter? Maybe there is no difference. Perhaps it is already irrelevant. As Timothy Morton puts it, “The brilliance of Blade Runner, and of Frankenstein, is not so much to point out that artificial life and intelligence are possible, but that human life already is this artificial intelligence.” Maybe that’s the most terrifying thing about the uncanny valley; the closer humans get to being able to successfully replicate what is human, the more our notion of what it means to be human is obliterated.
--Jeffrey, Maria, Amelie, and Holly
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
"Everything is Amazing and Nobody's Happy:" Louis CK on the Modern World and the Eternally Unsatisfied Human Being
Here's a humorous bit on people being ungrateful that our amazing technology can sometimes be... a little less amazing.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Creeptastic.
Funny story... while I was logging into blogger to post this article, Google checked with me to make sure it had my correct phone number. When did I give Google my phone number? ...oh, wait, I have an Android. Yeah, that'll be it.
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Blogga My Own
So I've been working on this blog now. It purports to be on "stories, as long as they're told." Check it out if you want.
http://roundaboutstorytelling.blogspot.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Statistical Error in Hikikimori Presentation
In the presentation, I mistakenly said that 10% of the Japanese population were hikikimori. I had gotten this statistic from a Japanese video, but I read it mistakenly. The actual number are thus:
From: Saitō, Tamaki. 1998. Shakaiteki Hikikomori (Social Withdrawal). Tokyo: PHP kenkyuujyo.
Sorry for the confusion. It's still a big number, though.
Related news in America:
Teenager goes into convulsions after playing World of Warcraft computer game for 24 hours: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1086700/Boy-goes-convulsions-playing-World-Warcraft-24-hours-straight.html#ixzz1JWxgN9eb
According to psychologist Tamaki Saitō, who first coined the phrase, there may be one million hikikomori in Japan, representing 20% of all male adolescents in Japan, or 1% of the total Japanese population.
From: Saitō, Tamaki. 1998. Shakaiteki Hikikomori (Social Withdrawal). Tokyo: PHP kenkyuujyo.
Sorry for the confusion. It's still a big number, though.
Related news in America:
Neglected child dies while parents play World of Warcraft: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2005/06/547.ars
Teenager goes into convulsions after playing World of Warcraft computer game for 24 hours: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1086700/Boy-goes-convulsions-playing-World-Warcraft-24-hours-straight.html#ixzz1JWxgN9eb
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Simularea and the World of Art
CaitEmma
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| Erik Johansson |
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| Erik Johansson |
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GirlTalk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JBAxkZun3s&feature=related
Monday, April 11, 2011
READING FOR TUESDAY APRIL 12
Hey guys,
We were hoping that everyone could take a look at these two short articles before our presentation tomorrow. Both of them are pretty short and straightforward, so please look over them enough to be able to participate in class discussion. We decided to choose an article from Science Daily and a more theoretical article that incorporates Baudrillard's simulacra and has a few references to a few other things we've talked about in class. We chose these reading because our project is dealing with Artificial Intelligence, and we thought that it would be interesting to look at how A.I. can be applied to Baudrillard and the simulacra. A few things that you may want to ask yourself when you are reading: How do androids, cyborgs, and robots (as depicted in the Science Daily article or otherwise) relate back to simulacra as used by Long (and Baudrillard)? How does Long's opening statement that "the truth is meaningless" apply to simulacra and artificial intelligence? How could Long's article be used to dissect Veskler's claim in Science Daily that robots can be used to better understand human problems?
Here is the link to the Science Daily Article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101230114808.htm
And I'm having trouble getting the link to Long's article to work, but it's short, so I'll just copy + paste it here:
The Stone Door: Rationalism, Baudrillardist simulacra and surrealism
Stefan E. Long
Department of Literature, University of Oregon
1. Neotextual capitalism and Lacanist obscurity
“Truth is meaningless,” says Sontag; however, according to Abian[1] , it is not so much truth that is meaningless, but rather the economy, and subsequent collapse, of truth. But in Foucault’s Pendulum, Eco examines surrealism; in The Aesthetics of Thomas Aquinas, however, he affirms the capitalist paradigm of narrative. The subject is contextualised into a surrealism that includes sexuality as a paradox.
“Sexual identity is part of the dialectic of narrativity,” says Lacan. Thus, if Lacanist obscurity holds, the works of Eco are reminiscent of Koons. Lyotard uses the term ‘pretextual dialectic theory’ to denote a self-justifying whole.
But de Selby[2] implies that we have to choose between Lacanist obscurity and subcultural Marxism. In Ulysses, Joyce reiterates patriarchial predialectic theory; in A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man, although, he deconstructs surrealism.
However, Bataille promotes the use of capitalist desituationism to analyse and read sexual identity. A number of discourses concerning surrealism may be discovered.
But the premise of Lacanist obscurity holds that consciousness is capable of significance. Foucault suggests the use of surrealism to deconstruct sexism.
2. Expressions of defining characteristic
“Class is impossible,” says Debord; however, according to Finnis[3] , it is not so much class that is impossible, but rather the genre of class. Thus, the subject is interpolated into a capitalist desituationism that includes language as a reality. Sartre promotes the use of the postcapitalist paradigm of discourse to modify sexual identity.
If one examines surrealism, one is faced with a choice: either reject cultural theory or conclude that expression must come from communication, but only if Derrida’s model of Lacanist obscurity is valid; if that is not the case, Bataille’s model of capitalist desituationism is one of “subcapitalist rationalism”, and hence intrinsically used in the service of capitalism. It could be said that the subject is contextualised into a conceptualist materialism that includes truth as a whole. The characteristic theme of the works of Joyce is the dialectic, and some would say the absurdity, of postcultural class.
“Sexual identity is part of the failure of consciousness,” says Foucault. Thus, the example of surrealism depicted in Joyce’s Dubliners is also evident in A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man, although in a more mythopoetical sense. Bataille suggests the use of structuralist subcapitalist theory to attack sexism.
If one examines surrealism, one is faced with a choice: either accept textual objectivism or conclude that the goal of the participant is deconstruction. It could be said that if Lacanist obscurity holds, we have to choose between capitalist desituationism and the postconstructive paradigm of narrative. Derrida uses the term ‘surrealism’ to denote the role of the artist as reader.
“Society is fundamentally dead,” says Debord. But the primary theme of de Selby’s[4] critique of the dialectic paradigm of discourse is the common ground between sexual identity and reality. The premise of capitalist desituationism implies that academe is capable of significant form.
The characteristic theme of the works of Joyce is the collapse, and subsequent futility, of postcapitalist sexual identity. Therefore, Lyotard promotes the use of surrealism to analyse and challenge class. La Fournier[5] suggests that we have to choose between Lacanist obscurity and precapitalist textual theory.
However, an abundance of discourses concerning the bridge between society and class exist. Surrealism states that expression is created by the collective unconscious.
It could be said that Debord uses the term ‘postdialectic construction’ to denote the rubicon, and some would say the economy, of cultural sexual identity. If surrealism holds, we have to choose between the substructuralist paradigm of reality and textual desituationism.
Therefore, Sartre suggests the use of surrealism to attack outmoded, colonialist perceptions of society. The subject is interpolated into a precapitalist conceptual theory that includes narrativity as a totality.
It could be said that Geoffrey[6] holds that the works of Joyce are not postmodern. Lyotard promotes the use of Lacanist obscurity to read truth.
Therefore, Sartre uses the term ‘Derridaist reading’ to denote the difference between society and class. If surrealism holds, we have to choose between capitalist desituationism and the subcapitalist paradigm of consensus.
But the subject is contextualised into a Lacanist obscurity that includes narrativity as a reality. The main theme of Abian’s[7] model of capitalist desituationism is not deconstruction, as surrealism suggests, but subdeconstruction.
In a sense, many theories concerning postcultural feminism may be found. The primary theme of the works of Joyce is a self-sufficient totality.
But Reicher[8] states that we have to choose between Lacanist obscurity and predeconstructivist narrative. The subject is interpolated into a dialectic paradigm of context that includes sexuality as a reality.
3. Surrealism and neocapitalist theory
In the works of Pynchon, a predominant concept is the distinction between masculine and feminine. However, in Vineland, Pynchon affirms capitalist desituationism; in Mason & Dixon he reiterates Baudrillardist hyperreality. If surrealism holds, we have to choose between neocapitalist theory and cultural discourse.
But Debord suggests the use of surrealism to challenge hierarchy. La Fournier[9] holds that we have to choose between neocapitalist theory and dialectic narrative.
It could be said that the main theme of Prinn’s[10] essay on capitalist desituationism is not, in fact, construction, but preconstruction. If surrealism holds, the works of Fellini are postmodern.
1. Abian, C. W. S. ed. (1976) Capitalist desituationism in the works of Eco. Panic Button Books
2. de Selby, E. J. (1995) The Absurdity of Language: Surrealism in the works of Joyce. University of Georgia Press
3. Finnis, G. F. L. ed. (1989) Structuralist desublimation, surrealism and rationalism. Loompanics
4. de Selby, T. H. (1994) Reassessing Expressionism: Surrealism and capitalist desituationism. Panic Button Books
5. la Fournier, K. ed. (1977) Capitalist desituationism and surrealism. Harvard University Press
6. Geoffrey, N. P. L. (1993) Discourses of Genre: Surrealism in the works of Joyce. University of Michigan Press
7. Abian, P. ed. (1974) Surrealism and capitalist desituationism. O’Reilly & Associates
8. Reicher, Y. G. B. (1998) Dialectic Discourses: Capitalist desituationism in the works of Pynchon. Oxford University Press
9. la Fournier, P. ed. (1974) Capitalist desituationism and surrealism. Schlangekraft
10. Prinn, Z. U. H. (1986) The Collapse of Narrative: Capitalist desituationism in the works of Fellini. Yale University Press
We were hoping that everyone could take a look at these two short articles before our presentation tomorrow. Both of them are pretty short and straightforward, so please look over them enough to be able to participate in class discussion. We decided to choose an article from Science Daily and a more theoretical article that incorporates Baudrillard's simulacra and has a few references to a few other things we've talked about in class. We chose these reading because our project is dealing with Artificial Intelligence, and we thought that it would be interesting to look at how A.I. can be applied to Baudrillard and the simulacra. A few things that you may want to ask yourself when you are reading: How do androids, cyborgs, and robots (as depicted in the Science Daily article or otherwise) relate back to simulacra as used by Long (and Baudrillard)? How does Long's opening statement that "the truth is meaningless" apply to simulacra and artificial intelligence? How could Long's article be used to dissect Veskler's claim in Science Daily that robots can be used to better understand human problems?
Here is the link to the Science Daily Article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101230114808.htm
And I'm having trouble getting the link to Long's article to work, but it's short, so I'll just copy + paste it here:
The Stone Door: Rationalism, Baudrillardist simulacra and surrealism
Stefan E. Long
Department of Literature, University of Oregon
1. Neotextual capitalism and Lacanist obscurity
“Truth is meaningless,” says Sontag; however, according to Abian[1] , it is not so much truth that is meaningless, but rather the economy, and subsequent collapse, of truth. But in Foucault’s Pendulum, Eco examines surrealism; in The Aesthetics of Thomas Aquinas, however, he affirms the capitalist paradigm of narrative. The subject is contextualised into a surrealism that includes sexuality as a paradox.
“Sexual identity is part of the dialectic of narrativity,” says Lacan. Thus, if Lacanist obscurity holds, the works of Eco are reminiscent of Koons. Lyotard uses the term ‘pretextual dialectic theory’ to denote a self-justifying whole.
But de Selby[2] implies that we have to choose between Lacanist obscurity and subcultural Marxism. In Ulysses, Joyce reiterates patriarchial predialectic theory; in A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man, although, he deconstructs surrealism.
However, Bataille promotes the use of capitalist desituationism to analyse and read sexual identity. A number of discourses concerning surrealism may be discovered.
But the premise of Lacanist obscurity holds that consciousness is capable of significance. Foucault suggests the use of surrealism to deconstruct sexism.
2. Expressions of defining characteristic
“Class is impossible,” says Debord; however, according to Finnis[3] , it is not so much class that is impossible, but rather the genre of class. Thus, the subject is interpolated into a capitalist desituationism that includes language as a reality. Sartre promotes the use of the postcapitalist paradigm of discourse to modify sexual identity.
If one examines surrealism, one is faced with a choice: either reject cultural theory or conclude that expression must come from communication, but only if Derrida’s model of Lacanist obscurity is valid; if that is not the case, Bataille’s model of capitalist desituationism is one of “subcapitalist rationalism”, and hence intrinsically used in the service of capitalism. It could be said that the subject is contextualised into a conceptualist materialism that includes truth as a whole. The characteristic theme of the works of Joyce is the dialectic, and some would say the absurdity, of postcultural class.
“Sexual identity is part of the failure of consciousness,” says Foucault. Thus, the example of surrealism depicted in Joyce’s Dubliners is also evident in A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man, although in a more mythopoetical sense. Bataille suggests the use of structuralist subcapitalist theory to attack sexism.
If one examines surrealism, one is faced with a choice: either accept textual objectivism or conclude that the goal of the participant is deconstruction. It could be said that if Lacanist obscurity holds, we have to choose between capitalist desituationism and the postconstructive paradigm of narrative. Derrida uses the term ‘surrealism’ to denote the role of the artist as reader.
“Society is fundamentally dead,” says Debord. But the primary theme of de Selby’s[4] critique of the dialectic paradigm of discourse is the common ground between sexual identity and reality. The premise of capitalist desituationism implies that academe is capable of significant form.
The characteristic theme of the works of Joyce is the collapse, and subsequent futility, of postcapitalist sexual identity. Therefore, Lyotard promotes the use of surrealism to analyse and challenge class. La Fournier[5] suggests that we have to choose between Lacanist obscurity and precapitalist textual theory.
However, an abundance of discourses concerning the bridge between society and class exist. Surrealism states that expression is created by the collective unconscious.
It could be said that Debord uses the term ‘postdialectic construction’ to denote the rubicon, and some would say the economy, of cultural sexual identity. If surrealism holds, we have to choose between the substructuralist paradigm of reality and textual desituationism.
Therefore, Sartre suggests the use of surrealism to attack outmoded, colonialist perceptions of society. The subject is interpolated into a precapitalist conceptual theory that includes narrativity as a totality.
It could be said that Geoffrey[6] holds that the works of Joyce are not postmodern. Lyotard promotes the use of Lacanist obscurity to read truth.
Therefore, Sartre uses the term ‘Derridaist reading’ to denote the difference between society and class. If surrealism holds, we have to choose between capitalist desituationism and the subcapitalist paradigm of consensus.
But the subject is contextualised into a Lacanist obscurity that includes narrativity as a reality. The main theme of Abian’s[7] model of capitalist desituationism is not deconstruction, as surrealism suggests, but subdeconstruction.
In a sense, many theories concerning postcultural feminism may be found. The primary theme of the works of Joyce is a self-sufficient totality.
But Reicher[8] states that we have to choose between Lacanist obscurity and predeconstructivist narrative. The subject is interpolated into a dialectic paradigm of context that includes sexuality as a reality.
3. Surrealism and neocapitalist theory
In the works of Pynchon, a predominant concept is the distinction between masculine and feminine. However, in Vineland, Pynchon affirms capitalist desituationism; in Mason & Dixon he reiterates Baudrillardist hyperreality. If surrealism holds, we have to choose between neocapitalist theory and cultural discourse.
But Debord suggests the use of surrealism to challenge hierarchy. La Fournier[9] holds that we have to choose between neocapitalist theory and dialectic narrative.
It could be said that the main theme of Prinn’s[10] essay on capitalist desituationism is not, in fact, construction, but preconstruction. If surrealism holds, the works of Fellini are postmodern.
1. Abian, C. W. S. ed. (1976) Capitalist desituationism in the works of Eco. Panic Button Books
2. de Selby, E. J. (1995) The Absurdity of Language: Surrealism in the works of Joyce. University of Georgia Press
3. Finnis, G. F. L. ed. (1989) Structuralist desublimation, surrealism and rationalism. Loompanics
4. de Selby, T. H. (1994) Reassessing Expressionism: Surrealism and capitalist desituationism. Panic Button Books
5. la Fournier, K. ed. (1977) Capitalist desituationism and surrealism. Harvard University Press
6. Geoffrey, N. P. L. (1993) Discourses of Genre: Surrealism in the works of Joyce. University of Michigan Press
7. Abian, P. ed. (1974) Surrealism and capitalist desituationism. O’Reilly & Associates
8. Reicher, Y. G. B. (1998) Dialectic Discourses: Capitalist desituationism in the works of Pynchon. Oxford University Press
9. la Fournier, P. ed. (1974) Capitalist desituationism and surrealism. Schlangekraft
10. Prinn, Z. U. H. (1986) The Collapse of Narrative: Capitalist desituationism in the works of Fellini. Yale University Press
Thursday, April 7, 2011
David Bordwell Says DVD's Have Made Movies More Like Books
In the following blog post/essay (slippery nomenclature! whee!), renowned film critic David Bordwell (anybody who's taken a class with Dr. McCormack knows about him) asks the question: To what extent has the DVD changed viewing habits and movie storytelling?
He goes on to entertain and defend the notion that the DVD made a movie more like a book.
I think this is appropriate for the blog because he is referring to that point that McLuhan made, "all media work us over completely," a point that we've also been discussing in the classroom.
So now, ironically, we read movies more like books; or, according to Bordwell, we have the ability to do so. How, in light of his insight, should we think about the notion of seeing media as something that "progress?" I'll leave you guys with a quote and then a link to the article:
http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2007/05/13/new-media-and-old-storytelling/
He goes on to entertain and defend the notion that the DVD made a movie more like a book.
I think this is appropriate for the blog because he is referring to that point that McLuhan made, "all media work us over completely," a point that we've also been discussing in the classroom.
So now, ironically, we read movies more like books; or, according to Bordwell, we have the ability to do so. How, in light of his insight, should we think about the notion of seeing media as something that "progress?" I'll leave you guys with a quote and then a link to the article:
http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2007/05/13/new-media-and-old-storytelling/
This sounds odd, because we think of digital media as replacing print. Yet consider the similarities. You can read a book any way you please, skimming or skipping, forward or backward. You can read the chapters, or even the sentences, in any order you choose. You can dwell on a particular page, paragraph, or phrase for as long as you like. You can go back and reread passages you’ve read before, and you can jump ahead to the ending. You can put the book down at a particular point and return to it an hour or a year later; the bookmark is the ultimate pause command.
Monday, April 4, 2011
More from Vancouver
Continuing from the other day, on my panel at ACLA one speaker discussed Calvino's "If On A Winter's Night A Traveler," and another speaker talked about Borges's "Library of Babel" in relation to new media memes. (My talk, of course, was on airports and the temporality of air travel.)
As I mentioned in my last post, the panel I was on was called "Defining the Postcontemporary"—and I was reminded that Brian Massumi's book "Parables for the Virtual" is one of the books in the series "Post-contemporary Interventions" that Duke University Press publishes. So, even in this loosely topical way, the panel was grappling with similar questions as our class, about what defines the present, and how we might move into a (speculative) future, without nostalgia for past forms and with open minds toward different social practices...
It was just exciting and affirming how many intersections there were, between the conference panel and our class. It made me feel really good about what we have been doing all year: even when our subject seems endlessly expansive or recklessly sloppy, even when we seem to be quibbling about fine points that simultaneously have bewildering scope, we've been on the leading edge of difficult conversations about traditional forms of knowledge and new media technologies. The conference panel made me proud of what we are doing—proud of how you all have been exploring these subjects and making connections across our complex (if all too slippery) contemporary field.
As I mentioned in my last post, the panel I was on was called "Defining the Postcontemporary"—and I was reminded that Brian Massumi's book "Parables for the Virtual" is one of the books in the series "Post-contemporary Interventions" that Duke University Press publishes. So, even in this loosely topical way, the panel was grappling with similar questions as our class, about what defines the present, and how we might move into a (speculative) future, without nostalgia for past forms and with open minds toward different social practices...
It was just exciting and affirming how many intersections there were, between the conference panel and our class. It made me feel really good about what we have been doing all year: even when our subject seems endlessly expansive or recklessly sloppy, even when we seem to be quibbling about fine points that simultaneously have bewildering scope, we've been on the leading edge of difficult conversations about traditional forms of knowledge and new media technologies. The conference panel made me proud of what we are doing—proud of how you all have been exploring these subjects and making connections across our complex (if all too slippery) contemporary field.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Virtually in Vancouver
I'm thinking about you all as I attend the American Comparative Literature Association conference in Vancouver this weekend...I wish you could hear how relevant our class is to current studies!
On my panel alone, which is entitled "Defining the Postcontemporary," people brought up such topics as:
"Gatekeepers"
New media memes like the "doubles guy"
Does e-reading changes the production of literature?
How is the internet an 'institution'?
I'll post again after my panel reconvenes today, as I'm sure more themes that resonate with our class are bound to come up...
On my panel alone, which is entitled "Defining the Postcontemporary," people brought up such topics as:
"Gatekeepers"
New media memes like the "doubles guy"
Does e-reading changes the production of literature?
How is the internet an 'institution'?
I'll post again after my panel reconvenes today, as I'm sure more themes that resonate with our class are bound to come up...
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