The Human TextRoopika Risam

Salem State University

@roopikarisam

How are normative forms of identity constructed as

"human" through computational and digital

technologies?

Quiz: Human or Computer?

“A shallow magnitude 4.7 earthquake was reported Monday morning five miles from Westwood, California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 6:25 a.m. Pacific time at a depth of 5.0 miles.”

Quiz: Human or Computer?

“When I in dreams behold thy fairest shadeWhose shade in dreams doth wake the sleeping mornThe daytime shadow of my love betray’dLends hideous night to dreaming’s faded form.”

Quiz: Human or Computer?

"# Creation

def dstBit(mass,rot,vel):

bMass=massbRot=rotbVel=vel

def dstCld(mass,rot):mass=massrot=rot"

Quiz: Human or Computer?

"Mon sa me el kirimoor,

Ve dice kor, korrand ve deer

Leet vire or sand vite,

Re sive tas tor;

Tu tas tire or re sim bire

Rozan dire ras to por tantor,

Dorozire, soron,

Bas ber vind can sor, gosham,

Mon sa me el, a som on oor."

Humanoid texts are texts that have been written by

computers but can "pass" as written by humans.

Scientists are developing natural language

processing software that can generate, understand, and analyze language that

humans use naturally.

Language is not neutral. Language is political.

Language and literature are technologies of colonialism.

We can't let computational and digital technologies be

tools of imperialism too.

SwiftKey Engine

“When I in dreams behold thy fairest shadeWhose shade in dreams doth wake the sleeping mornThe daytime shadow of my love betray’dLends hideous night to dreaming’s faded form.”

Jean Toomer - Sound Poem (I)

"Mon sa me el kirimoor,

Ve dice kor, korrand ve deer

Leet vire or sand vite,

Re sive tas tor;

Tu tas tire or re sim bire

Rozan dire ras to por tantor,

Dorozire, soron,

Bas ber vind can sor, gosham,

Mon sa me el, a som on oor."

If a text can "pass" for human, what are our presumptions

about human texts?

Are humanoid texts simply mirrors of normative

perceptions about what it means to be human?