Lauren KleinJan 17, 2023

Pretty pleased with the schedule for this year's grad seminar in quantitative literary analysis, centered around the uses and limits of LLMs in a humanities context (co-schemed by @intransitive):

https://github.com/emory-qtm/2023-quant-lit/blob/main/docs/schedule.md

2023-quant-lit/schedule.md at main · emory-qtm/2023-quant-lit

In-class notebooks for the Spring 2023 seminar on quantitative literary analysis - 2023-quant-lit/schedule.md at main · emory-qtm/2023-quant-lit

GitHub
Show threadAlex GilJan 17, 2023
@laurenfklein @intransitive brilliant! I'm wrapping up mine today. Made a pact with @zoeleblanc who is doing as much. Some good overlap with yours! I don't go as deep into the present. I save that for last section, which you just helped enormously!
Show threadLauren KleinJan 17, 2023
@elotroalex Share it when you're ready! Also, jealous of your winter break. We're already in week 2...
Show threadDr. Angus Andrea Grieve-SmithJan 17, 2023

@laurenfklein @elotroalex 😞 The fact that you're all spending so much course time talking about "large language models" reminds me of Toni Morrison's point that "the function of racism is distraction." How much of the function of LLMs is distraction? #DigitalHumanities

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3228728-the-function-the-very-serious-function-of-racism-is-distraction

A quote by Toni Morrison

The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your r...

Show threadLauren KleinJan 17, 2023
@grvsmth @elotroalex I take your point (and quote that exact line in DF) but as I see it, LLMs are here to stay and given that, I want humanities scholars (incl. my grad students) at the table. We're arguably the best positioned to understand and explain LLMs as objects of culture--a culture of capitalism and colonialism, of elite/tech capture, of racism, sexism, cissexism, and more. If not us then who?
Show threadDr. Angus Andrea Grieve-SmithJan 17, 2023
@laurenfklein @elotroalex That's an important point. I hope you're wrong that they're here to stay, because in addition to being a huge waste of our time and energy, they're a huge waste of so many other things. So I would go further and say that if it's not us who eliminates LLMs, or at least starves them, then who?
Show threadAlex Gil
@grvsmth @laurenfklein paradoxically, in order to critique them, we must pay attention to them. No problem ever went away by starving it of attention. Ever. I join those around here who cast their gaze directly at them for the foreseeable future. The economic incentives behind them are huge. To end LLMs, you have to end capitalism. That's above my paygrade. I accept the task of studying them and the situation that gives rise to them, and like Lauren, elucidating both for our students.
Jan 17, 2023 at 4:16pmWeb
Show threadDr. Angus Andrea Grieve-SmithJan 17, 2023

@elotroalex @laurenfklein Alex, you may be right about the strategy, but I have to object to "No problem ever went away by starving it of attention."

I think you mean that no problem you KNOW of ever went away by starving it of attention! 😁