Language: Human vs.Machine

31 Jan

Kara, Nicole, Suzelle, Heather

The informational pattern of when Richard was in the Netherlands:

Main Idea discussed: Language

In order for powers to teach himself the language, he would try a different word in sentences and see if they work. The same thing goes for the Imp. There’s the idea of back propagation- saying the words back over and over in an attempt to learn the material. We can compare Helen’s way of learning to Richard’s way of learning. The way in which they both learn I from repetition, rephrasing, just it out to see if it works.

 

One Response to “Language: Human vs.Machine”

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  1. Thought Experiment #1: Posthuman Readings of Galatea 2.2 | Narratives in the Digital Age - January 31, 2012

    [...] Group #2: Posthumanism and Helen For the informational patterns and body as prosthesis ideas, we discussed whether or not Helen was beginning to create her own consciousness. On page 230, she asks about her race and how she feels about other races as discussed in Huck Finn. Earlier than that she asked her gender. She is beginning to develop the cultural constructs, or “other will” that post humanist discuss. She also begins to sing on her own accord, without prompting showing a type of “self-will.” I had some trouble with this idea, as I feel here is a distinct difference between taking a human consciousness and putting it in a new “prosthetic” and inputting information into a machine that will never have a knowledge of sensory input and true emotion, but Ann and AG disagree and say senses are considered unimportant to post-humanists. I just wonder if there is a difference between transferring originally human consciousness and “faking it” as Lentz often suggests. We also discussed the idea of Helen as a prosthesis for both Powers and Lentz: Powers to save his literary knowledge and Lents as a type of cure for Audrey. Lastly, We considered what Helen is to Powers. Is she merely this shell to be filled with his information systems to preserve him the way he is, or is she to become a love interest like the Galatea myth? In many instances, Powers seems to view her as a offspring, which Ann pointed out is a kind of transfer of consciousness for parents, who instill their own ideas and values into their kids. Group #3: Posthumanism and Powers in the Netherlands (click here!) [...]

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