The document discusses how computational technologies construct notions of what it means to be human through humanoid texts. It notes that language is political and should not be a tool of imperialism. It questions if humanoid texts simply mirror normative perceptions of humanity, and what assumptions we have about human texts if computer-generated ones can pass for human-authored.

1. The Human Text
Roopika Risam
Salem State University
@roopikarisam

2. How are normative forms
of identity constructed as
"human" through
computational and digital
technologies?

3. 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.”

4. Quiz: Human or Computer?
“When I in dreams behold thy fairest shade
Whose shade in dreams doth wake the
sleeping morn
The daytime shadow of my love betray’d
Lends hideous night to dreaming’s faded
form.”

5. Quiz: Human or Computer?
"# Creation
def dstBit(mass,rot,vel):
bMass=mass
bRot=rot
bVel=vel
def dstCld(mass,rot):
mass=mass
rot=rot"

6. 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."

7. Humanoid texts are texts
that have been written by
computers but can "pass" as
written by humans.

8. Scientists are developing
natural language
processing software that
can generate, understand,
and analyze language that
humans use naturally.

9. Language is not neutral.
Language is political.

13. Language and literature are
technologies of colonialism.

14. We can't let computational
and digital technologies be
tools of imperialism too.

15. SwiftKey Engine
“When I in dreams behold thy fairest shade
Whose shade in dreams doth wake the
sleeping morn
The daytime shadow of my love betray’d
Lends hideous night to dreaming’s faded
form.”

16. 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."

17. If a text can "pass" for human,
what are our presumptions
about human texts?

18. Are humanoid texts simply
mirrors of normative
perceptions about what it
means to be human?