"Humanities scholars must remain themselves."
Freek Schmidt
Professor of History of architecture and the living environment and vice-dean of Education of the Faculty of Humanities
The theme of this issue of idea is ‘progress?’. Progress generally refers to the gradual progress in a particular area or the improvement of a situation, as we read in the Van Dale dictionary. The examples provided often seem to focus on measurable progress, in civilisation, culture, salary, profit, or wealth. However, not all progress is easily measurable.
Within the humanities, progress as a concept is generally approached cautiously. Our faculty has traditionally encompassed a number of focus areas, all of which engage in research, where measurable progress or improvement is noted, though it rarely forms the foundation of the discipline. Quantitative and qualitative research alternate.
Nowadays, progress is frequently associated with AI (artificial intelligence). We are also working on this within our faculty. For example, our linguists conduct research into text mining or computational linguistics and use generative language models. At the same time, we recognise the limitations of rapid mathematics, because that is actually what we are talking about. Humanities scholars can do more than computing and utilise their understanding of language as a complex cultural expression to scale back the technology of AI to human proportions.
In essence, AI is an extremely practical and fast math miracle, but it cannot think independently – it lacks reasoning. Without a command or prompt, nothing happens.
"In essence, AI is an extremely practical and fast math miracle, but it cannot think independently – it lacks reasoning."
Because of the sloppy translation of the broad concept of intelligence, we confuse the artificially generated information of AI with intelligence, while it is far removed from intellectual ability.
Within our programmes, we offer a humanities perspective on this matter as digital humanities. Philosophers, literary scholars, historians, art and cultural historians and archaeologists, to name but a few, also use their human intelligence to deal with digitisation wisely and sustainably, where it makes progress possible in research and education. But where technology seeks to fundamentally disrupt rather than improve man’s relationship with his environment, critical distancing is required. That is why humanities scholars must remain themselves, continue to address and develop their own intellect, continue to study their philosophy, their insights into the past, language, media and the diverse art and cultural expressions and advance them in the interest of society. It is this science that makes man human as an intelligent being and brings about real progress.
Freek Schmidt
magazine for humanities alumni june 2024