Artificial Intelligence by: Laura Soltis

Artificial Intelligence

My Final paper for Digital Humanities spring 2016 is written on the arguments for artificial intelligence. I conducted my research through philosophy topics and arguments and computer science and programming topics. As I researched I found many exciting and interesting findings. Click on the link above to learn more!

Final Paper: Ashley Back

My paper proposes the idea that passive consumption is a form of interactivity and uses science journals as evidence. It discuses knowledge in DH, the brain's reaction to literature, and the brain as a computer. LINK 

Final Paper: Chad Kusenko

VR Gaming
In my final paper i researched Virtually Reality gaming. Specifically I looked at how it works, How much it is growing, popular headsets and products being used today, as well as the safety of the it. I chose this topic because i was interested in learning more about it. After hearing about it in class, i wanted to figure out first hand of what this new technology is about. This type of gaming might be something i will get into in the future.

I walk toward one of the three doors and wonder what path I want to choose. The first door would take me into the past, where I could right my wrongs. Start anew. The second would take me into the mysterious future where there are countless unknown possibilities. The third would take me anywhere I wanted. Anywhere at all. I wondered how I went from getting a salad at freshens to deciding my fate by picking a door. This was no longer relevant, because I knew that I had to choose, so I did.

I picked the door that took me into future. I did not fully understand how different it would look until I walk through the door. Almost everyone was traveling via hover boards and electric cars. The roads were made of many hexagonal shaped plates that appeared to be solar panels. Ohh, I think I’ve seen this on my timeline at some point. I guess it got approved. I’m not going to lie, I was kind of expecting flying cars and robots that greeted me on the sidewalk but I guess you can’t win them all. I looked behind me to see if the magical door was still there. It wasn’t. Then I pinched myself because I am pretty sure that this not real. But it is. This is real.

Just as I was about to walk to the futuristic Sweet Frog, which would have been amazing, some big men in S.W.A.T looking uniforms approached me. They scared me a little, but I try to keep my cool because I don’t even know where I am. Before I could say anything, they snatch me up and throw me into a cop car. Wait they didn’t read me my rights. Is this even America?

Anyway, now they have me chained to a table in a small room. The dark tinted glass was obviously one of those one way mirrors, they act like I don’t watch CSI.  

“Why am I here?” I shouted dramatically. “You can’t hold me here without telling me why! I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.” I think…at least that’s what I gathered from T.V. After hours of sitting here someone finally walks in. He was black man who appeared to be middle aged. He was dressed in a grey suit and wore black glasses.

“Really, wearing shades indoors.” I said because I am not myself when I’m hungry. “You must be an asshole, I just get that vibe from-“

“I’m wearing these because I’m blind.” He said.

“I am so sorry, I am just lost and confused and hungry, and I have been here for hours.” I rambled

“It’s been ten minutes…” He sounds annoyed at me. I didn’t ask for any of this. I just wanted to see the future and I am seriously feeling attacked right now.

“Oh,” I replied. I sat back in my chair and tried to pull myself together. Then I mumble. “I never should have walked through that door.  

“Jamil Wright,” He said. Wait how does he know my name? “That door is the best thing to ever happen to you. You are one of the only people in this world that is compatible with the Three Doors. He handed me an envelope with instructions. It was more like directions.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Use the three doors to go back in time and teleport to this place.” He said. “Trust me son, this is for the sake of humanity. I know it might not look it but we are on the brink of death here. And we all parish if you do not do this correctly. Is that clear?”

“….okay.” So after about a half hour of the three door shenanigans I finally get to where I need to be. In front of the door to a huge mansion. I ring the doorbell. And then I see him. Donald fucking Trump.

“Who the hell are you?” Trump said. I put on a pair of black shades and lift a silver pen In front of him. It flashes and now he looks brain dead…this is good.

“Hey asshole,” I say. “Yeah you know that terrible idea you have. The thing about you becoming a president?”

“…..mmhmm”

“Yeah, just don’t.”

~Elijah B.

Hyperlink Narrative

Laura Soltis

Extra Credit Narrative

Due 3/31/2016 4:00 p.m.

Digital Humanities

I am in a room where there are three doors.

                           

One door will take me into the past

One door will take me into the future.

One door will take me anywhere I can imagine.

I have to choose one and only one. Its so hard, how can you pick between the three? I will choose at random. Simply close my eyes and walk and see where I end up. As soon as I walk through a door this is what I see. I am in Singapore!! I made it

       To my dream destination. I went through the door to take me anywhere I could imagine. Singapore is a beautiful city with abundant amazing things to do and places to see. As I walk through streets I can feel the vastness of the city. Everything just flows and keeps on flowing. No stopping. I got here just in time to experience the nightlife of Singapore. First on my list of places to go and things to see is the Ion Orchard. A place for shopping! While I was in a designer store, I met Jon. After talking and teaching me how to get around, he decided to take me on a tour of Singapore! After the Ion Orchard we left and headed to Tiong Bahru Market where we shared dinner together. We made one more stop for the night at the Marina Bay Sands. Where I checked in for the night. I could not sleep. All I could think about all the amazing places I got to see and all the amazing ones I will get to see tomorrow.

           

On day two, I met up with Jon for breakfast. Today he said we were heading to the trick eye museum. I have always wanted to there! It has over 80 optical illusions thought the entire museum! Here are a few of the pieces of art that will blow your mind!

All in all this experience was amazing and I got to visit my dream world. I would love to move here and live there some day. But for now it is just a dream. I am glad this is where the door led me.  If you ever get the chance to travel, Singapore is the place to go!

The Door To... (A Hypertext Narrative)

Three Doors

           Four Stories 

• The Door to 1994 - Ashley Bach
• Chad Kusenko

eXistenZ

Once one has completed their viewing of the 1999 film eXistenZ, it is easier to contextualize aspects of the film, beyond the anti-technology theme.

The films stance on technology is built upon the following ideas:

• Technology and morality
• Superseding religion
• Endangering to reality
• The bastardization and devaluing of reality
• The bastardization of the body

The film opens and closes in a church, where the tech demonstrations are taking place, making game play like a communion. What this says that in both the reality of the game in tranCendenZ and the world outside of it, have created a spirituality in regards to gaming, but gaming is at odds with realism, and what's a religion without it's wars? From the beginning, biblical talk is used. "Death to the Allegra even the way Allegra talks about eXistenZ with Pikul is similar to gospel. Which alludes to the next topic. There's always been the idea that religion and morality are one and the same, while this isn't necessarily the case. It seems to be the viewpoint of the people who are playing the game tranCendenZ.

Throughout the film there's an association with technology and morality that is frequently voiced by Pikul. There's also the schism between the tech industry and those who support realism, who pursue Allegra with teeth-shooting guns, further emphasizing the realists beliefs in organic life and the importance of reality.

Additionally, Allegra, as I've said before, speaks about video games like gospel, but she also seems to be on drugs, which brings me to my next point. Technology is a drug. This is a more obvious theme. Allegra has this spiritual connection to eXistenZ, and goes along with the idea that realism is synonymous with morality, but we see Allegra and Pikul sprawled out on a bed after awaking from eXistenZ, like someone waking up from a heroin binge.

From there come the suggestions that the game is a from of psychosis, voiced by Pikul.

When one considers that this is all a game created by the thoughts of those playing it, the viewer can realize that this is what the players feel about technology, and the idea that games can become something that feed off the body and look to be animals, you see that is what Pikul and Allegra fear. As for technology becoming religion, well, the church at the end of the film was real, wasn't it?