Machine Writing: Lesson 11

Lesson 11: Can Machines Write Poetry?

From http://delightsprings.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

A. Online ''Turing Tests''

Go to the following sites and try to determine if the pieces were written by a human or by a machine:

1. Human Or Machine: Can You Tell Who Wrote These Poems?

http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/06/27/480639265/human-or-machine-can-you-tell-who-wrote-these-poems.

2. Bot or Not. http://botpoet.com/.

3. What is a ''Turing'' test? Link up here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test.

4. Submit a one-page report of how well you did and how you felt. Were you able to tell the difference easily?

B. Reading Assignment:

The piece we will be reading will be an excerpt from Ray Di Palma:

JANUARY ZERO

by Ray Di Palma

I take a glass. I fill the glass. I drink the water. I wash the glass I dry the glass. I give the glass to you. I take a bottle of milk. I put the bottle on the table.  I open the bottle of milk.  I take a clean glass.  I fill the clean glass with milk. I give a glass of milk to you I drink a glass of milk.

I go to the door. I stop at the door. I push the door open. I go out of the door. I go into the hall. I pull the door shut. I go to the EXIT. I stop at the EXIT. I push the door open. I go out of the EXIT. I go into the hall. I pull the door shut.

I come to the door. I stop at the door. I push the door open. I come into the room. I pull the door shut. I come to the ENTRANCE. I stop at the ENTRANCE. I push the door open. I come in at the ENTRANCE. I come into the room. I pull the door shut.

I walk to the window. I open the window. I look out. I close the window. I walk to my seat. I sit down. I stand up. I walk to the door. I open the door. I pick up the letter. I close the door. I walk to my seat and sit down.

I pick up the letter. I open the envelope. I take out the letter. I read the letter. I put the letter on the desk. I put the envelope the desk. I stand up. I walk to the desk. I take a book. I open the book. I look at a picture. I close the book. I put the book on the desk. I walk to my seat and sit down.

This is my book. I open my book. I turn the pages. I look at the pictures. I read the book. I close the book. I put the book on the desk. I walk to my seat and sit down. It is six o'clock. I wake up. I get out of bed. I throw the covers back. I close the windows. I wash my face and hands. I brush my teeth. I put on my clothes. I brush and comb my hair.

It is half past six. I take two rolls and butter. I put the rolls and butter on a plate. I take two eggs. I break the eggs into a cup. I put salt and pepper on the eggs. I eat a roll and butter with the eggs I take a cup of coffee. I put sugar into the coffee. I put cream into the coffee. I take a spoon. I stir the sugar in the coffee. I stir the sugar with the spoon. I eat a roll and butter with the coffee. I eat eggs and rolls for breakfast. I drink coffee with cream for breakfast.

I take a loaf of bread. I put the bread on the table. I cut six slices of bread. I put butter on each slice of bread. I put chopped onion between two slices of bread. I put chopped meat between two slices of bread. I put jelly between two slices of bread. I make three sandwiches. I wrap the onion sandwich in wax paper. I wrap the meat sandwich in wax paper. I wrap the jelly sandwich in wax paper. I wrap a piece of cake in wax paper. I put the sandwiches and cake into my lunch box. I put two oranges into my lunch box. I fasten my lunch box.

It is seven o'clock. I put on my coat and my hat. I take my lunch box. I say, "Good by." I walk to the streetcar. I wait until the car stops. I get on the streetcar I pay my fare. I ride the street—car to work. The streetcar stops I get off the car. I walk to the ENTRANCE. I go in at the ENTRANCE I go into the locker room. I take off my coat and hat. I put my lunch box in my locker. I hang my coat and hat on the hook in my locker.

C. Guide questions:

1. Did diPalma use a text generator to write this? In short, is this human or is this an algorithm? That is, is it a machine trying to sound human, or is it a human being trying to sound like a machine? Is it still possible to tell the difference?

2. What could be the motivation behind writing this way?

3. How would you characterize the sentences and the subject matter? How do you like the sound of the title?

4. Is this style "personal" or "impersonal?" Can you imagine a person speaking this way?

5. What does this difference imply concerning human language in an age where algorithm and machines can basically take over this very function that distinguishes humans from animals?

6. What does it imply concerning the production of literature or art in this age of mechanical and cybernetic reproduction if the words that no longer belonged to the poet, writer or artist finally end up becoming the property of the Machine?

Warhol by Mr. Brainwash, from http://guyhepner.com/product/warhol-by-mr-brainwash/.

 

D. Project output: Machine Notebook

Visit any text generator site online or try the ones listed under "Exciting Sites" on the left panel of this blog. Explore and experiment. Enjoy the end of your humanity and produce a one-page "Machine Notebook."

Present your work and the process you chose. You can use random text generators if you feel a great gush of inspired uncreativity, or feed it some pre-made text to mutilate. Discover your own immanent necessity, the whisper of the ineluctable swerve within. (Was it Wittgenstein who said "We can never break a rule because we always follow one"?)

The many difficult questions on the subjects of Language, Reality, Chance, Identity, Memory, Necessity, and Technology were approached by the writers we took up by their use of different and mixed techniques. Employ any which combination to reinvent the language you normally use. Here, there are no right or wrong answers, just the boundless hum of the vast and infinite net.

Submit your work with a printed copy of your selfie transformed via the Warhol Generator page at http://otoro.net/ml/warhol/. And who is Warhol again?