Algorithms are inherently fascistic, because they give the comforting illusion of an alterity to human affairs. “You don’t like this music? The algorithms have worked it out” is not so far from “You don’t like this law? It works objectively.” Algorithms have replaced laws of human nature, the vital distinction being that nobody can read them. They describe human meanings but are meaningless.
Los Angeles Review of Books – Literature Is Not Data: Against Digital Humanities (via thisistheverge)
I will need to read this. I suspect that the author forgets, or is unaware of the human origin of algorithms. Further, the drive to get more people to write code brings with it the necessary precondition that they read code. Humanitas was once the teaching of greek and latin, the encoding of a “civilized” society. Algorithms ARE the new humanities as a measure of empowerment.
I will need to read this. I suspect that the author forgets, or is unaware of the human origin of algorithms. Further, the drive to get more people to write code brings with it the necessary precondition that they read code. Humanitas was once the teaching of greek and latin, the encoding of a “civilized” society. Algorithms ARE the new humanities as a measure of empowerment.