Technology and Artifacts

Instructions

You have explored some of the many ways technology has and is changing artifacts created for the Humanities. From handmade drums to synthetic electric drum sounds, from a landscape painting with a million brushstrokes to a computer-generated rendition of any image. The future of technology within the Humanities seems to be unlimited for those who have or can obtain the devices, but what about those who cannot obtain them or choose not to use them?

• In your first paragraph
  • Share your insights into the ways you see technology contributing to the quality of the artifacts produced.
  • Discuss if the significance of the artifact will change because technology allows such easy reproduction.
  • Discuss the significance of the artist who moves from ‘hand’ work to create paintings, drawings, and sculptures to ‘keyboard’ work to tell the device what to create in order to produce an artifact. In what ways will the digital age enhance and/or ‘unhuman’ the Humanities? 
• In your second paragraph
  • Literature and music have also undergone a great deal of change in the digital age.
  • Explore your perspective on reading a novel created by a person versus an AI-created novel or a song from your favorite genre created by a person versus an AI-created melody.
  • How should the Humanities address the growing separation between what is ‘human’ created and what is ‘human assisted’?
  • Discuss possible solutions such as having ‘AI’ created works housed in their own genre or having labeled ‘AI’ created works intermingle with those created by people.
  • Finally, consider the many artists who do not have access to AI technology and tools. How can the Humanities maintain equity to all to keep the creative playing field level to all people?