"The Biblioracle" uses AI to guide us back to solid ground on writing and reading, revealing he's a conservative at heart. An enjoyable and lively book.
Great review of the book More than Words! I have appreciated Warner's take on AI and agree that it *should* force us to think carefully about what writing means and does now. AI makes the production of text easier for students, and so a countervailing force can be to emphasize the challenge, rigor, and deep intellectual engagement of writing and human connection.
I find it sad that many students or workers seem to feel writing is a chore that should be mechanically outsourced, rather than a vital expression of self. Perhaps it is due to years of school being presented as dull drudgery, or the ever-present dislike of intelligence and academia (as opposed to "real work").
I suspect there's also an aspect of inadequacy -- "I'm not as good as [professional writer/poet], therefore I'm not even going to try" which reminds me of Sousa's grousing about the death of the amateur musician.
Writing is a skill that must be learned and practiced. Like many other hard-won skills, I think the myth or narrative has been "either you are born with genius, or forget it." Perhaps we need a movie with some 80s-style training montages, but for writing.
But given that reading (particularly long, sophisticated texts) is also considered a chore, I guess it isn't surprising. We are headed for a world where people who hate to write will ask machines to write something that other machines will then summarize and spit back to people who hate to read.
"Academic cosplay" is an apt description. We need reference points. From my experimentation with AI, i would say it produces "writing" that is as nourishing as eating cardboard. But i suppose if youve never eaten decent food, eating cardboard would stave off hunger pangs.
Warner is a good writer, and this book shows his skill as a storyteller, too. Lots of anecdotes that rang true for me and, I bet for you, as a teacher.
Great review of the book More than Words! I have appreciated Warner's take on AI and agree that it *should* force us to think carefully about what writing means and does now. AI makes the production of text easier for students, and so a countervailing force can be to emphasize the challenge, rigor, and deep intellectual engagement of writing and human connection.
I find it sad that many students or workers seem to feel writing is a chore that should be mechanically outsourced, rather than a vital expression of self. Perhaps it is due to years of school being presented as dull drudgery, or the ever-present dislike of intelligence and academia (as opposed to "real work").
I suspect there's also an aspect of inadequacy -- "I'm not as good as [professional writer/poet], therefore I'm not even going to try" which reminds me of Sousa's grousing about the death of the amateur musician.
Writing is a skill that must be learned and practiced. Like many other hard-won skills, I think the myth or narrative has been "either you are born with genius, or forget it." Perhaps we need a movie with some 80s-style training montages, but for writing.
But given that reading (particularly long, sophisticated texts) is also considered a chore, I guess it isn't surprising. We are headed for a world where people who hate to write will ask machines to write something that other machines will then summarize and spit back to people who hate to read.
"Academic cosplay" is an apt description. We need reference points. From my experimentation with AI, i would say it produces "writing" that is as nourishing as eating cardboard. But i suppose if youve never eaten decent food, eating cardboard would stave off hunger pangs.
Warner is a good writer, and this book shows his skill as a storyteller, too. Lots of anecdotes that rang true for me and, I bet for you, as a teacher.
Yes, I liked his other books, esp Why They Can't Write!