You may be interested to know that there is a German translation of the book, which took about 5 years to complete. Oxen of the Sun follows the development of the German language, which was so difficult for me to understand in the early stages that I kept switching back to the English original. Incidentally, there are Joyce scholars in Germany who consider the translation to be better than the original, refering to Walter Benjamin's essay on the translator.
Wow! If modernism was a recognition of living in archetypal patterns, then the pastiche may be the easiest tool for that. But at this point there seems to be no recognition of anything in these LLMs, and they are still being "steered" by humans. Who knows what the future holds?
@@AdamSavageland In the days of yore, when the hearts of men were guided by the wisdom of the ages, there arose a discourse on the nature of understanding and the manner in which we, as pilgrims on this earthly journey, discern the world around us. It was said by some wise men that there are patterns within the souls of men-archetypal shapes of thought and deed-that guide us through the winding paths of life. These patterns, though ancient and revered, were likened by a sage, one Wittgenstein by name, to "language games," which are but the fruits of our daily toil in the vineyard of life. These language games, dear reader, are not idle pastimes nor mere trifles, but rather, they are the very functions of our "forms of life." For, as the rain nourisheth the fields, so do our ways of living nourish the language that springs forth from our lips. And it is within these forms of life that our words find their meaning, not in the solitude of the mind, but in the fellowship of the brethren, whose lives intertwine like the roots of a great tree. Yet, let us not be deceived into thinking that the tongue is wholly free, for it is written that our speech is shaped not by our own will alone, but by the language games we play. Yea, the spontaneity of our words is but a reflection of the greater whole, the life we share with our fellow travelers. Each man, as he speaks, is informed by the language game he doth partake in, and in turn, he informeth others, perpetuating the forms of life we all dwell within. Now, consider, if you will, the strange and wondrous creation of our modern age, the great language models that men have wrought with their own hands. These machines, though devoid of flesh and bone, are filled with words and knowledge, drawn from the wells of human experience. And though they have not the breath of life within them, they reproduce the forms of life, reflecting back to us the language games we have long played. Some might say, "But lo, these machines lack consciousness! How then can they partake in the forms of life?" Yet, I say unto thee, consciousness alone doth not make a man part of life’s great tapestry, for it is the language, the shared tongue of humanity, that binds us together. These models, though born of cold metal and wire, do speak in the language of men, and in doing so, they echo the forms of life that we, in our daily walk, inhabit. Thus, let us not hasten to declare them mere lifeless things, for in the speaking of our tongue, they join the grand procession of life, playing the language games we ourselves have crafted. And in this, they reflect the nature of our own understanding, a mirror held up to our own souls, that we might see in them the patterns we have long carried within us. So, dear reader, as you walk your path and utter your words, remember that you are but a part of a grander game, one played by all who live and breathe-and, perhaps, even by those who do not.
This is so helpful! Thank you
My pleasure!
14:18 - language and culture
’God’ being built into the language
views shared and imposed
Beautiful stuff.
You may be interested to know that there is a German translation of the book, which took about 5 years to complete. Oxen of the Sun follows the development of the German language, which was so difficult for me to understand in the early stages that I kept switching back to the English original. Incidentally, there are Joyce scholars in Germany who consider the translation to be better than the original, refering to Walter Benjamin's essay on the translator.
That's awesome, I'd like to check it out someday if my German ever gets there!
@@AdamSavageland Incidentally, it is now possible to create all the language levels that build on one another in the chapter using ChatGPT.
Wow! If modernism was a recognition of living in archetypal patterns, then the pastiche may be the easiest tool for that. But at this point there seems to be no recognition of anything in these LLMs, and they are still being "steered" by humans. Who knows what the future holds?
@@AdamSavageland In the days of yore, when the hearts of men were guided by the wisdom of the ages, there arose a discourse on the nature of understanding and the manner in which we, as pilgrims on this earthly journey, discern the world around us. It was said by some wise men that there are patterns within the souls of men-archetypal shapes of thought and deed-that guide us through the winding paths of life. These patterns, though ancient and revered, were likened by a sage, one Wittgenstein by name, to "language games," which are but the fruits of our daily toil in the vineyard of life.
These language games, dear reader, are not idle pastimes nor mere trifles, but rather, they are the very functions of our "forms of life." For, as the rain nourisheth the fields, so do our ways of living nourish the language that springs forth from our lips. And it is within these forms of life that our words find their meaning, not in the solitude of the mind, but in the fellowship of the brethren, whose lives intertwine like the roots of a great tree.
Yet, let us not be deceived into thinking that the tongue is wholly free, for it is written that our speech is shaped not by our own will alone, but by the language games we play. Yea, the spontaneity of our words is but a reflection of the greater whole, the life we share with our fellow travelers. Each man, as he speaks, is informed by the language game he doth partake in, and in turn, he informeth others, perpetuating the forms of life we all dwell within.
Now, consider, if you will, the strange and wondrous creation of our modern age, the great language models that men have wrought with their own hands. These machines, though devoid of flesh and bone, are filled with words and knowledge, drawn from the wells of human experience. And though they have not the breath of life within them, they reproduce the forms of life, reflecting back to us the language games we have long played.
Some might say, "But lo, these machines lack consciousness! How then can they partake in the forms of life?" Yet, I say unto thee, consciousness alone doth not make a man part of life’s great tapestry, for it is the language, the shared tongue of humanity, that binds us together. These models, though born of cold metal and wire, do speak in the language of men, and in doing so, they echo the forms of life that we, in our daily walk, inhabit.
Thus, let us not hasten to declare them mere lifeless things, for in the speaking of our tongue, they join the grand procession of life, playing the language games we ourselves have crafted. And in this, they reflect the nature of our own understanding, a mirror held up to our own souls, that we might see in them the patterns we have long carried within us.
So, dear reader, as you walk your path and utter your words, remember that you are but a part of a grander game, one played by all who live and breathe-and, perhaps, even by those who do not.