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Allan Riverwood
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0 posted 2001-04-01 09:48 PM



You've all heard of translator engines on the Internet such as Babel Fish, where you type a word or website address into it and it translates it to or from the language of your choice??  Well just a while ago my very own mother sparked an idea in my mind...
What we really need these days is a translator engine for poetry and creative writing... so that we don't lose all the less perceptive readers such as my mother dear.  For example...

"The sentinels of wood stood still against the flickering white of the night, and the defiant cry of a woodland beast was heard somewhere in the distance, threatening, daring the traveler to turn back."

would become......

"Some guy was in the woods when it was snowing, and he heard a wolf."  

What do you all think?  Wouldn't it be a better way to show the deeper meanings of our poetry to the rest of the world?  Those intellectually challenged who can only tilt their heads at our brilliant works of art?  
I think we live in a world today where this sort of translator engine is necessary, any other opinions?
Thanks.

~Allan

The sun was born, so it shall die. ~VNV Nation, "Further"

© Copyright 2001 Brian James Lee - All Rights Reserved
Just A Woman
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1 posted 2001-04-01 09:50 PM


Perfect!!!!!!   *laughing*   I applaud!   *too funny*



"I can't remember if I'm the good twin or the evil one."

Poet deVine
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2 posted 2001-04-01 10:31 PM


I disagree. Let them come UP to the creative standard!
Temptress
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3 posted 2001-04-01 10:33 PM


OMG! You've cause my FIRST out loud laugh of the day! THANK YOU! (((HUGS))) I think its a great idea. You'll be an enterprising young man if you create it first, yanno! :supergrins:  

We're sorry..this heart has been d-i-s-c-o-n-n-e-c-t-e-d. Should you like to hold the line we'll be glad to reconnect you..

Severn
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4 posted 2001-04-02 01:52 AM


!!ALARM!!

What???

But...but...intellectually challenged people make me feel good about my writing!

HAHAHAHHAHAA

Sorry - it couldn't be helped...

~snicker~

K

Acies
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5 posted 2001-04-02 11:27 AM


I don't think there's intellectually challenged people here in pip

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this give life to thee." W.S.

Sven
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6 posted 2001-04-02 12:37 PM


Great idea Allan. . . but, I have to go with deVine on this one. . . LOL

-------------------------------------------------------

To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world.

Elizabeth
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7 posted 2001-04-02 02:10 PM


Well...no one will ever need to use one of those for my poems....cause mine are so simple  
Fading Away
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8 posted 2001-04-02 05:19 PM


LOL @ ALLAN!  That's too funny.....

We really do need one of those...

*Gasp* You actually made me laugh, Allan.  I've been so sick all day, and you got one outta me.. heh, Thank-ya!  

--Marie

coyote
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9 posted 2001-04-02 07:44 PM


Do we "cast pearls before swine"? (metaphorically speaking of course.)
Or would their perception evolve, if we let them live in the house with us?  
Interesting, Allan.
I must think.  


"The only thing new in the world, is the history we don't know."
Harry S. Truman

[This message has been edited by coyote (edited 04-02-2001).]

Dopey Dope
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10 posted 2001-04-02 08:30 PM


If they don't understand it.....too bad!!!!
Mwhaha!!!

fractal007
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11 posted 2001-04-03 04:34 PM


Allan:

Truth be told, and not meaning to be indellicate,  "What the heck's gotten into you?"  That post of yours was rather haughty in a way.  I don't think we have a right to boast about any sort of higher intellectual quality we may have.

Anyhow, sorry if I've offended you there.  Now for the response to your question.  I don't believe that such an engine would do poetry any justice, but rather degrade it.  Allowing computers to infiltrate into something which is only human, namely poetry and its appreciation, would do human dignity a severe injustice.  It would also destroy much of what a poem was meant to convey.  

I mean, your own poetry is a good example.  If we were to apply your hypothetical engine to your poetry, which is much more abstract at times, the result would be either extremely humourous or else simply random jibberish.  

The computer would also have to possess the qualities of artificial intelligence, so as to emulate the way in which an educated human would analyze a poem.  But even then the computer would still be prone to mistakes.

So, I believe that a computer program for the purpose of interpreting poetry would be very degrading to poetry, reducing it to nothing more than some slightly higher form of human comunication and language, rather than a conveyance of something which echoes through the human soul[assuming you believe that that exists] and the individual, conveying emotions.

"If history is to change, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh"

-- Magus

Allan Riverwood
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12 posted 2001-04-03 04:59 PM


Thanks for setting me straight, Fractal.  I was hardly being serious...
LoveBug
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13 posted 2001-04-03 10:25 PM


Ah come on... SMILE!!!!!!!!!

                          

I thought this was cute! I could use that for the people in my community! Hehe!


Just A Woman
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14 posted 2001-04-04 02:35 AM


I thought it was a hoot!  



"I can't remember if I'm the good twin or the evil one."

Temptress
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15 posted 2001-04-04 05:32 AM


Ohh..geesh..someone took this serious? ROTFL!   Yes..I'm with Love Bug...SMILE, YOU GUYS! This was simply cute.
I could use it for the people in the community I just moved from.

still d-i-s-c-o-n-n-e-c-t-e-d
I am bound by this, you see...to become Night's sole mistress, and I am jealous in my endeavours for his attention.

Brad
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Jejudo, South Korea
16 posted 2001-04-04 08:38 AM


Actually, I thought fractal's point was valid. Even as a joke, this is a deeply disturbing "us and them" kind of thing. "Lighten up" is probably the response to my comments here. But it is also a code, a code for who is 'in' and who is not. I am not. I don't want to be.

Brad

Dopey Dope
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17 posted 2001-04-04 04:43 PM


Geesh.....this got a bit too blah....
I agree with frac tho....

c'est la vie


Acies
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18 posted 2001-04-04 05:13 PM


To tell you the truth, I don't think computers are capable of annalyzing poetry anyways.....Human intelligence is still too different from that of a computer

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this give life to thee." W.S.

Dopey Dope
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19 posted 2001-04-04 10:12 PM


The human mind will always be more intelligent than a  computer......always.


Allan Riverwood
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20 posted 2001-04-04 10:27 PM


That's off the thread topic, Javier... but I'd like to discuss that with you sometime.
Dopey Dope
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21 posted 2001-04-05 03:24 PM


Ready and willing  
fractal007
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22 posted 2001-04-05 04:03 PM


Dopey:

Not necessarilly.  Computer intelligence is fast approaching human intelligence.  Already we've been able to make primative neural networks of chips that actually simulate neurons.  It is quite possible that in the near future computers will be capable of emulating human consciousness.

Allan:

Sorry for sounding so serious.  I just don't like the idea of having computers do something that is so purely a human activity.  It almost strips poetry of its beauty and makes it into just another computer algorithm to be solved by some scientist somewhere.  I wonder what mankind will be like in the near future when he has finished destroying the awe and mystery surrounding his every being...

Already we have computer programs capable of emulating any composer's style and composing their own music.  What's next?  A computer capable of writing poetry?

"If history is to change, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh"

-- Magus

Allan Riverwood
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23 posted 2001-04-05 04:58 PM


Once again, Frac... I'd really love to discuss this with you outside of this thread sometime, on ICQ or something?  
Seems like a very nice discussion that I'd love to take part in.

The sun was born, so it shall die. ~VNV Nation, "Further"

Brad
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Jejudo, South Korea
24 posted 2001-04-05 06:01 PM


Computers already write poetry (as long as we consider the automatic mode as a possibility, the random putting together of words without conscious thought). This thread has stayed with me but I was wondering if anybody wants to go more in depth? I've got to go to a different city today but if anybody else has the time, why not start a thread in philosophy.

Allan,
You've started some good ideas but why do you always want to limit yourself to ICQ or AOL or any of the other, well, one liners around there?  

Brad

fractal007
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25 posted 2001-04-06 05:25 AM


Agreed on that, Brad.  I definitely think this should be brought to the table in Philosophy.  I will try to post the question tomorrow[it's 0224 right now] if nobody else does by then.

"If history is to change, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh"

-- Magus

Dopey Dope
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26 posted 2001-04-06 12:27 PM


I'd like to participate in this discussion in Philo.
But lemme just say....just cuz a comp can mimick human intelligence doesn't mean it is up to human intelligence.

fractal007
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27 posted 2001-04-06 10:38 PM


I have posted the question at phil, for all those that are interested.

"If history is to change, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh"

-- Magus

Dopey Dope
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28 posted 2001-04-07 02:30 AM


*takes a note of that*
I shall check

Acies
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29 posted 2001-04-07 02:44 PM


on my way

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this give life to thee." W.S.

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