The Return of Ulysses
The Humanities in Practice

This lecture draws on examples from English studies, medieval studies and the humanities, the three areas in which Lees conducts her work, to explore what the humanities in practice tell us about their potential at this critical juncture.

Red light protrudes from gate
Humanities Futures

Debates have raged over whether the latest crisis of the humanities is rhetoric or reality. In either case, perceptions matter, and such perceptions have real consequences. So what should be done?

mu-hume2.jpg
Education in the Age of AI

Primitive hunter-gatherers, given the broad range of tasks they had to carry out to survive, have a skill set more immune to the “cognitive” smarts of new AI technologies than a highly educated, highly specialized service worker! This reveals something about both the nature of AI and the nature of the division of labor in contemporary capitalism. It helps us understand that AI systems are best viewed as idiot savants, not Renaissance Men.