Latest news with #EMForster
NZ Herald
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
The curious story of EM Forster and his flying fish of literature
In an essay for The Atlantic in 1926, Edwardian novelist EM Forster said, 'Literature is a flying fish.' Ironically, it was a quote that never took off. As an afterthought, perhaps knowing it was a dud, he surrounded it with some explanation. 'The fish are the English emotions,' he mumbled, 'which are always trying to get up to the surface but don't quite know how.' He goes on to say that when these emotions do come out as art,
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Lost Alan Turing papers, rediscovered in loft, to go under the hammer
Lost scientific papers of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, rescued from a loft and then nearly destroyed, are set to go under the hammer in June. The archive, expected to fetch thousands of pounds, offers a glimpse into the mind of the brilliant mathematician. Among the rediscovered treasures is a signed personal copy of Mr Turing's 1939 PhD dissertation, Systems Of Logic Based On Ordinals, a work exploring the foundations of mathematical logic. The archive also contains On Computable Numbers from 1937, a paper considered by many to be the first programming manual of the computer age. Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffordshire, which is managing the sale, revealed the provenance of the papers. Originally gifted to Mr Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge by Mr Turing's mother, Ethel, the collection became a hidden gem, tucked away for decades. These 'offprints', as they are known, were academic papers produced in limited numbers for circulation within scholarly circles. Mr Turing's PhD dissertation alone carries a pre-auction estimate of £40,000 to £60,000. The collection also includes correspondence from renowned novelist E.M. Forster. Following Mr Routledge's death, the papers were moved to a relative's loft after his Bermondsey home was cleared, narrowly escaping destruction. One of Mr Routledge's nieces said: 'When he died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives. 'Norman was an amazing man who showed genuine interest in everyone he came into contact with. His family were very important to him. He kept in regular contact and was interested in what each one was doing. 'We finally had an opportunity to see Norman's papers when the family hosted a 'Routledge Reunion' weekend in November 2024.' The papers were brought along in a carrier bag, the woman said. 'One cousin felt the Turing and Forster papers might be of interest to collectors.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, described the collection as 'the most important archive I've ever handled', adding: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag.' He said: 'These seemingly plain papers – perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers – represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing. 'Literature has always been my forte, not mathematics, so the past few months of intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman.' It was like 'studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation', Mr Spencer said. 'It's at least comforting to know that he lives on through his work. He survives through his legacy.' The collection also includes The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis. Dating from 1952, it is Mr Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology, and his last major published work. A single piece of paper which was Mr Turing's first published paper in 1935, Equivalence Of Left And Right Almost Periodicity, also forms part of the archive. It was gifted to Mr Routledge by Mr Turing's mother Ethel and her handwritten letter dated 16 May 1956 is also included. The letter reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints…I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan…I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Mr Spencer added: 'This fascinating letter is a golden thread that neatly ties up and seals the authenticity of everything being offered.' The Alan Turing Papers: The Collection Of Norman Routledge (1928-2013) will be held on 17 June by Rare Book Auctions, Lichfield. Bidding will be available worldwide.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Alan Turing papers found in loft and nearly shredded to be auctioned
Scientific papers belonging to Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing which were discovered in a loft and nearly shredded are expected to fetch thousands of pounds at auction next month. The archive of papers belonging to the mathematician include a signed personal copy of his 1939 PhD dissertation Systems Of Logic Based On Ordinals' and On Computable Numbers from 1937, described as the first programming manual of the computer age. Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffordshire, the firm handling the sale, revealed the archive had originally been gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge by his mother Ethel. The papers, known as 'offprints', were produced in small numbers and distributed within academia, making them scarce survivors that rarely appear on the market. Turing's PhD alone has been valued at between £40,000 and £60,000 by the auction house. Routledge kept the papers, which also included letters from novelist EM Forster, and on his death they were taken to a relative's loft after his Bermondsey home was cleared out. Explaining how they were rediscovered, one of Routledge's nieces said: 'When he died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives. 'Norman was an amazing man who showed genuine interest in everyone he came into contact with. His family were very important to him. He kept in regular contact and was interested in what each one was doing. 'We finally had an opportunity to see Norman's papers when the family hosted a 'Routledge Reunion' weekend in November 2024. 'The papers were brought along in a carrier bag. One cousin felt the Turing and Forster papers might be of interest to collectors.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, described the collection as 'the most important archive I've ever handled', adding: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag.' He said: 'These seemingly plain papers – perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers – represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing. ' Literature has always been my forte, not mathematics, so the past few months of intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman. 'For me, it's like studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation. 'It's at least comforting to know that he lives on through his work. He survives through his legacy.' The collection also includes The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis. Dating from 1952, it is Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology, and his last major published work. A single piece of paper which was Turing's first published paper in 1935, Equivalence Of Left And Right Almost Periodicity, also forms part of the archive. It was gifted to Routledge by Turing's mother Ethel and her handwritten letter dated May 16 1956 is also included. The letter reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints…I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan…I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Spencer added: 'This fascinating letter is a golden thread that neatly ties up and seals the authenticity of everything being offered.' The Alan Turing Papers: The Collection Of Norman Routledge (1928-2013) will be held on June 17 by Rare Book Auctions, Lichfield. Bidding will be available worldwide.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
Students' use of AI spells death knell for critical thinking
Regarding your report (UK universities warned to 'stress-test' assessments as 92% of students use AI, 26 February), for centuries universities have seen themselves as repositories of knowledge and the truth. This began breaking down when experts were no longer valued, critical thinking undermined and public discourse increasingly polarised. In this world, traditional sources of knowledge have been increasingly rejected. Books, journal articles and old media are challenged by developments in information presentation and retrieval, most notably through apps and social media. It has led to the 'Tinderfication' of knowledge. Curated reading lists, for example, which academics spend time on researching, highlighting key thinkers and writings, are often overlooked by students in favour of a Google search. If a student does not like what they read, they can simply swipe left. Algorithms can then send students in unexpected directions, often diverting them away from academic rigour to non-academic resources. It is important that students have access to learning materials 24/7. But does knowledge become another convenience food? It is available at the touch of a button online, is effectively delivered to your door and there are so many outlets to choose from. There might be quantity, but not necessarily quality: AI is the ultimate convenience food. This raises fundamental questions about not just what we mean by knowledge, but also what the role of education, and academics, will be in the future. I can appreciate the benefits of AI in the sciences, economics or mathematics, where facts are often unquestionable, but what about the humanities and social sciences, where much is contestable? We are rapidly losing ground to profound societal changes that could have unimaginable consequences for universities if we do not respond Andrew MoranLondon Metropolitan University • As a university lecturer in the humanities, where essays remain a key means of assessment, I am not surprised to hear that there has been an explosive increase in the use of AI. It is aggressively promoted as a time-saving good by tech companies, and wider political discourse only reinforces this view without questioning AI's limitations and ethics. While AI may be useful in several academic contexts – in writing basic reports and conducting initial research, for example – its use by students to write essays is indicative of the devaluing of humanities subjects and a misunderstanding of what original writing in disciplines such as history, literature and philosophy enables: critical thinking. 'How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?' asked the great novelist EM Forster. He meant that writing is a sophisticated form of thinking, and that learning to write well, to feel one's way through the development of an idea or argument, is at the heart of writing. When we ask AI to write an essay, we are not simply outsourcing labour, we are outsourcing our thinking and its development, which over time will only render us more confused and less intelligent. In a neoliberal technological age in which we are often obsessed with a product rather than the process by which it was made, it is hardly surprising that the true value of writing is being overlooked. Students are simply taking their cues from a world losing touch with the irreplaceable value of human creativity and critical thinking. Dr Ben WilkinsonSheffieldSign in to access your portfolio
The Guardian
02-03-2025
- The Guardian
Students' use of AI spells death knell for critical thinking
Regarding your report (UK universities warned to 'stress-test' assessments as 92% of students use AI, 26 February), for centuries universities have seen themselves as repositories of knowledge and the truth. This began breaking down when experts were no longer valued, critical thinking undermined and public discourse increasingly polarised. In this world, traditional sources of knowledge have been increasingly rejected. Books, journal articles and old media are challenged by developments in information presentation and retrieval, most notably through apps and social media. It has led to the 'Tinderfication' of knowledge. Curated reading lists, for example, which academics spend time on researching, highlighting key thinkers and writings, are often overlooked by students in favour of a Google search. If a student does not like what they read, they can simply swipe left. Algorithms can then send students in unexpected directions, often diverting them away from academic rigour to non-academic resources. It is important that students have access to learning materials 24/7. But does knowledge become another convenience food? It is available at the touch of a button online, is effectively delivered to your door and there are so many outlets to choose from. There might be quantity, but not necessarily quality: AI is the ultimate convenience food. This raises fundamental questions about not just what we mean by knowledge, but also what the role of education, and academics, will be in the future. I can appreciate the benefits of AI in the sciences, economics or mathematics, where facts are often unquestionable, but what about the humanities and social sciences, where much is contestable? We are rapidly losing ground to profound societal changes that could have unimaginable consequences for universities if we do not respond Andrew MoranLondon Metropolitan University As a university lecturer in the humanities, where essays remain a key means of assessment, I am not surprised to hear that there has been an explosive increase in the use of AI. It is aggressively promoted as a time-saving good by tech companies, and wider political discourse only reinforces this view without questioning AI's limitations and ethics. While AI may be useful in several academic contexts – in writing basic reports and conducting initial research, for example – its use by students to write essays is indicative of the devaluing of humanities subjects and a misunderstanding of what original writing in disciplines such as history, literature and philosophy enables: critical thinking. 'How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?' asked the great novelist EM Forster. He meant that writing is a sophisticated form of thinking, and that learning to write well, to feel one's way through the development of an idea or argument, is at the heart of writing. When we ask AI to write an essay, we are not simply outsourcing labour, we are outsourcing our thinking and its development, which over time will only render us more confused and less intelligent. In a neoliberal technological age in which we are often obsessed with a product rather than the process by which it was made, it is hardly surprising that the true value of writing is being overlooked. Students are simply taking their cues from a world losing touch with the irreplaceable value of human creativity and critical thinking. Dr Ben WilkinsonSheffield Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
