What Is Digital Humanities

Technology is the wings for distant journeys, 

and humanities are the homeland of the soul. 

Five Forms of Technology Supporting Humanities:

(1)   Using technology to archive the humanities: This is a form that has been more commonly practiced in the past, especially in the realm of digital archiving. It involves the visual, textual, and audio-visual recording and storage of human history, religion, philosophy, and artistic texts and works in 2D or 3D formats, preserving and cherishing them for future generations. These digitized materials can serve as educational resources and a repository for various lectures and audiovisual content, much like art collections.

(2)   Using technology to present the humanities: Traditional art, literature, genealogy, historical narratives, cultural geography data, and even music, dance, and audio-visual content have typically required physical interaction to be experienced. With digital technology, methods like projection mapping, holographic projections, interactive map queries, AR/VR/MR, games, and podcasts can be employed to provide people with remote and readily accessible interactions with physical environments and objects, enhancing their experiences and emotions related to the humanities.

(3)   Using technology to analyze the humanities: For instance, leveraging big data or existing databases to analyze classical or literary works can lead to a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of history and texts. This can help uncover multiple layers of meaning, breaking free from the limitations of fragmented or partial manual exploration. This aspect makes use of cloud databases, data mining, and visual data analysis, strengthening human understanding of the essence of the humanities. It can even involve the acquisition of physiological data, such as eye movement or brainwaves, to explore digital humanities from new angles and develop innovative research methods, delving into the states of human interaction with the humanities and understanding their impact on humanity's present and future.

(4)  Using technology to facilitate the circulation of the humanities: In the art field, rapid progress is being made in the circulation and collection of art using blockchain, NFTs, and virtual currencies. More digital humanities creations can draw inspiration from these practices and evolve.

(5) Innovation resulting from the fusion of technology and the humanities: The organic integration of digital technology and the human society can bring about both technical and ecological transformations. This includes innovative ideas and practices in combining and applying digital technology in fields such as history, philosophy, literature, art, linguistics, archaeology, musicology, psychology, sociology, and cultural studies. Examples of such changes include digital gaming, digital exhibitions, digital publishing, the integration of IoT and ICT, and media fusion, among others. The potential for such transformations is limitless, and the outcomes are unpredictable.

Five Goals of Humanistic Artificial Intelligence （HAI）：

From a humanistic perspective, amidst the stark reality of technology's introduction, there should be a heightened emphasis on caring for and valuing people, understanding societal needs, and innovating toward goals. The presence of digital technology should serve as a lever for humanistic endeavors. Its development should not merely pursue technical advancement, ignoring potential problems, negative impacts, or related factors. Conversely, technology should serve humanity, providing and supporting the existence of "people," imbuing it with positive significance. In terms of functionality, the application of digital technology focuses on the five major needs of "people.

(1)   Safeguarding the Basic Safety and Rights of Individuals: The most fundamental needs of human beings include physical health and safety, as well as ensuring their legal rights and freedoms. This involves providing access to good food, clean water, and adequate medical care to ensure the basic physiological needs of individuals are met. Smart healthcare systems enable video diagnosis, physiological signal monitoring, medical training, and services to be delivered more quickly and conveniently, supporting the physical and mental well-being of individuals, as well as facilitating activities and efficiency in remote settings. Additionally, guaranteeing equal rights for everyone in society, including freedom of speech, privacy rights, and the right to education, ensures that individuals can live with dignity and pursue their potential development in society. This kind of safeguarding not only concerns individuals but also reflects a society's respect and care for each of its members. Furthermore, as digital technology advances, personal information becomes more frequently circulated online, leading to increased risks such as hacking, malware, and fraud. Encryption technology and identity authentication become essential defenses for protecting personal information privacy, ensuring that sensitive data can be stored securely in digital spaces and not accessed illegally. Surveillance and detection systems, along with machine learning capabilities, aid in tracking criminal activities and improving public safety through real-time data analysis and predictive modeling. This also involves respecting individual dignity, and basic rights such as work and speech, promoting social inclusion, equal access to education and healthcare, preventing abuse of power, and enhancing self-realization and quality of life..

(2)   Enhancing the Convenience and Efficiency of People's Lives: Digital technology has facilitated the development of smart homes and smart cities, enabling people to lead more convenient and efficient lives. The development of smart appliances reduces household chores and enhances comfort. Smart transportation optimizes traffic flow and improves road efficiency. Online shopping and technology-enabled logistics make the delivery of goods faster. Moreover, high-speed internet and various detection and management mechanisms not only provide access to information for the masses but also enable remote work and learning, allowing people to participate in courses and meetings from different locations with greater flexibility and autonomy.

(3)   Strengthening Human Interactions and Participation: Digital technology and mobile devices provide functions such as personal communication, digital recording, and information dissemination, enhancing the ability of individuals to connect with others and participate in social activities. Social media platforms and self-media shorten the distance between people, making it easier for individuals to share, collaborate, and communicate with friends, colleagues, and global communities. Through collaboration platforms, individuals can work together across different time zones and locations. By leveraging community networks, online communities can be established, allowing people to form close-knit groups based on specific interests, industries, or regions, facilitating sharing and collaboration. Additionally, individuals can participate in online events, ceremonies, and gatherings, providing flexibility in event participation.

(4)  Addressing Social Issues and Conflicts for "People": Through big data analysis, the root causes of social problems can be deeply understood, and effective solutions can be proposed. For example, technologies such as disease monitoring and medical resource allocation can improve public health standards. Utilizing sensing technology, drones, and satellite monitoring can provide real-time environmental data, monitor air and water quality, forest coverage, etc., and formulate policies to address environmental changes based on climate change data. Social media, with its instant message circulation, provides a multi-entry platform for social organizations, arousing and consolidating public awareness, and helping to promote social change and improve public participation efficiency.

(5) Enriching the Meaning and Value of Human Existence: Human culture and civilization are rich repositories of memory, representing accumulated knowledge from the past; culture represents identity through language, religion, and customs, fostering a sense of common consciousness. Cultural artifacts are the carriers of culture, representing the crystallization of collective consciousness. Cultural artifacts are not only static objects but also a synthesis of society, culture, and education, with extensive value and significance. Using digital technology to archive cultural artifacts plays a role in the inheritance of history and culture. Through archiving, people can experience the lifestyle, artistic style, technological achievements, etc., of specific periods, helping to continue human traditions, thoughts, and achievements. The inheritance of human philosophical, cultural values, and moral views serve as a guide for behavior and social norms, promoting social stability and development through a common moral system. Now, digital technology brings people a simple and fast creative environment, allowing individuals to generate literature, art, music, etc., quickly and freely through text and images to express and share their inner thoughts and imagination. Various multimedia presentations provide readers and listeners with richer and deeper experiences, including education, culture, and travel, enhancing people's understanding and expanding their understanding of the world.

Guiding Technological Advancement with Humanism & Establishing Paradigms of Humanistic Value