SubsidieMeestersThe Lost Manuscripts of Medieval Europe: Modelling the Transmission of Texts
LostMa investigates the evolution of human cultures through the transmission of written artefacts, using AI and complexity science to analyze and simulate textual survival and loss.
Projectdetails
Introduction
LostMa aims at understanding how human cultures are constituted and evolve, through the question of the transmission of written cultural artefacts. It strives to establish in what measure the transmission (and subsequent preservation or loss) of written artefacts, texts, and ideas deviates from pure chance. If it deviates, the project seeks to determine by how much and why it does.
Methodology
To achieve these goals, the project will analyze the way that texts in manuscript form were copied, transformed, or destroyed. This analysis will be conducted in a manner similar to the evolution of living organisms or language variants, through processes of:
- Innovation/mutation
- Fixation
- Extinction
As such, the goal of this project is not only to understand the processes behind the transmission of texts but also to grasp the extent to which humans are the actors of the transmission of their own culture. Additionally, it will explore how much the survival of texts or the constitution of cultural canons are due to chance.
Context
If this notion may seem provocative to humanities researchers, evolutionary biologists have long discovered the role of random drift in the survival or extinction of genetic traits and species.
Investigation
To investigate this question, this project will attempt a paradigm shift in philological methods by combining:
- Artificial intelligence
- Complexity science
- Philological expertise
Stochastic birth-and-death processes and computer multi-agent simulations will be used to emulate the process of textual transmission.
Case Study
A case study will focus on chivalric literature in the European context. Supported by deep learning methods, large-scale data collection will be made on a corpus of 4000 documents in Romance, Germanic, and Celtic languages, with a full-text zoom on approximately 1000 Old French manuscripts.
Data Analysis
The data collected will provide observable values to be compared to simulation results. This comparison will allow researchers to:
- Measure deviations from chance
- Make inferences on non-observable values such as loss/survival rates of works and manuscripts
- Understand the dynamics at work behind the transmission of texts.
Financiële details & Tijdlijn
Financiële details
| Subsidiebedrag | € 1.499.235 |
| Totale projectbegroting | € 1.499.235 |
Tijdlijn
| Startdatum | 1-1-2024 |
| Einddatum | 31-12-2028 |
| Subsidiejaar | 2024 |
Partners & Locaties
Projectpartners
- ECOLE NATIONALE DES CHARTESpenvoerder
Land(en)
Vergelijkbare projecten binnen European Research Council
| Project | Regeling | Bedrag | Jaar | Actie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MANUNKIND: Determinants and Dynamics of Collaborative ExploitationThis project aims to develop a game theoretic framework to analyze the psychological and strategic dynamics of collaborative exploitation, informing policies to combat modern slavery. | ERC STG | € 1.497.749 | 2022 | Details |
Elucidating the phenotypic convergence of proliferation reduction under growth-induced pressureThe UnderPressure project aims to investigate how mechanical constraints from 3D crowding affect cell proliferation and signaling in various organisms, with potential applications in reducing cancer chemoresistance. | ERC STG | € 1.498.280 | 2022 | Details |
Uncovering the mechanisms of action of an antiviral bacteriumThis project aims to uncover the mechanisms behind Wolbachia's antiviral protection in insects and develop tools for studying symbiont gene function. | ERC STG | € 1.500.000 | 2023 | Details |
The Ethics of Loneliness and SociabilityThis project aims to develop a normative theory of loneliness by analyzing ethical responsibilities of individuals and societies to prevent and alleviate loneliness, establishing a new philosophical sub-field. | ERC STG | € 1.025.860 | 2023 | Details |
MANUNKIND: Determinants and Dynamics of Collaborative Exploitation
This project aims to develop a game theoretic framework to analyze the psychological and strategic dynamics of collaborative exploitation, informing policies to combat modern slavery.
Elucidating the phenotypic convergence of proliferation reduction under growth-induced pressure
The UnderPressure project aims to investigate how mechanical constraints from 3D crowding affect cell proliferation and signaling in various organisms, with potential applications in reducing cancer chemoresistance.
Uncovering the mechanisms of action of an antiviral bacterium
This project aims to uncover the mechanisms behind Wolbachia's antiviral protection in insects and develop tools for studying symbiont gene function.
The Ethics of Loneliness and Sociability
This project aims to develop a normative theory of loneliness by analyzing ethical responsibilities of individuals and societies to prevent and alleviate loneliness, establishing a new philosophical sub-field.
Vergelijkbare projecten uit andere regelingen
| Project | Regeling | Bedrag | Jaar | Actie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Migrations of Textual and Scribal Traditions via Large-Scale Computational Analysis of Medieval Manuscripts in Hebrew ScriptMIDRASH aims to develop an interdisciplinary methodology using advanced technologies to study and reconstruct medieval Hebrew manuscripts, enhancing understanding of Jewish literary culture and its historical significance. | ERC SyG | € 10.296.259 | 2023 | Details |
Post-National Reconceptions of European Literary History: A Mixed-Method Approach to a Late Medieval Text TraditionThe Post-REALM project aims to revolutionize medieval literature studies by digitally analyzing 26 versions of 'Floire and Blancheflor' to uncover cross-lingual text traditions and their dissemination. | ERC COG | € 1.873.963 | 2023 | Details |
Tool for the Analysis of Information Transfer in Manuscript CulturesThe TInTraMac project develops a free, flexible research tool to encourage scholars to adopt digital methods for analyzing manuscript texts, enhancing accessibility and collaboration in textual studies. | ERC POC | € 150.000 | 2023 | Details |
Linguistic traces: low-frequency forms as evidence of language and population historyThis project aims to reconstruct early European languages by analyzing low-frequency linguistic variants in historical texts, integrating philology with deep learning to uncover cultural interactions. | ERC ADG | € 2.498.135 | 2025 | Details |
Migrations of Textual and Scribal Traditions via Large-Scale Computational Analysis of Medieval Manuscripts in Hebrew Script
MIDRASH aims to develop an interdisciplinary methodology using advanced technologies to study and reconstruct medieval Hebrew manuscripts, enhancing understanding of Jewish literary culture and its historical significance.
Post-National Reconceptions of European Literary History: A Mixed-Method Approach to a Late Medieval Text Tradition
The Post-REALM project aims to revolutionize medieval literature studies by digitally analyzing 26 versions of 'Floire and Blancheflor' to uncover cross-lingual text traditions and their dissemination.
Tool for the Analysis of Information Transfer in Manuscript Cultures
The TInTraMac project develops a free, flexible research tool to encourage scholars to adopt digital methods for analyzing manuscript texts, enhancing accessibility and collaboration in textual studies.
Linguistic traces: low-frequency forms as evidence of language and population history
This project aims to reconstruct early European languages by analyzing low-frequency linguistic variants in historical texts, integrating philology with deep learning to uncover cultural interactions.