Sig Sønnesyn
@sigsonnesyn.bsky.social
Lecturer in Medieval Christianity, a sheep farmer in De Wulf's clothing, aspiring well-meaning idiot. Lonergan, Burrell, MacIntyre, McCabe. Waiting not for a Godot, but for another – doubtless very different – Alasdair MacIntyre.
Pinned
Sig Sønnesyn
@sigsonnesyn.bsky.social
· Apr 15
a man is holding a microphone in front of a crowd and says " well it 's groundhog day ... again "
ALT: a man is holding a microphone in front of a crowd and says " well it 's groundhog day ... again "
media.tenor.com
‘A picture held us captive. And we could not get outside of it, for it lay in our language, and language seemed to repeat it to us inexorably.’
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations, §115
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations, §115
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
no, it simply isnt.
People are talking about capital using gAI as an excuse to conduct mass lay-offs, about students losing learning because theyre being lied to about gAI in education, about the mass theft of the work of artists and authors to train LLMs, about CSAM and nonconsensual sexual images.
People are talking about capital using gAI as an excuse to conduct mass lay-offs, about students losing learning because theyre being lied to about gAI in education, about the mass theft of the work of artists and authors to train LLMs, about CSAM and nonconsensual sexual images.
The predominent anti-AI position on bsky is that AI is useless, fake, shit and basically the same as NFTs, destined to collapse in months once everyone sees how poor it is. So anyone who suggests that it could improve or be useful to any boss in any situation in the future must be evil.
February 12, 2026 at 1:19 PM
no, it simply isnt.
People are talking about capital using gAI as an excuse to conduct mass lay-offs, about students losing learning because theyre being lied to about gAI in education, about the mass theft of the work of artists and authors to train LLMs, about CSAM and nonconsensual sexual images.
People are talking about capital using gAI as an excuse to conduct mass lay-offs, about students losing learning because theyre being lied to about gAI in education, about the mass theft of the work of artists and authors to train LLMs, about CSAM and nonconsensual sexual images.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Breaking News: The Trump administration repealed the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life and well being, meaning that the EPA can no longer regulate them. nyti.ms/4rSszQu
February 12, 2026 at 8:38 PM
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
My doomer-worry about AI is not that the LLMs become omnipotent and take over the world but that the wealthy and powerful use it as a means to consolidate power and marginalize or lay off skilled workers and also everything about our technological and political and social life gets worse
February 11, 2026 at 8:20 PM
My doomer-worry about AI is not that the LLMs become omnipotent and take over the world but that the wealthy and powerful use it as a means to consolidate power and marginalize or lay off skilled workers and also everything about our technological and political and social life gets worse
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
The Higher Education sector has to get out there and defend itself, on the front foot, fighting fire with fire. Its enemies are coming at it. But it's just asleep at the wheel.
Bangor is a truly great university - one of our best. It's got a fantastic student experience and wonderful teaching. Anyone would be proud to go there. (1/2)
www.bangor.ac.uk/about/about-...
www.bangor.ac.uk/about/about-...
About the University
www.bangor.ac.uk
February 10, 2026 at 11:58 AM
The Higher Education sector has to get out there and defend itself, on the front foot, fighting fire with fire. Its enemies are coming at it. But it's just asleep at the wheel.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Dear university administrators, politicians of good will, and the general public, we need the field of religious studies more now than we have ever.
We live in a delusional rich man's fever dream.
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example | Fortune
The Gen Z Swedish climate activist is a legionnaire of the Antichrist, Thiel claims, a “Luddite” who wants to halt technological progress in its tracks.
fortune.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Dear university administrators, politicians of good will, and the general public, we need the field of religious studies more now than we have ever.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
this is an amazing sentence
February 6, 2026 at 1:26 AM
this is an amazing sentence
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Striking paper from researchers at Anthropic using a randomised control trial to look at the effects of AI use on skills acquisition.
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
February 4, 2026 at 7:47 AM
Striking paper from researchers at Anthropic using a randomised control trial to look at the effects of AI use on skills acquisition.
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Revelation 28:7: "There was a great trumpet blast, and I saw the Lamb of God tackled to the ground by Babylonian border patrol and thrown in jail for illegal crossing."
Q: Pope Leo cited Matthew 25:35 to critique Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda. How would you respond to Pope Leo in scripture?
MIKE JOHNSON: Sovereign borders are biblical and right and just. It's not because we hate the people on the outside. It's because we love the people on the inside.
MIKE JOHNSON: Sovereign borders are biblical and right and just. It's not because we hate the people on the outside. It's because we love the people on the inside.
February 3, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Revelation 28:7: "There was a great trumpet blast, and I saw the Lamb of God tackled to the ground by Babylonian border patrol and thrown in jail for illegal crossing."
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
I feel obliged to remind everyone that there are plenty of countries where higher education is either completely free or cost a token amount of tuition money and that many of these countries offer top notch teaching and research. It’s a political choice.
February 3, 2026 at 5:59 PM
I feel obliged to remind everyone that there are plenty of countries where higher education is either completely free or cost a token amount of tuition money and that many of these countries offer top notch teaching and research. It’s a political choice.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
In the UK academic recession, you will be at one of these stages since many unis buy the same cuts model from the same consultancies. It is always the same process:
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
February 2, 2026 at 8:29 PM
In the UK academic recession, you will be at one of these stages since many unis buy the same cuts model from the same consultancies. It is always the same process:
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
Vosso
The big, brown Patoka
My favorite Twitter prompt was "RT this with your home river," so reskeet this with your home river.
Mine is the Patuxent.
Mine is the Patuxent.
February 3, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Vosso
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Next week’s course on Greek palaeography is sold out, but we still have some places on beginner and intermediate Latin 👇 #medievalsky @ies-sas.bsky.social
ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
Introduction to Latin Palaeography
ies.sas.ac.uk
January 29, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Next week’s course on Greek palaeography is sold out, but we still have some places on beginner and intermediate Latin 👇 #medievalsky @ies-sas.bsky.social
ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
ies.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
The old test in moral philosophy ‘what if everyone did that?’ is coming back to haunt us. LLMs only work because the information they are sucking up was not generated by LLMs. But as they drive more and more real researchers out of business they are building layers and layers on their own quicksand.
January 28, 2026 at 8:22 AM
The old test in moral philosophy ‘what if everyone did that?’ is coming back to haunt us. LLMs only work because the information they are sucking up was not generated by LLMs. But as they drive more and more real researchers out of business they are building layers and layers on their own quicksand.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Why is it ok for mathematicians to spend whole careers working on proofs when we’re expected to turn them around within a week?
January 27, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Why is it ok for mathematicians to spend whole careers working on proofs when we’re expected to turn them around within a week?
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
I was praying for Minneapolis and the US earlier, for those living in fear of abduction and detention, and for those resisting, and I found I had the line “I have heard Him in the whistles of the ones of watch for ICE,” so I share that in case it encourages anyone.
January 23, 2026 at 8:29 AM
I was praying for Minneapolis and the US earlier, for those living in fear of abduction and detention, and for those resisting, and I found I had the line “I have heard Him in the whistles of the ones of watch for ICE,” so I share that in case it encourages anyone.
Eg har alltid hatt enorm sans for Vetlesen som filosof, og denne nydelege praktiske anvendinga av dei grunnleggande standpunkta hans minner meg på kvifor.
January 20, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Eg har alltid hatt enorm sans for Vetlesen som filosof, og denne nydelege praktiske anvendinga av dei grunnleggande standpunkta hans minner meg på kvifor.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
I always wondered, when I read Suetonius, how everyone could put up with Caligula for so long.
I think I understand better now. The institutional and social inertia is so strong, especially among elites with “something to lose”. No one wants to stick their heads up first, so they go into denial.
I think I understand better now. The institutional and social inertia is so strong, especially among elites with “something to lose”. No one wants to stick their heads up first, so they go into denial.
January 17, 2026 at 7:02 PM
I always wondered, when I read Suetonius, how everyone could put up with Caligula for so long.
I think I understand better now. The institutional and social inertia is so strong, especially among elites with “something to lose”. No one wants to stick their heads up first, so they go into denial.
I think I understand better now. The institutional and social inertia is so strong, especially among elites with “something to lose”. No one wants to stick their heads up first, so they go into denial.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
I have seen a lot of people say “what’s the point?” of doing their academic work in particular, and I get that. It’s like grief: the inbox, the day to day, doesn’t reflect any of the feelings.
But, gosh, a part of me stubbornly thinks: they want us to never think, they want it so badly.
But, gosh, a part of me stubbornly thinks: they want us to never think, they want it so badly.
January 9, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I have seen a lot of people say “what’s the point?” of doing their academic work in particular, and I get that. It’s like grief: the inbox, the day to day, doesn’t reflect any of the feelings.
But, gosh, a part of me stubbornly thinks: they want us to never think, they want it so badly.
But, gosh, a part of me stubbornly thinks: they want us to never think, they want it so badly.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
1. Headlines everywhere today read "Grok apologizes."
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
January 3, 2026 at 12:12 AM
1. Headlines everywhere today read "Grok apologizes."
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Earlier this year, I took over as the editor-in-chief of the Norwegian scholarly journal Collegium Medievale, which publishes articles in both English & Scandinavian languages. This year's ordinary issue has just been published, & is open access: ojs.novus.no/index.php/CM....
Visning av Vol 38 Nr. 1 (2025)
| Collegium Medievale
ojs.novus.no
December 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Earlier this year, I took over as the editor-in-chief of the Norwegian scholarly journal Collegium Medievale, which publishes articles in both English & Scandinavian languages. This year's ordinary issue has just been published, & is open access: ojs.novus.no/index.php/CM....
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
someone should invent a thing that's like a university but it's goal is to facilitate learning
December 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
someone should invent a thing that's like a university but it's goal is to facilitate learning
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Employer: please embed sustainability into your teaching
Employer: here’s a list of cool ways to use AI
Employer: here’s a list of cool ways to use AI
a man with a beard is holding a cup of coffee
ALT: a man with a beard is holding a cup of coffee
media.tenor.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Employer: please embed sustainability into your teaching
Employer: here’s a list of cool ways to use AI
Employer: here’s a list of cool ways to use AI
Reposted by Sig Sønnesyn
Chasing consumer preference in education only makes sense if “customers” know what they desire.
But the fundamental premise of all education is that students don’t know the thing they desire.
If they did, they wouldn’t need instruction.
But the fundamental premise of all education is that students don’t know the thing they desire.
If they did, they wouldn’t need instruction.
Yes we all agree that this is the reason colleges are in trouble
December 9, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Chasing consumer preference in education only makes sense if “customers” know what they desire.
But the fundamental premise of all education is that students don’t know the thing they desire.
If they did, they wouldn’t need instruction.
But the fundamental premise of all education is that students don’t know the thing they desire.
If they did, they wouldn’t need instruction.