this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2025
36 points (100.0% liked)

askchapo

23135 readers
164 users here now

Ask Hexbear is the place to ask and answer ~~thought-provoking~~ questions.

Rules:

  1. Posts must ask a question.

  2. If the question asked is serious, answer seriously.

  3. Questions where you want to learn more about socialism are allowed, but questions in bad faith are not.

  4. Try !feedback@hexbear.net if you're having questions about regarding moderation, site policy, the site itself, development, volunteering or the mod team.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
PorkrollPosadist@hexbear.net
replaceable@hexbear.net
VILenin@hexbear.net
SexUnderSocialism@hexbear.net
khizuo@hexbear.net
Sulvy@hexbear.net
Wakmrow@hexbear.net
36
Should I bend my knee to the machine for a good grade (lemmy.ml)
submitted 2 weeks ago by sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
19 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I have an assignment due in a seminar class that asks me to write an essay about AI. This wouldn't be an issue, except they've specified that I must write about the benefits of using AI in my chosen field and how it might advance the field-- plus I must also USE AI to complete my essay. Being in a field that values creativity and thinking outside of the bounds of normalcy, I fully disagree with the use of AI since it would actively steal the coolest parts of my future career.

So here is the conundrum: do I bow to the machine for a good grade since I'll be applying to graduate school soon, or tell the truth about how I feel about AI?

(Written by my partner)

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Jabril@hexbear.net 29 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

To put it shortly, a good persuasive essay in academia often expects an attempt at presenting "both sides." If I wrote this essay I would include some bits about "some speculate that AI could do x,y,z, which could be beneficial if true, but at what cost?" And then go into all the problems with ai. Closing paragraph something like "so while some promote ai as a positive thing for x y z, we see that these things aren't actually happening and the amount of detrimental issues that ai manifests in exchange for a promise of future return isn't worth it" kind of thing

Ultimately you are only supposed to be graded on the merits of the essay and not if the professor agrees with your conclusions so if there is a grading issue in that regard you could contest the grade with the dean or whoever runs the department

[–] StillNoLeftLeft@hexbear.net 17 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I've personally done one of these with the "but at what cost"-angle in a course where we had to stan AI (LLMs) by considering the benefits as an undergrad. But I knew the lecturer to be a reasonable guy.

I listed the so called benefits and then refuted them with citations. The teacher thanked me after the course and said he would look into the sources I used, Emily Bender for example. This was a language course, where I considered it especially relevant.

[–] Jabril@hexbear.net 18 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

OP should just plagiarize your work, it's what AI would have done

[–] SchillMenaker@hexbear.net 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Frankly, anybody in "academia" who is enamored with AI and isn't a computer scientist focusing on advancement of the field should resign. They're clearly not able to think in a way that is academically useful.

Reading the shit that the young people here talk about their college experiences really makes me want to go take some classes and dick slap these garbage professors.

[–] Jabril@hexbear.net 5 points 2 weeks ago

Absolutely, and unfortunately it is all pervasive in academia already.