Understanding the World: Scholarship on Dwarf Tossing

Zen and the Art of Dwarf Tossing

A very good toss.

Note: This essay was prepared with the research assistance and ghostwriting of ChatGPT 4.0. No dwarfs or LLM AI were harmed in the process. Yes, it is an absurdist tale, but it is meant to discuss a topic of interest, scholarship and writing.

Preface

In the ever-evolving landscape of academic scholarship, the methods and tools used to explore esoteric and often controversial topics have transformed significantly. This essay provides a tongue-in-cheek examination of the process of scholarly work, contrasting traditional methods with the use of AI, specifically ChatGPT. Through a series of fictional stories, we follow the journey of an aspiring scholar as they delve into the peculiar field of dwarf tossing. Along the way, this journey explores the absurdities and challenges inherent in scholarly work.

The Beginning: Ignorance is Bliss

Our story begins with an earnest, if uninformed, protagonist who knows absolutely nothing about dwarf tossing. Like many students thrust into unfamiliar academic waters, they are assigned the task of writing an essay on the subject—a task that initially seems simple enough but soon reveals itself to be fraught with complexity.

Seeking guidance, the protagonist is introduced to a mentor who is not only an Olympic-level dwarf tosser but also a scholar in the field. The mentor, a sinewy woman with a physique more defined by coordination than bulk, is obsessed with the sport and has completed a PhD on dwarf tossing. She belongs to several dwarf tossing associations and societies, embodying both the physical and intellectual aspects of the discipline.

The First Draft: A Feeble Attempt

With a vague understanding of the topic, our protagonist produces a first draft of their essay, which is predictably met with skepticism by their mentor.

"This is mostly crap," the mentor declares, before advising, "You need to research the topic. The Internet is full of information on this, and so are libraries. Go off and do some research."

Undeterred, the protagonist heads to the local library, where they discover a book on dwarf tossing. Armed with new knowledge, they return to their mentor with a revised essay.

The Bibliography: Entering the Scholarly World

The mentor acknowledges the improvements but is quick to point out a crucial flaw: the absence of a bibliography. Scholarly work, the mentor explains, must be properly sourced.

"You need to have a bibliography. Put down the book you used as a reference," the mentor instructs.

The protagonist complies, returning with a bibliography that lists the single book they consulted. However, this effort is still not enough to satisfy the mentor.

The Expansion: A Broader Horizon

The mentor, now seeing some potential in the protagonist, pushes them further. "You’ve only got one source here," the mentor notes. "You need to research this more thoroughly."

Once again, the protagonist returns to the library and scours the Internet, this time finding a variety of sources on dwarf tossing. With newfound determination, they revise the essay to include a broader range of information and sources.

The In-Line Citations: Learning the Rules

The mentor’s next critique focuses on the lack of in-line citations. "If this is going to be a scholarly work, you need to have in-line citations, and they need to be in APA style."

The protagonist, now fully immersed in the scholarly process, painstakingly adds in-line citations to their essay. But their efforts are still met with criticism.

"The citations have absolutely nothing to do with the assertions you made in the essay," the mentor points out. "You need to tie your citations into what is being discussed. If you make an assertion and you have a citation, it must be relevant."

The Overkill: Citation Frenzy

Determined to get it right, the protagonist overcompensates, inserting 50 citations into a five-page essay. The mentor is impressed by the effort but sees it as excessive.

"You have 50 citations on a five-page essay," the mentor notes. "This is overkill."

The Reduction: Quality over Quantity

In an effort to meet the mentor's expectations, the protagonist reduces the number of citations to 20 and returns, hoping for approval. The mentor reviews the essay once more, this time with a critical eye on the quality of the sources.

"Well, this is better," the mentor says, "a little more compact, more appropriate for the length of the essay. It is only five pages, you know. But unfortunately, several of these references are garbage, and you haven't done your homework. Did you even read the books? Did you even read the articles? Or maybe you just don't have the competence to understand good scholarship versus poor."

The mentor then points to several references, dismissing them outright. "This one, this one, and this one are nonsense. They're poor research. And these ones here? They have no credibility at all. You need to learn to be a discerning scholar and figure out which references are good and which are not so good. It’s a process fraught with problems, and it’s the essential job of an Ephektikoi, a Pyrrhonian skeptic. Being a scholar in that mode requires diligence that you have never encountered before in your life."

The Climax: A Crisis in Scholarship

As the protagonist absorbs this latest round of criticism, an unexpected twist occurs. The mentor, facing defunding and mounting legal challenges due to the controversial nature of dwarf tossing, decides to leave the field entirely.

"By the way, I'm leaving," the mentor announces. "Dwarf tossing is not considered an acceptable activity anymore, and I'm getting a lot of pressure from various sources. As a matter of fact, I think I'm being subject to a lawsuit, so I'm switching to spoon bending. I'm out of here."

Further Levels of Scholarship: The Road to Mastery

Unfazed by the mentor's departure, the protagonist continues to refine their scholarly approach. Realizing the mentor's past criticisms had merit, they enroll in courses on research methodologies and advanced statistics. The goal is to understand the hierarchy of evidence and improve the selection of sources to ensure their work is built on solid, credible foundations.

The process is grueling. The protagonist learns to differentiate between sources based on the strength of their evidence—randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews now stand out as gold standards, while anecdotal evidence and less rigorous studies are winnowed out. This refinement of scholarly technique leads to another essay draft, now supported by fewer but more relevant citations.

"Finally, you're cooking with gas," the mentor would have said, had she still been around. But with the mentor gone, the protagonist is left to navigate the complexities of academic scholarship on their own.

Yet, even after all this, the protagonist realizes that the process is far from foolproof. Despite all the courses, research, and revisions, academic scholarship remains fraught with error. Sources are often imperfect, sometimes outdated, and occasionally downright misleading. The protagonist reflects on the fact that even the most diligent scholar can include sources that are irrelevant, misinterpreted, or of dubious credibility. The journey to academic excellence is riddled with these pitfalls, whether one uses traditional methods or modern tools.

The Use of LLM AI in Scholarship: A New Frontier or a Misstep?

As the protagonist contemplates the challenges of traditional scholarship, another question emerges: Is it proper or right to use LLM AI like ChatGPT in academic work? At the moment, this is a topic of significant debate. Teachers and professors are increasingly scrutinizing students who rely on AI for their essays, and penalties are often imposed for doing so. The academic community is divided on whether AI-assisted work will ever be considered academically respectable.

While it remains unclear if AI-generated content will gain acceptance in scholarly circles, the world is undoubtedly changing. Just as tools like Maple or Wolfram products have become indispensable in advanced mathematics, LLM AI may one day be viewed as another tool in the scholar's arsenal. Alvin Toffler, the author of Future Shock, was perhaps too cautious in his predictions. The rapid development of AI has outpaced many expectations, and it is uncertain how these changes will ultimately impact the academic world.

As a self-identified "cheap seats polymath," the protagonist uses AI extensively in areas where they wish to write. Some topics are familiar, while others are new and require more effort to grasp. Yet, the protagonist recognizes the importance of maintaining a critical eye, especially when using AI tools, and acknowledges that the future of scholarship is in flux.

Conclusion: The Art of Scholarship in the AI Age

The journey of our protagonist, from ignorance to a modicum of scholarly competence, underscores the complexity of academic scholarship. Whether through traditional methods or with the aid of AI tools like ChatGPT, the process is fraught with potential errors, misunderstandings, and the ever-present challenge of discerning truth from falsehood.

In the end, the protagonist—and indeed, all modern scholars—must navigate this complex landscape with care. AI offers new possibilities but also presents new challenges, especially when the essence of scholarship—understanding, analysis, and the pursuit of truth—can so easily be compromised.

The art of scholarship, whether in dwarf tossing or any other field, demands more than just the accumulation of knowledge; it requires wisdom, discernment, and a relentless pursuit of accuracy. As our protagonist learned, both traditional methods and modern tools have their strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to the scholar to balance these in the quest for true understanding.

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References

Baggins, B. L. (1998). A Beginner's Guide to Dwarf Tossing: From Zero to Hero. Shire Publishing.

Cannon, B. R., & Ball, R. T. (2005). Dwarf Tossing and Being Shot from a Cannon: Complimentary Sports for the Fearless. Acme Press. Sponsored by The International Association of Unconventional Sports (IAUS).

Thrower, T. J. (2010). Confessions of a Repentant Dwarf Tosser: My Life on the Edge. Redemption House Publishing.

LeToss, H. F. (2015). Is Dwarf Tossing Legit? An In-Depth Examination of This Controversial Sport. Outlandish Academia Press. Sponsored by The Society for the Preservation of Medieval Sports (SPMS).

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