Ethical Considerations for Using Religious Texts in Natural Language Processing

מושגי ליבה

The use of religious texts in Natural Language Processing (NLP) raises important ethical considerations that go beyond model biases, including data provenance, cultural contexts, and potential use in proselytism.

תקציר

This position paper examines the use of religious texts, such as the Bible and Quran, in Natural Language Processing (NLP) research. It finds that thousands of NLP papers have utilized these texts, often due to their availability, convenience, and multilingual nature. However, the paper argues that the ethical implications of this practice have not been sufficiently addressed.

The paper first provides relevant background on religion, the relationship between academic linguistics and missionary linguistics, and an empirical study of the use of sacred texts in the ACL Anthology. It then discusses various ethical considerations from multiple perspectives, including ethical theories, AI principles, cultural standpoints, and the concerns of marginalized communities.

The key ethical considerations include:

• Consequentialist concerns about the potential harms and benefits of using religious texts in NLP applications.
• Deontological questions about the appropriate processes and relationships involved in the creation and use of datasets containing sacred texts.
• Risks related to AI principles such as safety, privacy, bias, fairness, accountability, and transparency.
• The importance of acknowledging researcher positionality and the cultural contexts of religious texts, especially for marginalized linguistic and religious communities.
• Concerns about how the use of religious texts in NLP may be complicit with colonial and proselytizing projects that violate the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain their cultures.

The paper concludes by making several recommendations for the NLP community, including:

1. Discussing ethical considerations more extensively in NLP papers using religious texts.
2. Considering a broader range of ethical theories beyond just utilitarianism.
3. Delving into the domain-specific risks and biases when using religious texts.
4. Situating NLP work within cultural contexts and acknowledging researcher positionality.
5. Attending more closely to the concerns of marginalized linguistic and religious communities.

סטטיסטיקה

"the Bible is one of the most familiar documents"
"the Quran is frequently used in NLP"

ציטוטים

"a particular string of speech may be viewed as data by a researcher but as sacred incantation by language users"

Holton et al. (2022)

תובנות מפתח מזוקקות מ:

Modeling the Sacred: Considerations when Using Considerations when Using Religious Texts in Natural Language Processing

by Ben Hutchins... ב- arxiv.org 04-24-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.14740.pdf

שאלות מעמיקות

How can the NLP community build more equitable and collaborative relationships with diverse religious communities, especially those that have been historically marginalized?

Building equitable and collaborative relationships with diverse religious communities, particularly those that have been historically marginalized, requires a thoughtful and proactive approach by the NLP community. Here are some strategies to achieve this:

Engage in Meaningful Consultation: NLP researchers should actively seek input and feedback from members of diverse religious communities when working with their sacred texts. This consultation should be ongoing and respectful, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of these communities are heard and valued.

Cultural Sensitivity Training: Researchers should undergo cultural sensitivity training to better understand the beliefs, practices, and values of different religious communities. This training can help researchers navigate potential sensitivities and avoid unintentional harm.

Establish Partnerships: Collaborate with religious leaders, scholars, and community members to co-create research projects involving religious texts. By working together, researchers can ensure that the projects are culturally appropriate and beneficial to the community.

Transparency and Accountability: Be transparent about the research goals, methods, and potential impacts of using religious texts. Researchers should be accountable for any unintended consequences and be open to feedback and criticism from the communities involved.

Respect Data Sovereignty: Recognize and respect the data sovereignty of religious communities, especially when working with sacred texts. Researchers should obtain informed consent and ensure that the data is used in ways that align with the community's values and interests.

Empower Local Communities: Support initiatives that empower local religious communities to document and preserve their own cultural heritage using NLP technologies. This can include providing resources, training, and technical assistance to facilitate community-led projects.

By implementing these strategies, the NLP community can foster more equitable and respectful relationships with diverse religious communities, promoting mutual understanding and collaboration.

How can researchers proactively mitigate the risks of unintended consequences when using religious texts in NLP?

When using religious texts in NLP, researchers must be mindful of potential unintended consequences and take proactive steps to mitigate risks. Here are some ways to address these challenges:

Ethical Considerations: Prioritize ethical considerations in research involving religious texts, including data provenance, cultural sensitivity, and community impact. Conduct thorough ethical reviews and engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure responsible research practices.

Bias Detection and Mitigation: Implement bias detection mechanisms to identify and address any biases present in the data or models trained on religious texts. Take steps to mitigate biases that could perpetuate harmful stereotypes or misinformation.

Community Engagement: Engage with religious communities throughout the research process to gather feedback, address concerns, and ensure that the research aligns with community values and beliefs. Respect community protocols and seek permission before using sacred texts.

Transparency and Accountability: Be transparent about the sources of religious texts, the methods used for data collection and analysis, and the potential limitations of the research. Researchers should be accountable for the impact of their work and be willing to address any unintended consequences.

Cultural Competence: Develop cultural competence by educating researchers about the religious beliefs, practices, and traditions associated with the texts being used. This knowledge can help researchers navigate sensitive issues and avoid cultural insensitivity.

Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Stay informed about evolving ethical standards, community expectations, and best practices in using religious texts in NLP. Be open to feedback, learn from mistakes, and adapt research practices to align with community needs.

By proactively addressing these considerations, researchers can minimize the risks of unintended consequences when using religious texts in NLP and promote ethical and responsible research practices.

In what ways can NLP technologies be leveraged to support the documentation and preservation of endangered religious practices and worldviews, while respecting the self-determination of these communities?

NLP technologies offer valuable tools for documenting and preserving endangered religious practices and worldviews while respecting the self-determination of these communities. Here are some ways in which NLP can be leveraged for this purpose:

Language Revitalization: NLP can support efforts to revitalize endangered languages used in religious practices by creating language resources, developing machine translation systems, and preserving linguistic diversity through digital archives.

Cultural Heritage Preservation: Use NLP for digitizing and analyzing religious texts, rituals, and oral traditions to create digital repositories that preserve cultural heritage and make it accessible to future generations.

Community-driven Research: Collaborate with religious communities to co-create NLP projects that document and analyze their religious practices. Empower community members to lead the research and ensure that their perspectives and priorities are central to the work.

Multilingual Communication: Develop NLP tools for multilingual communication within religious communities, enabling members to access sacred texts, teachings, and resources in their native languages.

Ethical Data Collection: Ensure that data collection practices respect the privacy, consent, and intellectual property rights of religious communities. Obtain informed consent, protect sensitive information, and adhere to ethical guidelines for working with sacred texts.

Education and Outreach: Use NLP technologies to create educational resources, language learning tools, and interactive platforms that engage community members in preserving and sharing their religious traditions.

Cross-cultural Understanding: Foster cross-cultural understanding and dialogue by using NLP for interfaith communication, comparative religious studies, and promoting mutual respect and appreciation for diverse worldviews.

By integrating NLP technologies into efforts to document and preserve endangered religious practices, researchers can support the self-determination and cultural autonomy of these communities while safeguarding their rich heritage for future generations.