Rereading the Libri dei metodi: Roberto Busa’s Methodological Legacy for the Age of Large Language Models

Father Roberto Busa, S.J. (1913–2011), a pioneer in linguistic computing, left an indelible imprint through his Libri dei metodi, a twenty-one-volume collection written between 1996 and 2008. These texts document the creation of the Index Thomisticus, justify some methodological choices made while building the digital corpus of the opera omnia of Thomas Aquinas, and look ahead to future projects. Busa’s approach, based on a comprehensive collection and analysis of linguistic data, contrasted with the traditional sampling-based approximation. This article examines key excerpts from the Libri dei metodi (particularly the Trattato di lessicologia), highlighting their relevance in the era of Large Language Models (LLMs) by focusing on the importance of sound methodological principles that balance data quality and quantity.