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Course Schedule
The schedule of readings will almost certainly change during the course of the semester, depending on the interests in the class. We may not discuss all readings in class, but you should be prepared to discuss the readings if and when they come up in class discussions.
Week 1 (Jan 25 – 31): Course Introduction and Concepts
Cybernetics, communication, codes, and control.
HUHB Preface, Ch 1
Response 1 (Introductions)
Week 2 (Feb 1 – 7): Feedback
HUHB chapters ch 2-4
Sidebar:
Richard Hofstadter "The Paranoid Style in American Politics" (from Harper's magazine, November 1964)
Response 2
Week 3 (Feb 8 – 14): Homeostasis
HUHB chapters 5-8
Response 3
Week 4 (Feb 15 – 21): the 2nd Industrial revolution
HUHB chapters 9-11
Response 4
Week 5 (Feb 22 – 28): Technological Singularity
Vernor Vinge, "Technological Singularity"
Ray Kurzweil: "Singularity Q & A"
Essay 1 due Feb 28
Week 6 (March 1 – 7): AI
Bostrom SI ch 1-3
Sidebar: Future of Life Institute
Response 5:Research Topics
Week 7 (March 8 – 14): SI
Bostrom SI ch 4-6
Response 6
Week 8: (March 15 – 21): AI Will
Bostrom SI ch 7-9
Response 7
Week 9 (March 22 –28): Values and Control
Bostrom SI ch 10-13
Response 8
Week 10 (March 29 – April 4): Extrapolation
Bostrom SI ch 14-15
Response 9
Week 11 (Apr 5 – 11): Consciousness
Chalmers, "Facing Up to the Problem of Consciousness"
Essay 2 due April 11
Week 12 (Apr 12 – 18): Research and Presentations
All revisions of Essay 1 & 2 due by April 19
Week 13 (Apr 19 – 25): Final Presentations
Begin Final Presentations
Week 14 (Apr 26 – 30): Final Presentations
Continue Final Presentations
Research Paper due May 5
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