Honors 353: 002

Technology in American Society

Dr Dean Taciuch
Spring 2005
George Mason University

Course Description

This course looks back over the last 50 or so years of communication and information technologies in the United States. In particular, we will be looking at the effect of these technologies on American culture. It is surprising how concerned some of the early researchers in communication and information technology were about the cultural impact of their work; Norbert Wiener in particular was so concerned that his theory of Cybernetics would be misused that he published The Human Use of Human Beings to explain the concepts to the layperson, so they could be made aware of the technology were it to be used against them.

It is no coincidence that as early as the 1940s, the science of cybernetics linked communication and control (of machines and human beings). Today, the Internet is the largest communication medium in the world, and many of its users have discovered a sense of freedom in cyberspace. But the root of the term "cyberspace" is Wiener's cybernetics — a theory of control. As with early information technology, the Internet (and digital technology in general) creates new situations in which the old "codes" or rules may no longer apply. And, as Wiener realized in the middle of the 20th Century, those making decisions regarding the uses of these new technologies may not always act in the best interests of the general public.

At the beginning of the 21st Century, we are all aware of the uses and abuses of communication and information technology. This course will look into some of these issues more deeply, and try to trace the development of some of the current debates over communication and control. The debate over digital copyrights, for example, is in many ways a debate over control of information (or access to information):

Although we will be dealing with technical topics such as Information Theory and copyright law, the course readings are non-technical. We will begin with the concept of Cybernetics, popularized by Norbert Wiener's The Human Use of Human Beings, a book he wrote specifically to explain cybernetics to the interested non-expert. Cybernetics, as Wiener and the first generation of computer engineers defined it, is the science of control and communication.

We will then explore how the Internet has developed in recent years, with particular attention to the various attempts to control and regulate it. Lawrence Lessig has written several important books on this subject, as well as numerous articles in popular and legal journals. We will be reading his first book, Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, which describes four means by which the Internet may be regulated: markets, laws, social norms, and architecture (economic code, legal code, social code, and computer code)

We will end the course with a novel, Neuromancer, in which William Gibson coined the term "cyberspace." This novel, which is also GMU's Text and Community selection for 2005, explores a fictional world in which the technology envisioned by Wiener and others has come to what some have called a "singularity": the point at which human technology exceeds human control.

Texts

Norbert Wiener. The Human Use of Human Beings
Lawrence Lessig. Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace
William Gibson. Neuromancer

Online
Vannavar Bush. "As We May Think"
Lawrence Lessig at OSCON 2002 and Code v.2 Wiki
Vernor Vinge "Technological Singularity"

Assignments

Two essays (5-8 pages each): The short essays will serve as explorations of specific themes in the readings and class discussions. 25% each
Midterm exam: The midterm will be an in-class essay exam which will cover the material in the first half of the course. 20%
Research Project: The research project will be an research essay updating one of the issues discussed in Lessig's Code, for possible inclusion in an updated online edition of the text. 30%

Grading

Grades on the essays will be based primarily on the quality of the writing. I value clear, focused writing with plenty of examples. The audience for the essays will be the class itself, and I expect the papers to be written with this audience in mind.

Grades on the midterm will be similar to the essay grades (clarity, focus, plenty of examples), although I do keep in mind the time limit of an in-class essay.

Grades on the research project will be based on the quality of the writing and the research. The audience for this essay is the community of online scholars contributing to Code V.2

Grades on the presentation will be based on how well you apply the principles and themes from the course, and how clearly you explain these applications. We will be using an electronic classroom, and I will make a laptop computer and VCR available for the presentations.

I will give all assignments letter grades. I calculate final grades by converting the letter grades to a 100 point scale using the following values:

A+ 100
A 95	C+ 78
A- 90	C 75
B+ 88	C- 70
B 85	D 65
B- 80	F below 60

The University translates letter grades into 4-point GPA values:

A+ 4.00	B- 2.67	C- 1.67
A 4.00	B 3.00	D 1.00
A- 3.67	C+ 2.33	F 0.00
B+ 3.33	C 2.00

Please note that A+ and A have equivalent point values.

A note on final grading: You must earn the grade of "C" or better in this course to receive credit for it in Honors and to fulfill this portion of the English composition requirement in General Education. A grade of "C-" or below will not be sufficient to receive credit for this course.

Course Policies

Late Assignments

Late papers will lose one-half letter grade per day unless you make prior arrangements with me.

Revision Policy

The first essay may be revised for a higher grade, but it must be substantially revised. You cannot lose a grade by revising, but a higher grade is not guaranteed. I have found that "B" papers (or higher) are often more difficult to revise, since serious revision requires thoroughly changing the essay's structure, and "B" papers usually have a fairly good structure. "C" papers (or lower) often respond more dramatically to revision, since the major changes they require are often more straightforward. I recommend revising "C" papers or lower only. If you plan to revise a "B" paper, please see me beforehand so we can discuss a revision strategy.

All revisions must be turned in by April 28th.

Plagiarism: The GMU Honor code is available online. I will report suspected cases to the Honor Committee.

Course Schedule

---