Dr. Dean Taciuch
George Mason University

Spring 2015

Honors 353: 007 & 009
Technology in Contemporary Society

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 20 – 22): Course Introduction and Concepts
Cybernetics, communication, codes, and control.
Begin Wiener, Human Use of Human Beings Preface and Ch 1

Week 2 (Jan 27 – 29): Feedback
HUHB chapters 2-4
Response 1 (on negative feedback)

Week 3 (Feb 3 – 5): Homeostasis
HUHB chapters 5-8
Response 2 (on homeostasis)

Week 4 (Feb 10 – 12): the 2nd Industrial revolution
HUHB chapters 9-11
Response 3 (on 2nd Industrial Revolution)

Week 5 (Feb 17 – 19): Technological Singularity
Vernor Vinge, "Technological Singularity."
TED Talk: Kevin Kelly on How Technology Evolves
Essay 1 due Feb 20

Week 6 (Feb 24 – 26): Predicting the Future
Snow

Week 7 (March 3 – 5): Technological Progress
Kurzweil, The Singularity is Near Prologue and Chapters 1

Week 8 (Spring Break)

Week 9 (March 17 – 19): Technological Progress
Kurzweil, The Singularity is Near Chapters 2 & 3 (sections "The Computational Capacity of the Human Brain" and "The Limits of Computation")
Response 5 (on the life cycle of a technology)

Week 10 (March 24 – 26): Mind and Machine
TSiN chapter 4 (sections "Reverse Engineering the Brain," "Is the Human Brain Different from a Computer?" "Interfacing the Brain and Machines," and "Uploading the Human Brain.")
Response 6 (on uploading the human brain)

Week 11 (March 31 – April 2): GNR
TSiN chapter 5
TED Talk: Ray Kurzweil "Get Ready for Hybrid Thinking"
TED Talk: Sheila Nirenberg: A Prosthetic Eye to Treat Blindness and Nirenberg Q&A
Essay 2 due April 2

Week 12 (April 7 – 9): Research and Technology
Google, Databases, and Wikipedia
Future of Life Institute Resources & KurzweilAI.net
Synthesis: Using & Citing Sources
Response 7 (Research Topics)

Week 13 (April 14 – 16): Impacts and Identity
TSiN chapters 6-7
Response 8 (on identity)

Week 14 (April 21 – 23): On the Other Hand
TSiN chapters 8 and 9
Bill Joy : "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us"
Response 9 (on Joy)
All revisions due by April 23

Week 15 (April 28 – 30): In Conclusion
Francis Fukuyama: Transhumanism
Nick Bostrom, "A History of Transhumanist Thought"

Make Up: May 5 –6
Exam prep
Research Paper due Wednesday May 6

Final Exam Times:

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