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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 20): Course Intro
Past Futures (videos)
Reading Assignment (for next week): Wiener Intro, Chapters 1 – 2
Week 2 (Jan 27): Information and Order
Response 1 (on Weiner)
Reading Assignment: Wiener Chapters 3 & 5
Begin
Gibson Chapters 1 – 5
Week 3 (Feb 1 – 3): Individuality
Response 2 (the Self)
Reading Assignment: Gibson Chapters 6 – 12
Week 4 (Feb 8 – 10): AI
Response 3 (AI)
Reading Assignment: Gibson Chapters 13 - 24
Week 5 (Feb 15 – 17): The Matrix
Response 4 (on Neuromancer)
Clips from The Matrix
Week 6 (Feb 22 – 24): Writing about Literature
Essay topics and discussions
Essay 1 due Feb 28
Week 7 (Feb 29 – March 2): Midterm Review
Midterm Exam March 2
Week 8 (Spring
Break)
(Note: from this point forward, the Reading Assignments should be done before the week's classes)
Week 9 (March 14 – 16): The Singularity
Reading Assignment (for this week): Vinge, Technological Singularity (online); Kurzweil Reader selections (online)
Response 5 (on Kurzweil)
Week 10 (March 21 – 23): The Cyborg
Reading Assignment: Wiener Chapters 9 – 10, Dick Chapters 1 – 5
Response 6 (on Cyborgs)
Week 11 (March 28 – 30): Psychology
Reading Assignment: Dick Chapters 6 – 12
Response 7 (on Psychology)
Week 12 (April 4 – 6): Society
Reading Assignment: Dick Chapters 13 – 22
Response 8 (on Do Androids Dream . . .)
Week 13 (April 11 – 13): Writing About Literature
Clips from Blade Runner
Essay topics and discussions
Essay 2 due April 17
Week 14 (April 18 – 20): Identity
Reading Assignment: Egan "Axiomatic," "A Kidnapping," "Learning to be Me," "The Moat"
Response 9 (on Identity)
Week 15 (April 25 – 27): Reality
Reading: Tegmark, "Parallel Universes"; Egan "Infinite Assassin,"
"Into Darkness"
Response 10
(on Reality)
All revisions due by April 27
Week 16 (May 2 – 4): Review for Final
Final Exam Monday May 9, 9:45 – 11:45
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