Dr. Dean Taciuch
George Mason University

Spring 2017

Honors 353: 003 & 008
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 24 – 26): Course Introduction and Concepts
Cybernetics, communication, codes, and control.
HUHB Preface, Ch 1

Week 2 (Jan 31 – Feb 2): Feedback
HUHB chapters ch 2 - 3
Response 1 (on negative feedback)

Week 3 (Feb 7 – 9): Homeostasis
HUHB chapters 4-8
Response 2 (on homeostasis)

Week 4 (Feb 14 –16): the 2nd Industrial revolution
HUHB chapters 9-11
Response 3 (on 2nd Industrial Revolution)

Week 5 (Feb 21 –23): Technological Singularity
Vernor Vinge, "Technological Singularity"
Ray Kurzweil : After the Singularity and other selections from Kurzweil Reader
Essay 1 due Feb 26

Week 6 (Feb 28 – March 2): AI
Kurzweil Reader: Will Machines Become Conscious?
Bostrom SI ch 1-2
Response 4 (on AI)

Week 7 (March 7 – 9): SuperIntelligence
Bostrom SI ch 3-6
Response 5 (types of SI)

Week 8 (Spring Break)

Week 9 (March 21 – 23): The Control Problem
Bostrom SI ch 7-10
Response 6 (Control)

Week 10 (March 28 – 30): Values
Bostrom SI ch 11-13
Response 7 (Values)

Week 11 (Apr 4– 6): AI Strategies
Bostrom SI ch 14-15 and Afterword
Essay 2 due April 9

Week 12 (Apr 11 – 13): Research and Technology
Databases
Future of Life Institute & KurzweilAI.net
Synthesis: Using & Citing Sources
Response 8 (Research Topics)

Week 13 (Apr 18 – 20): On the Other Hand
Kurzweil Reader: "Are We Becoming an Endangered Species?"
Bill Joy : "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us"
Response 9 (Relinquishment)
All revisions due by April 23

Week 14 (Apr 25 – 27): The Simulation Argument
Bostrom "Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?" and various responses
Response 10 (The Simulation argument).
Begin Final Presentations

Week 15 (May 2 – 4): Presentations
Final Presentations

Research Paper due May 7

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