Dr. Dean Taciuch
George Mason University

Spring 2019

Honors 353: 004
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 22 – 24 ): Course Introduction and Concepts
Cybernetics, communication, codes, and control.
HUHB Preface, Ch 1
Response 1 (Introductions)

Week 2 (Jan 29 – 31): Feedback
HUHB chapters ch 2-4
Response 2 (on negative feedback)

Week 3 (Feb 5 – 7): Homeostasis
HUHB chapters 5-8
Response 3 (on homeostasis)

Week 4 (Feb 12 – 14): the 2nd Industrial revolution
HUHB chapters 9-11
Response 4 (on 2nd Industrial Revolution)

Week 5 (Feb 19 – 21): Technological Singularity
Vernor Vinge, "Technological Singularity"
Ray Kurzweil: "After the Singularity," " Will Machines Become Conscious?" and other selections from Kurzweil Reader
Essay 1 due Feb 24

Week 6 (Feb 26 – 28): AI
Bostrom SI ch 1-3
Response 5 (AI)

Week 7 (March 5 – 7): SI
Bostrom SI ch 4-6
Response 6 (Intelligence Explosion)

Week 8: Spring Break

Week 9 (March 19 – 21): AI Will
Bostrom SI ch 7-9
Response 7: (What Would an AI Want?)

Week 10 (March 26 – 28): Values and Control
Bostrom SI ch 10-15
Response 8: (What Does Humanity Want?)

Week 11 (April 2 – 4):Research
Future of Life Institute & KurzweilAI.net
Essay 2 due April 7

Week 12 (April 9 – 11): Related Arguments
Bostrom "Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?" and various responses "Where Are They? Why I Hope the Search for Extraterrestrial Life Finds Nothing"
Response 9 (Research Topics)

Week 13 (April 16 & 18):: Further Afield
Max Tegmark, "Parallel Universes"
Response 10 (Related Arguments)
Begin Final Presentations
All revisions of Essay 1 & 2 due by April 19

Week 14 (April 23 – 25): Final Presentations
Continue Final Presentations

Week 15 (April 30 – May 2): Final Presentations
Finish Final Presentations

Research Paper due May 5

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