Honors 360: 005 & 006
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 – 30): Course Introduction and Concepts
Background: Turing and Shannon
Turing, "Computing Machinery and Intelligence"
Weaver, "Recent Contribution to the Mathematical Theory of Communication"
Week 2 (Jan 31 – Feb 6): Cybernetics
Cybernetics, communication, codes, and control.
HUHB Preface, Ch 1 and 2
Week 3 (Feb 7 – 13): Feedback & Homeostasis
HUHB chapters ch 3 – 5
Week 4 (Feb 14 – 20): the second Industrial revolution
HUHB chapters 6 – 9
Week 5 (Feb 21 – 27): Future Machines
HUHB chapters 10-11
Vernor Vinge, "Technological Singularity"
Week 6 (Feb 28 – March 6): Technological Singularity
Ray Kurzweil: "Singularity Q & A" & "A Conversation on Creating a Mind"
Essay 1 due March 6
Week 7 (March 7 – 13): Groups
SI Groups 1-7
SI Groups 8-14
Research Proposal discussion
Future of Life Institute
Week 8 (March 14 – 20): Spring Recess
Week 9: (March 21– 27): AI
Bostrom SI ch 1-2
SI Groups 1 and 2
Research Proposal due March 27
Week 10 (March 28 – Apr 3): SI
Bostrom SI ch 3-4
SI groups 3 and 4
Week 11 (Apr 4–10): Singletons and Superpowers
Bostrom SI ch 5-6
SI groups 5 and 6
Week 12 (Apr 11 – 17): AI Will
Bostrom SI ch 7-8
SI groups 7 and 8
Week 13(Apr 18 – 24): The Control Problem
Bostrom SI ch 9-10
Week 14 (Apr 25 – May 1): The Value Problem
Bsotrom ch 11 - 12
SI groups 11 and 12
Week 15 (May 2 – 7): Extrapolation
Bostrom ch 13–15
SI groups 13 , 14, & 15
Research Paper due Thursday May 12 (Final Exam Day)
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