Honors 353:001
Cybernetics and the Technological Singularity

Classes meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-4:15 in Science and Tech I 126

Course Schedule

Course Description

The course will begin with the concept of Cybernetics, popularized by Norbert Wiener's Human Use of Human Beings, a book he wrote specifically to explain cybernetics to the interested non-expert. Cybernetics, as Wiener and the first generation of computer engineers defined it, is the science of control and communication in machines, animals, and humans. Cybernetics gave us the concept of the "cybernetic organism"—the cyborg. We will then explore later technological advances in computer and biological sciences. We will explore the idea of a technological singularity in our future—a point at which technological advances outrun our ability to control or predict.

Texts:

Print:
Norbert Wiener. The Human Use of Human Beings. ISBN: 0306803208 (15.00)
Kurzweil, Ray. The Singularity is Near. ISBN: 0143037889 (18.00)
Joel Garreau. Radical Evolution. ISBN 0767915038. ($15.95)
Prices as of January 12, 2007. If you are charged more at the bookstore, let me know.

Online:
Vernor Vinge, "Technological Singularity"
Cory Doctorow, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (selections)

Course Blog:

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Assignments:

The assignments in this course consist of three essays, weekly reading responses, and a final exam. The first essay will be an analysis of some complex system in light of Norbert Wiener's concept of cybernetics. The system may be biological, social, mechanical, digital, or any combination of these. The second essay will be a research project investigating some of the objections to Ray Kurzweil's vision of the Singularity. In particular, Bill Joy and John Searle raise very serious (and very different) objections. The third essay will be an investigation of some of the other scenarios presented in Joel Garreau's Radical Evolution.

The weekly responses will be posted the class blog, to which you have all been invited as contributors. The weekly responses will be on a specific question which I will post, and they will be due before class on most Mondays (if there is an essay due that week, there is no weekly response). You may add to your posts after class, of course. I will also ask you to comment on the posts of other students. To earn full credit for the responses, you must post 10 weekly responses, and comment on at least five of your fellow students' posts.

The final exam will be a cumulative in-class short essay exam. I will post study terms a week or so before the exam. The exam date is Monday, May 14th, from 1:30-4:15. Bluebooks are not required, but they are convenient.

Course Policies

Grading: Grades on the essays will be based primarily on the quality of the writing. I value clear, focused writing with plenty of examples. Grades on the research essay (#2) will be based on the quality of the research as well: I expect you to use the GMU LIbrary databases as well as the Internet.

Late Assignments: Late papers will lose one-half letter grade per day unless you make prior arrangements with me.

Revision Policy: The essays may be revised for a higher grade, but they must be substantially revised. You cannot lose a grade by revising, but a higher grade is not guaranteed. I have found that "B" papers (or higher) are often more difficult to revise, since serious revision requires thoroughly changing the essay's structure, and "B" papers usually have a fairly good structure. "C" papers (or lower) often respond more dramatically to revision, since the major changes they require are often more straightforward. I recommend revising "C" papers or lower only. If you plan to revise a "B" paper, please see me beforehand so we can discuss a revision strategy.

All revisions must be turned in by

Plagiarism: The GMU Honor code is available online. I will report suspected cases of plagiarism to the Honor Committee.

Course Schedule