Colorado State University: PHILOSOPHY 415
Meat Based Computation
Monday August 27th's Class Meeting will take place in the Conference Room in the Philosophy Department Office (Room 243) on the Second Floor of Eddy. CLASS WED CANCELLED.
Where: Eddy 9
When: MWF 12 p.m.
Instructor: Darko Sarenac
Office: Eddy 235
Phone: (970) 491-5441
Hours: Mon/Wed 1 - 2 p.m. and by appointment
Web: phil415.pbwiki.com
Email: Darko.Sarenac at colostate.edu
Text: The required text for the course is Mindware, Andy Clark. OUP, 2001.
Movies: Turing, Ghost in the Shell, Matrix, Bladerunner, Nice guys finish first, etc. suggestions
Final Paper Due: December 10, 2007, 11 p.m.
Course Description: We will explore the boundary between humans and a particular kind of machine, a computer, in a rigorous philosophical manner. Through our main text and supplements, but also through a series of movies and pop culture artifacts, we will tackle some of the following questions: are we simply computational machines? are there capacities that we have that escape a computational description? if the latter, which of our interesting capacities can be captured by a computer and are there in principle obstacles for capturing others? How intimate can we be with a nonbiological entities? Ethical consequences for machines and us, etc. The class will be run somewhat democratically. Youy can post suggestions for further topics, readings.
Course Requirements: Bi-weekly mini reflection/issue essays (400 words max) (30%), a final paper (2500-3000 words) (50%), and participation in discussions and web forum (20%).
It is your responsibility to:
- properly enroll in the class
- be clear on any announcements I make in class regarding–but not limited to–such things as exact exam dates, changes in the class outline, scheduling changes, etc.
- get all notes and handouts if you miss a class
- makeup any missed exams; unless made up, a missed exam scores a zero.
Assignments
Schedule of Lectures
Class Forum
Lead discussion, present
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