Week

Date

Readings and Activities

1

Tue, 7 Jan

Thu, 9 Jan

Introduction to the course

Kurzweil, The Age of Spiritual Machines, Prologue, Chapter 1 (1-39)

2

Tue, 14 Jan

Thu, 16 Jan

Kurzweil, Chapters 2-5 (40-100)

Kurzweil, Chapter 6 (101-132)

3

Tue, 21 Jan

Thu, 23 Jan

Forster, "The Machine Stops"

Kurzweil, Chapters 7-8 (133-186)
Whitesides, "The Once and Future Nanomachine"
Introduce Project 1

4

Tue, 28 Jan

Thu, 30 Jan

Bradbury, "The Veldt"; review Kurzweil Chapter 8

Kurzweil, Chapters 9-11 (189-233)

5

Mon, 3 Feb

Tue, 4 Feb
 

Thu, 6 Feb

Project 1 due

Discussion with Attaway Fellow Mark Fischetti
Kurzweil, Chapter 12, Epilogue (234-297)

Finish Kurzweil

6

Tue, 11 Feb

Thu, 13 Feb

Powers, Galatea 2.2

Powers, Galatea 2.2

7

Tue, 18 Feb

Thu, 20 Feb

Powers, Galatea 2.2

Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

8

Sun, 23, Feb

Tue, 25 Feb

Thu, 27 Feb

Screening of Blade Runner, 7 pm, Mickle 114

Do Androids Dream… and Blade Runner

Finish Do Androids Dream… and Blade Runner
Mid-term exam

Tue, 4 Mar

Thu, 6 Mar

MARDI GRAS BREAK–NO CLASSES

9

Tue, 11 Mar

Thu, 13 Mar

Egan, Permutation City

Egan, Permutation City

10

Tue, 18 Mar

Thu, 20 Mar

Egan, Permutation City

Egan, Permutation City
Project 2 due

11

Tue, 25 Mar

Thu, 27 Mar

Bear, Blood Music

Bear, Blood Music

12

Tue, 1 Apr

Thu, 3 Apr

Bear, Blood Music

Selections from Reload

13

Tue, 8 Apr

Thu, 10 Apr

Selections from Reload

Selections from Reload

14

Tue, 15 Apr
 

Thu, 17 Apr

Selections from Reload
Project 3 due

SPRING BREAK—NO CLASS

15

Tue, 22 Apr

Thu, 24 Apr

Prepare for Final Exam

Prepare for Final Exam

Final exam time TBD