Course Syllabus

Content-based English Course:
Artificial Intelligence in Fiction and Film (AIFF)

one semester

room S-61

Thursday, fourth period, 2:40-4:10

Spring 2008

B. Brinkman, Center Bldg 6th Fl. bbrinkman (at) ell. u-bunkyo. ac. jp, 03-5684-4513

Course Description

Just as the industrial revolution added machine labor to the human and animal labor previously available to humanity, the development of computers in the mid-twentieth century began to replace calculations done by humans with calculations done by machine. As we are now in the middle of an information technology revolution in which computing power doubles every 18 months, the end result of such rapid change is a matter of speculation, and creates a conflict of human vs. artificial intelligence, a theme which has found its way into fiction and film. In this class, we examine the roots of the computer revolution, and works of fiction, from the 1960s to early twenty-first century, which speculate as to possible human roles in futures where the cognitive abilities of artificial intelligence dwarf those of humans, much as human power is now overwhelmed by mechanical power. This course will require a large amount of reading, listening, and the ability to write short answers.

Course Schedule

1
April 10
Introduction to the course, students, and teacher. Reading assignment: AI in SF.

2
April 17
AI in SF questions. Watch portions of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) (dir: Stanley Kubrick) (DVD/VHS). (139 min.)
Reading assignment: 2001: A Space Odyssey (The screenplay by Arthur C. Clarke) (available online)

3
April 24
Watch conclusion of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) (139 min.)
Discussion/WS. Write in Movie Journal.

4
May 1
Watch portions of COLOSSUS: The Forbin Project (1970) (VHS). (100 min.) Discussion/WS.

5
May 8
Finish watching COLOSSUS: The Forbin Project. Discussion/WS. Write in Movie Journal.
Watch portions of Westworld (1973) (dir: Michael Crichton) (DVD). (88 min.)

6
May 15
Finish watching Westworld (1973) (88 min.) Discussion/WS. Write in Movie Journal.
Reading assignment: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Philip K. Dick) (Graded Reader, book, screenplay).

7
May 22
Discussion questions, Discussion/WS. Watch part of Blade Runner (1982) (dir: Ridley Scott) (DVD, VHS). (117 min.)

8
May 29
Watch conclusion of Blade Runner (117 min.). Discussion/WS. Write in Movie Journal.
Read (about) The Bicentennial Man (Isaac Asimov) (The Positronic Man). WS.

9
June 5
Watch Bicentennial Man (1999) (dir: Chris Columbus). (132 min. )

10
June 12
Watch conclusion of Bicentennial Man (132 min. ) WS. Write in Movie Journal.
Reading assignment: Super-Toys Last All Summer Long (Brian Aldiss) (available online). Discussion, WS.

11
June 19
Watch beginning of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) (dir: Steven Spielberg) (146 min.).

12
June 26
Watch conclusion of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (146 min.) WS. Write in Movie Journal.
Start watching I, Robot (2004) (dir: Alex Proyas). (115 min.)

13
July 3
Finish watching I, Robot (115 min.). Read portions of I, Robot (by Isaac Asimov) (book or online screenplay based on Asimov’s characters and concepts). Discussion/WS.

14
July 10
Student Presentations Day. Movie Journal (or Research Paper) due.

15
July 24
Final Exam. Return Journals/Research papers. Self-evaluation, Course evaluation.
All assignments due.

Evaluation

Participation: 10%
Worksheets, Discussions, and Tasks: 30%
Movie Journal (blog OK) (or Research Paper): 20%
Presentation of a film with artificial intelligence as a theme: 20%
Final Test: 20%

Materials will be provided by the instructor.
The course blog will be online at http://aiff-bgu.blogspot.com