Honors Seminars Fall 2012

What makes us unique, different from animals and machines? This course focuses on the question of human singularity, the properties, if any, that distinguish us from dogs and pigs, on the one hand, and artificial intelligences and cyborgs on the other. We will watch and discuss youtube videos about computers that read monkeys brains, robots that imitate human facial movements, and pigs with human genes. We'll also read about scientific experiments in these areas, and philosophical explorations of those experiments. What is human nature? And if technology advances to the point where we can actually change human nature, should we? Should we implant memory chip in our brains? Would you upload your psychological identity into a virtual Matrix and live in a disembodied state?