Astronomy 321 - Fall 2014
The Future of Humanity
MWF 1:00-1:50 PM · RLM 15.216B · 48585
Announcements
Friday, November 21, Guest Lecturer on Exoplanets, Dr. Michael Endl.
REVISED SCHEDULE FOR FINAL PAPER
Paper 3, 10 pages, The Future of Humanity, Due Friday, December 5.
Topic of final paper: what do you think the future of humanity will be in 100 years (a few generations), 1000 years (time since modern civilization), 10,000 years (time since agriculture, communities), 100,000 years (timescale of past human biological evolution) and beyond (geological, astronomical, cosmological timescales)?
In addition to this time line, you might consider some of the themes we have discussed in class:
What does it mean to be human?
Can machines be conscious?
Nature of work, economy, democracy, capitalism, after the putative "singularity."
Draft, oral reading to peers, Monday, November 24.
Thanksgiving Break
Revised written draft to peers, Monday, December 1.
Return of peer-graded draft, discussion with peers, Wednesday, December 3.
Last day of class, Friday, December 5, final paper due, oral summary of your papers.
Read Wikipedia Interstellar Travel, Alcubierre Drive.
First Day Memo to Undergrads [pdf]
