Schedule

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AST 321 The Future of Humanity

Fall 2016 (Unique Number 47550)

Schedule

Day 1 8/24 – Discussion of Syllabus, web site, Getting Acquainted Questionnaire, join Facebook Group AST309.
Day 2 8/26 – Self-introductions, astronomical context of life on Earth, overview of course topics. Elements of writing. Discussion of plagiarism. Watch Albert Bartlett "Arithmetic, Population and Energy” video lecture.
Day 3 8/29 – More elements of writing. Discuss Bartlett video. Linear versus exponential change (estimate pennies to fill room).
Day 4 8/31 – Evolutionary timeline, Sagan video Cosmic Calendar. Darwin notes, quotes. Draft of first paper on Evolution, oral reading to peers.
Day 5 9/2 – Kurzweil Chapter 1. Discussion of The Singularity, exponential growth of knowledge. Linear versus log, knee versus no knee. Revised drafts to peers for written review.
Labor Day 9/5
Day 6 9/7 – Discussion of drafts with peers.
Day 7 9/9 – Discussion of “unknown” versus “unknowable,” origin of life, chemistry to biochemistry, random change versus variation and selection. Discussion of Darwin Origin of the Species, Descent of Man. First Paper Due, 5 pages on Evolution.
Day 8 9/12 – Continued discussion of evolution, artificial, natural, sexual selection, recursion, complexity and emergent properties. Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, memes. Wikipedia Evolution link, Wikipedia Emergence link.
Day 9 9/14 – Kurzweil Chapter 2, Discussion of Moore’s law, computational evolution.
Day 10 9/16 – Continued discussion of human evolution, computational evolution; we are all Africans. Wikipedia Human Evolution link.
Day 11 9/19 – Discussion of current evolution of homo sapiens, contemporary evolutionary pressures.
Day 12 9/21 – Discussion of the biological revolution, genome, proteome.
Day 13 9/23 – Discussion of gene switches, epigenetic evolution, CRISPR/Cas9.
Day 14 9/26 – Discussion of Sociobiology, Evolutionary Psychology.
Day 15 9/28 – Discussion of Malthus, Paul Ehrlich, The Population Bomb.
Day 16 9/30 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 3, capacity of the human brain. Submit outline for second paper, Topic of Choice
Day 17 10/3 - Further discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 3, capacity of the human brain.
Day 18 10/5 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 4. Reverse engineering the brain, artificial intelligence, neural networks, deep learning, nanotechnology.
Day 19 10/7 – Draft of second paper, oral reading to peers.
Day 20 10/10 – Further discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 4. Reverse engineering the brain, artificial intelligence, neural networks, deep learning, nanotechnology. Revised drafts to peers for written review.
Day 21 10/12 – Discussion of drafts with peers
Day 22 10/14 – Videos, Rees, Bostrum TED talks (JCW on travel, Scialog). Second Paper Due, 10 pages on Topic of Choice.
Day 23 10/17 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 5, genomics, nanotechnology.
Day 24 10/19 – Further discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 5, genomics, nanotechnology.
Day 25 10/21 – Guest Lecturer, Professor Bob Duke, on human psychology, AI, the brain, and consciousness.
Day 26 10/24 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 6, Impact (first half). Discussion of Bill Joy Wired article, the dystopian view.
Day 27 10/26 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapters 7, consciousness.
Day 28 10/28 – Discussion of human consciousness, complexity, emergent properties. Can "machines" be conscious?
Day 29 10/31 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 8, GNR promise and peril.
Day 30 11/2 – Discussion of Smart Weapons, prohibition/restriction.
Day 31 11/4 – Discussion of The Singularity, Chapter 9, critiques.
Day 32 11/7 – Discussion of the future of democracy, capitalism, justice, Lanier, Who Owns the Future?
Day 33 11/9 – Discussion of the Sharing Economy, robots taking jobs, universal basic income.
Day 34 11/11 – Singularity, Chapter 6 (second half). Discussion of prospects for interplanetary travel.
Day 35 11/14 – Discussion of The Fermi Paradox, speed of light, hyperspace.
Day 36 11/16 – Discussion of string theory, large extra dimensions, worm holes and time machines.
Day 37 11/18 – Guest lecturer, Dr. Fritz Benedict, on exoplanets and the possibility of life elsewhere in the Universe.
Day 38 11/21 – Draft of third paper, oral reading to peers.
Day 39 11/23 – Informal discussion of class topics.
Thanksgiving Break
Day 40 11/28 – Discussion of open issues. Revised drafts to peers for written review.
Day 41 11/30 – Discussion of drafts with peers.
Day 42 12/2 – Summary of third papers. Third Paper Due, 10 pages on The Future of Humanity.
Day 43 12/5 – Open discussion of class.