Schedule
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AST 321 The Future of Humanity
Fall 2014 (Unique Number 48585)
Schedule
Day 1 8/27 – Discussion of Syllabus, web site, Self-introductions, Getting Acquainted Questionnaire, join Facebook Group.
Day 2 8/29 – Elements of writing, astronomical context of life on Earth, overview of course topics.
Labor Day 9/1
Day 3 9/3 – Evolutionary timeline, Sagan video Cosmic Calendar, linear versus exponential change. Discussion of “unknown” versus “unknowable.”
Day 4 9/5 – Draft of first paper, oral reading to peers. Origin of life, chemistry to biochemistry, random change versus recursion, complexity and emergent properties.
Day 5 9/8 – Revised drafts to peers for written review. Discussion of Darwin Origin of the Species, The Descent of Man, artificial, natural, sexual selection.
Day 6 9/10 – Discussion of drafts with peers. Discussion of writing fundamentals. Continued discussion of Darwin, related topics.
Day 7 9/12 – First Paper Due, 5 pages on the Future of Humanity. Continued discussion of Darwin, related topics
Day 8 9/15 – Continued discussion of Darwin. Discussion of The Selfish Gene.
Day 9 9/17 – Discussion of Wikipedia Human Evolution link (JCW on travel).
Day 10 9/19 –Discussion of current evolution of homo sapiens, contemporary evolutionary pressures.
Day 11 9/22 – Discussion of the biological revolution.
Day 12 9/24 – Discussion of genome, proteome, gene switches, epigenetic evolution.
Day 13 9/26 – Discussion of Sociobiology, Evolutionary Psychology
Day 14 9/29 – Discussion of Malthus, Paul Ehrlich, The Population Bomb.
Day 15 10/1 – Discussion of limits of Earth’s population.
Day 16 10/3 – Albert Bartlett video Arithmetic Population and Energy
Day 17 10/6 – continue Albert Bartlett video, discussion
Day 18 10/8 – Draft of second paper, oral reading to peers. Discussion of Moore’s law, computational evolution.
Day 19 10/10 – Revised drafts to peers for written review. Discussion of human consciousness.
Day 20 10/13 – Discussion of drafts with peers (JCW on travel).
Day 21 10/15 – Second Paper Due, 10 pages on Topic of Choice. Discussion of The Singularity.
Day 22 10/17 – Discussion of The Singularity, exponential growth of knowledge
Day 23 10/20 – Discussion of The Singularity, genomics.
Day 24 10/22 – Discussion of The Singularity, artificial intelligence, neural networks, deep learning.
Day 25 10/24 – Discussion of The Singularity, nanotechnology
Day 26 10/27 – Guest lecturer on robotics, AI.
Day 27 10/29 – Discussion of Lanier, Who Owns the Future?
Day 28 10/31 – Discussion of Lanier, Who Owns the Future?
Day 29 11/3 – Discussion of Human Space Flight (JCW on travel)
Day 30 11/5 – Discussion of Human Space Flight
Day 31 11/7 – Discussion of Exoplanets
Day 32 11/10 – Guest lecturer on exoplanets
Day 33 11/12 – Discussion of prospects for interplanetary travel
Day 34 11/14 – Discussion of prospects for interstellar travel, The Fermi Paradox
Day 35 11/17 – Discussion of prospects for interstellar travel, The Physics of Star Trek
Day 36 11/19 – Discussion of hyperspace, string theory, large extra dimensions
Day 37 11/21 – Discussion of the limits of human knowledge
Day 38 11/24 – Draft of third paper, oral reading to peers.
Day 39 11/26 – Revised drafts to peers for written review.
Thanksgiving Break
Day 40 12/1 – Discussion of drafts with peers.
Day 41 12/3 – Third Paper Due, 10 pages on The Future of Humanity (JCW on travel)
Day 42 12/5 – Wrap-up discussion