CS 585 Section 001, Spring 2016:
Science Fiction and Computer Ethics

Syllabus

Time and Place: M/W/F 2-2:50 PM, 267 FP Anderson Hall

Professor: Dr. J. Goldsmith
Office: 311 Davis Marksbury Building
Office Hours: TBA or by appointment. Email questions encouraged and answered.

Course Description:

The topics covered in this course will be:

The course will look critically and with enthusiasm at science fiction portrayals of science, technology, and ethics. We will use the fictional situations as jumping-off points for discussions of ethics. We will also consider the state of technology related described in the fiction, and its current affects on society.

Prereqs: Ability to read and write English, and to think and write analytically.

Textbooks: Computer Ethics (4th Edition) by Deborah G. Johnson
Publisher: Pearson; 4 edition (January 3, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0131112414
ISBN-13: 978-0131112414

Halting State by Charles Stross
(Ace Science Fiction): Ace; Reprint edition (June 24, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0441016073
ISBN-13: 978-0441016075

Ready Player One: A Novel by Ernest Cline
Publisher: Broadway Books (June 5, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0307887448
ISBN-13: 978-0307887443

Grading:

There will be:

The lowest response essay grade will be dropped. Illegible work will not be graded. Plagiarized work will be penalized for all parties, according to University regulations.

The midterm project will be completed/submitted by March 4th; a project proposal is due on February 1st. The final project is due by Monday, May 2nd at 3:30 PM, although any in-class presentations must be scheduled during a class period. The final project proposal is due by April 4th.

Those taking CS 585 001 for graduate credit will not have the lowest essay grade dropped.

Essays will be due on Fridays at the beginning of class on: Jan. 22nd, Feb. 5th, 19th, Mar. 4th, 25th, April 8th, and 22nd.

READ THIS:

Attendance in class and section is very strongly encouraged.

Copying of homework from other students or from other sources is strictly prohibited. Obtaining a solution from another source without citing the source is plagiarism. You are encouraged to visit Dr. Goldsmith in her office hours or to send her email if you are stuck on homework problems. You do not need an appointment for regularly scheduled hours.

Week by Week Course Outline:

DateTopicsSFTextbook Assignment
Jan. 13--15 Intro to course and to ethical theories ??35--51Short essay
Jan. 20--22 Ethics arguments; mechanization of the workforce Chaplain's Modern Times; With Folded Hands, by Jack Williamson (1947) 25--34
Jan. 25--29 Cyberstalking; In-game economies; Finding research Halting State, pp. X-Y 81--95; 110--118Short essay
Feb. 1 MIDTERM PROPOSAL DUE
Feb. 1--5 Terrorism vs. privacy; Identity Halting State, pp. Y+1-Z95--101
Feb. 8--12 Crowdsourcing activism; Politics and social media Halting State 101--08Short essay
Feb. 15--19Virtual schools; Pay to play; No one knows you're a dog Ready Player One 0000--0002; 0003--0005; 0006--0009 66--71
Feb. 22--26 Fame; Life immersed; The individual hero Ready Player One 0010--0013; 0014--0019; 0020--0027
Mar. 4th MIDTERM DUE
Mar. 7--11Ready Player One Employment;
Mar. 15--18 SPRING BREAK!
Mar. 21--25 Media; ?? The Gambler, by Bacigalupi Short essay
Mar. 28--Apr. 1
Apr. 4 FINAL PROPOSAL DUE
Apr. 4--8Warbots Terminator 2, In the Loop by Ken Liu Short essay
Apr. 11--15 Professional ethics
Apr. 18--22Carebots Robot & Frank, Big Hero 6 Short essay
Apr. 25--29 Student presentations and course retrospective
May 4FINAL: MON., MAY 2nd, 3:30 PM

Dear Student: As part of our curriculum improvement process, the Department of Computer Science would like to know how well this course has helped you meet the learning objectives for the course. Please respond to the supplemental questions beginning at 37 on the response sheet as follows:

0= Not Applicable 1= Unacceptable 2= Poor 3= Acceptable 4=Good 5=Outstanding

The course has helped me to improve my ability, my understanding, or my knowledge in the following categories:

  1. discuss major ethical theories;
  2. recognize ethical dilemmas in fiction, and analyze them according to those theories;
  3. recognize ethical dilemmas in the design, implementation, and use of current and future computer technology.


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