SUMMARY
Recently, interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has rebounded, while the computational theory of mind has developed the thesis that all minds are machines. We will explore the history, philosophy, and psychology of mental machines by studying computational/cognitive psychology and the bi-directional influences of society and computing. We will examine traditional symbolic AI, deep learning by artificial neural networks, statistical learning techniques, and robotics. Finally, we will ponder the possibility that creating machines with common sense might require insights from developmental psychology. Ultimately, we will contemplate how research on AI illuminates human cognition, and vice versa.
REQUIRED BOOKS
- Mitchell, Melanie. (2019). Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.
- Braitenberg, Valentino. (1984). Vehicles: Experiments in Synthetic Psychology. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
- Clark, Andy. (2003). Natural-born Cyborgs: Minds, Technologies, and the Future of Human Intelligence. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
In addition, all students will be responsible for one of the books on the REQUIREMENTS page, under BOOK PROJECT.
OTHER READINGS
All other readings are available on the course website (Sakai).
ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS
Please note that we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate students with disabilities. For Pitzer students, to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Pitzer's Academic Support Services (PASS) in the Office of Student Affairs to inquire about accommodations and support services (Academic Support Services). It would be best for any interested students to contact PASS early in the semester so that a collaborative plan can be developed for the academic year. PASS will work with students to identify reasonable and appropriate accommodations. If you attend another one of the Claremont Colleges, please contact your home college’s disability officer; you can get more information about that by contacting the Claremont Colleges Student Disability Resource Center here: sdrc@cuc.claremont.edu.
Located in 131 Mead Hall, just across from the fountain, the Pitzer Writing Center offers workshops and one-on-one consultations with peer Fellows trained to work with writers on assignments in any discipline at all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming ideas to polishing a final draft. The Writing Center is one of Pitzer’s most popular academic resources, holding up to 1,900 virtual and in-person consultations per year. In addition to peer-led sessions, professional staff offer specialized consultations for English language learners and students engaging in the research process. Students working on fellowship or graduate school applications may book consultations with the center’s specially trained Fellowship Consultants. To book a general or specialized session and to learn more about writing workshops and other resources and events, visit https://www.pitzer.edu/writing-center/.
All Pitzer students may use the Writing Center for any writing need. Students from the other 5Cs are welcome to book appointments for courses taken at Pitzer.
If you’re not a Pitzer student and would prefer to use your own colleges’ writing center, no worries. They are all great!