21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002
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21l-448-fall-2002/contents/index.htm
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15.14 KB
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Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Paradis, James
Alternative Title
Darwin and Design
Date Issued
December 2002
Abstract
In the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin gave us a model for understanding how natural objects and systems can evidence design without positing a designer: how purpose and mechanism can exist without intelligent agency. Texts in this course deal with pre- and post-Darwinian treatment of this topic within literature and speculative thought since the eighteenth century. We will give some attention to the modern study of 'feedback mechanisms' in artificial intelligence. Our reading will be in Hume, Voltaire, Malthus, Darwin, Butler, Hardy, H. G. Wells, and Turing. There will be about 100 pages of weekly reading--sometimes fewer, sometimes more. Note: The title and content of this course, taught steadily at MIT since 1987, predate Michael Ruse's recent 2003 volume by the same title.
Subjects
Origin of Species
Darwin
intelligent agency
literature
speculative thought
eighteenth century
feedback mechanism
artificial intelligence
Hume
Voltaire
Malthus
Butler
Hardy
H.G. Wells
Freud
21L.448
21W.739J
21W.739
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Literature Section
MIT Program in Writing & Humanistic Studies
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