21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002
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 w...
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| Format: | Learning Object |
| Language: | en-US |
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2010
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58742 |
| _version_ | 1826202675581026304 |
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| author | Paradis, James |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Literature Section |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Literature Section Paradis, James |
| author_sort | Paradis, James |
| collection | MIT |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:12:34Z |
| format | Learning Object |
| id | mit-1721.1/58742 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en-US |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-10T10:29:48Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/587422025-02-20T21:59:41Z 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 Darwin and Design Paradis, James Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Literature Section MIT Program in Writing & Humanistic Studies 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 Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 230101 English Language and Literature, General 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. 2010-09-29T05:02:12Z 2010-09-29T05:02:12Z 2002-12 2010-09-29T05:02:14Z Learning Object 21L.448-Fall2002 21L.448 21W.739J IMSCP-MD5-d73b48142257e00eff03862a53a01402 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58742 en-US http://www.core.org.cn/OcwWeb/Literature/21L-448Darwin-and-DesignFall2002/CourseHome/index.htm This site (c) Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2010. Content within individual courses is (c) by the individual authors unless otherwise noted. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is providing this Work (as defined below) under the terms of this Creative Commons public license ("CCPL" or "license") unless otherwise noted. The Work is protected by copyright and/or other applicable law. Any use of the work other than as authorized under this license is prohibited. By exercising any of the rights to the Work provided here, You (as defined below) accept and agree to be bound by the terms of this license. The Licensor, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, grants You the rights contained here in consideration of Your acceptance of such terms and conditions. text/html Fall 2002 |
| spellingShingle | 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 Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 230101 English Language and Literature, General Paradis, James 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 |
| title | 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 |
| title_full | 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 |
| title_fullStr | 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 |
| title_full_unstemmed | 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 |
| title_short | 21L.448 / 21W.739J Darwin and Design, Fall 2002 |
| title_sort | 21l 448 21w 739j darwin and design fall 2002 |
| topic | 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 Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 230101 English Language and Literature, General |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/58742 |
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