COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course traces the evolution of artificial intelligence from early symbolic systems through to modern generative AI and agentic AI systems. From the perspective of contemporary philosophy of AI, students examine the ideas, values, and motivations that have shaped AI's development and continue to influence its trajectory.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Define and articulate the difference between key types of AI (e.g., symbolic AI, machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, and agentic AI) as well as their significance within the broader history of AI development.
2. Describe the ideas, values, and motivations that have driven AI research and development from its origins to the present day.
3. Assess how changing societal needs and perceptions of AI impacted the ideas, values, and motivations shaping AI development both positively and negatively.
4. Explain how philosophy has contributed to the development of AI, including its influence on key concepts like intelligence and research motivations, such as artificial general intelligence.
5. Apply philosophical concepts and frameworks to analyze contemporary AI systems and evaluate their significance in relation to earlier approaches.
6. Critically assess possible futures of AI development, drawing on historical patterns and philosophical perspectives to evaluate the forces likely to shape AI's ongoing trajectory.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1: Course Introduction (September 10)
1. No assigned reading.
2. Exit activity 1 (completed in class September 10)
Week 2: Origins of the Very Idea (September 15 & 17)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to September 15)
2. Exit activity 2 (completed in class September 17)
Week 3: The Birth of AI (September 22 & 24)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to September 22)
2. Exit activity 3 (completed in class September 24)
Week 4: Good Old-Fashioned Artificial Intelligence (September 29 & October 1)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to September 29)
2. Exit activity 4 (completed in class October 1)
Week 5: The First AI Winter (October 6 & 8)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to October 6)
2. Exit activity 5 (completed in class October 8)
Reading Week
Week 6: A Change in Mission (October 20 & 22)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to October 20)
2. Glossary Part 1 (due 11:59pm on October 20)
3. Exit activity 6 (completed in class October 22)
Week 7: Learning Machines (October 27 & 29)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to October 27)
2. Exit activity 7 (completed in class October 29)
Week 8: Applications of Machine Learning (November 3 & 5)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to November 3)
2. Exit activity 8 (completed in class November 5)
Week 9: Philosophers Against “The Algorithm” (November 10 & 12)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to November 10)
2. Exit activity 9 (completed in class November 12)
Week 10: The Re-Birth of Artificial Intelligence (November 17 & 19)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to November 17)
2. Exit activity 10 (completed in class November 19)
Week 11: Is this Chatbot Conscious? (November 24 & 26)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to November 24)
2. Exit activity 11 (completed in class November 26)
Week 12: Revenge of the Philosophy Student (December 1 & 3)
1. Assigned reading (complete prior to December 1)
2. Exit activity 12 (completed in class December 3)
Week 13: Course Summary (December 8)
1. No assigned reading.
2. Exam review in class.
3. Exit Activity 13 (completed in class December 8).
4. Glossary Part 2 (due 11:59pm, December 8).
METHOD OF EVALUATION
In class exit activities: 40% (Best 10 of 13)
Format: Each Thursday, the final 25 minutes will be devoted to a short in-class exit activity connected to that week’s material. The format will vary from week to week and may include: a short-written reflection, a small-group discussion with a one-paragraph summary submitted, a concept-mapping exercise, reflection questions, or a short, applied exercise (e.g., testing a claim from the reading against a real AI tool). The specific format for each week will be announced in class.
Purpose: These activities are exploratory, not evaluative of understanding. They are designed to get you actively engaging with the week's ideas by testing them, applying them, or discussing them with peers.
Submission: Completed and submitted in class on the day assigned, via BrightSpace. Activities cannot be submitted after class ends, in keeping with the "exit" format.
Grading: Each activity is graded out of 4 points. A rubric will be provided on BrightSpace.
Free Passes: Your final grade for this component is calculated from your best 10 of 13 scores. This means you may miss, skip, or underperform on up to three exit activities with no explanation or documentation required. Treat these as built-in flexibility for illness, scheduling conflicts, or an off day. Please note, because not all elements of this assessment are required in the calculation of the final course grade, the instructor reserves the right to deny academic consideration for these missed elements.
Glossary Part 1: 15%
Task: Individually complete 5 glossary entries on key concepts or terms from Weeks 1–5 (Course Introduction through The First AI Winter). Terms are set by the instructor, there is no choice of term. The list of 5 assigned terms will be posted to Brightspace.
Format: 150-250 words per entry, complete with definition, context, and an example.
Purpose: This assignment builds precision with the course's core vocabulary early in the term, before that vocabulary gets put to more demanding use in the second half of the course (and in Glossary Part 2).
Submission: Submitted as a single document (Word or PDF) via Brightspace. Entries should appear in the order the terms were assigned and be clearly headed with the term in bold.
Grading: Each entry is worth 3 points (1 point per component: definition, context, example), for 15 points total (scaled to 15% of final grade). A detailed rubric will be posted to Brightspace at the start of term.
Due: 11:59pm, October 20.
Academic consideration: Standard university academic consideration policies apply to this assignment.
Academic integrity note: Entries must be written in your own words. Direct quotations from source material are permitted only if short, clearly quoted, and cited. The glossary is meant to demonstrate your own understanding, not compiled definitions from other sources (including AI tools).
Glossary Part 2: 15%
Task: Individually complete 3 glossary entries on key concepts from Weeks 6–12 (A Change in Mission through Revenge of the Philosophy Student). Terms are set by the instructor, there is no choice of term. The list of 3 assigned terms will be posted to Brightspace.
Format: 350-450 words per entry complete with definition, context, philosophical significance, and an example.
Purpose: Part 2 builds on the definitional precision established in Part 1 by asking you to place a term within the course's larger philosophical conversation, connecting it backward to earlier weeks and forward to the questions the course closes on (consciousness, the limits of "the algorithm," what's left for philosophy to do).
Submission: Same as Part 1, single document via Brightspace dropbox, terms in the order assigned, terms in bold.
Grading: Each entry is worth 5 points (1 definition, 2 context, 1 example, 1 significance), for 15 points total (scaled to 15% of final grade). A detailed rubric will be posted to Brightspace.
Due: 11:59pm, December 8.
Academic consideration: Standard university academic consideration policies apply to this assignment.
Academic integrity note: Entries must be written in your own words. Direct quotations from source material are permitted only if short, clearly quoted, and cited. The glossary is meant to demonstrate your own understanding, not compiled definitions from other sources (including AI tools).
Final exam: 30%
Format: In-class, 2 hours, written exam consisting of multiple choice and short answer.
Coverage: Cumulative across all 13 weeks. Examinable material includes readings, lecture content and concepts and terms covered in Glossary Parts 1 and 2.
Review: An in-class review session will be held during Week 13 (December 8), covering exam format and a study guide distributed in advance.
Materials permitted: This is a closed book exam.
Academic consideration: Standard university academic consideration policies apply to the exam.