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Playing with Robots: Literary Representations of Automata and Intelligent Machines


Course Description

Concepts of automation and intelligent machines in literature, stimulating reflection on the ethical and socio-political consequences of future developments in artificial intelligence.


Athena Title

Playing with Robots


Semester Course Offered

Offered every year.


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

The course objectives are the following: To introduce students to literary visions of independent and intelligent machines To provide an overview of discussions in the humanities of machine learning To encourage students to reflect upon the socio-political and ethical impact of artificial intelligence


Topical Outline

The course introduces students to concepts of automation and intelligent machines in literature, stimulating reflection on the ethical and socio-political consequences of future developments in artificial intelligence. Bibliography: Bush, Vannevar, “As We May Think” in The Atlantic, July 1945 Èapek , Karel, R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), Dover Publications, 2001 Carter, Matt, Minds and Computers: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, Edinburgh University Press, 2007 Chiang, Ted, The Story of Your Life and Others, Vintage, 2016 Asimov, Isaac, I, Robot, Spectra, 1991 Dick, Philip, K., Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Del Rey, 1996 Schloer, Hardy, F., Spariosu, Mihai, I., Quantum Relations Principle. Managing our Future in the Age of Intelligent Machines, V&R unipress, 2016 Heinlein, Robert, A., The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Orb Books, 1997 Lem, Stanislaw, Solaris, Mariner, 2002 Shelley, Mary, Frankenstein, Dover Publications, 1994 Tegmark, Max, Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Knopg, 2017 Films: Wachowski, Lana, Wachowski, Lilly, The Matrix, Warner Bros., 1999 Jonze, Spike, Her, Warner Bros., 2013