Note on the schedule

Keep in mind that some of this schedule could change throughout the semester. However, if anything changes I’ll update this page, and I’ll be sure to give you plenty of advance notice.

Schedule & Readings

Books and Materials

  • Ceruzzi, Paul E. Computing: A Concise History. MIT Press, 2012. Available for free from the W&J Library!
  • Postman, Neil. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York: Vintage, 1992.
  • Sloan, Robin. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. New York: Picador, 2013.

Class Schedule

When a text is marked (pdf), a version is available in Sakai under Resources.

Dates Monday Wednesday Friday
  Unit I: Key Enabling Technologies    
27-29 Aug. NO CLASS on Monday Introductions and Course Theme. Practice Annotation Assignment on What Would Plato Say About ChatGPT? Make a Stop Sign. O’Donnell, “From the Codex to the Homepage” (pdf). Excerpt from Phaedrus (pdf).
1-5 Sept. NO CLASS on Monday Computing: Introduction and Ch. 1 & 2. Send a Secret Message. Standage, “The Mother of All Networks” (pdf).
8-12 Sept. Reid, “The Real Miracle” (pdf). Computing: Ch. 3 & 4. Learn Binary. Abbate, “Cold War and White Heat.” (pdf)
15-19 Sept. Computing: Ch. 5, 6, & 7. “Computer Visionary Who Invented the Mouse.” Vannevar Bush, “As We May Think.” Alex Wright, “The Secret History of Hypertext.” (pdf) Try the Command Line. Discussion/Research for Historical Essay.
22-26 Sept. Kirschenbaum, “Unseen Hands” (pdf). “Overlooked No More: Karen Sparck Jones, Who Established the Basis for Search Engines.” Planet Money: “When Women Stopped Coding.” “Sept. 24, 1979: First Online Service for Consumers Debuts.” Exam on Unit I
  Unit II: The Problem of Information    
29 Sept.-3 Oct. NO CLASS on Monday Sloan, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (pgs. 1-48, through Stranger in a Strange Land). David Weinberger, Everything is Miscellaneous (pdf). HISTORICAL ESSAY I DUE. Peer Review and Revision Planning.
6-10 Oct. Penumbra (pgs. 49-122, to the end of Part I, The Bookstore). Penumbra (pgs. 123-202, through The Dragon-Song Chronicles, Volume II). Build a Book. Digitize a Text. “History, Digitized (and Abridged).” Vint Cerf: TEDx Talk
13-17 Oct. Penumbra (pgs. 202-288, to the end of the book) Carr, “IT Doesn’t Matter” (pdf). Historical Essay Conferences (by Appt.)
  Unit III: Critical Reflection    
20-24 Oct. NO CLASS (Fall Break) Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” (pdf) Adrien Chen, “The Agency.” HISTORICAL ESSAY II DUE
27–31 Oct. Safiya Noble: TEDx Talk and Algorithms of Oppression pgs. 35-55 (pdf). (WARNING: This video is about the problem of racial stereotypes and misogyny and contains some graphic content) Race After Technology, “The New Jim Code” (pdf). Explore Search Engines. Lessig, “The Vision for the Creative Commons” (pdf pgs 36-49). Lessig: TED Talk. Browse Creative Commons website.
3-7 Nov. Lee, “A Patent Lie.” This American Life: “When Patents Attack: Part II.” Postman, Introduction & Ch. 1. Build Your Own Chatbot. Postman, Ch. 2 & 3.
10-14 Nov. Postman, Ch. 5 & 6. Postman, Ch. 8 & 9. Exam on Units II & III.
  Unit IV: Futurism (Past & Present)    
17-21 Nov. “Virtual Chiat.” “Lost in Space.” “The Robots are Coming for Phil in Accounting.” Watch Transcendent Man in class. “The Future Knocks Again.” Finish Transcendent Man. Research/Discussion for Futurist Essay.
24 Nov. “What Is Code?” sections 2.1-2.4. NO CLASS on Wednesday NO CLASS on Friday
1-5 Dec. Chiang, “ChatGPT is a Blurry JPEG of the Web” (pdf). Dzieza, “AI is a Lot of Work.” Writing with a Chatbot
8 Dec. Peer Review of Futurist Essay.    
14 Dec. 9am-Noon FINAL EXAM PERIOD. Write the FUTURIST ESSAY
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