FREE WRITING JOURNAL

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Eng111 & 112 D. Bausch [email protected]

Major Argument #3: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (A.I.)

ROBOTS Vs. HUMANS (Online Version)

Introduction

A.I. is already a part of our daily lives. We have Roombas to clean and wash our floors. We have Siri and Alexa to answer our questions. We have seen IBM’s Watson defeat a Jeopardy champion. We have seen IBM’s Deep Blue computer defeat a chess master. We have mobile robots to bring us room service in hotels. And currently we are hearing of driverless cars as a thing of the very near future. Most of us have accepted this new life form graciously, even eagerly. As technology leaps ahead with ever increasing speed, we acknowledge the next new “thing,” perhaps read about it, maybe even purchase it and move on without much thought about the very broad field of A.I. We don’t often think about how A.I. has been applied in the medical fields, or the military because we are having too much fun consuming it!

Taking a step back for a moment, what do you really KNOW about A.I.? Probably most of what we “know” or feel about it comes from our experience with it via movies and books. Robots and machines acting like humans has been a favorite subject of science fiction for decades. But what you probably do not know is the whole field of artificial intelligence research was born in the summer of 1956 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Over the course of six weeks a small group of mathematicians and scientists met daily in what amounted to brainstorming sessions. They coined the term, “artificial intelligence.” They claimed “that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it.” And in the process they formed the discipline of A.I. that is about to revolutionize our world.

However, all of the recent breakthroughs of this century are actually “one big breakthrough.” All of them have been made possible by “a subset of A.I. known as deep learning, or deep neural networks, as academics refer to them.” These concepts describe self-teaching computer programs.

So, with the rapid advances we are seeing in A.I., questions, concerns and fears have naturally arisen. Questions about the dangers of such technology center around ethics and abuses. Elon Musk has said the technology is “potentially more dangerous than nukes.” And Stephen Hawking said “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” Your readings and research should provide background for these concerns.

REQUIRED READINGS/VIEWINGS (Journal Entries required for each one.)

1. “How to Regulate Artificial Intelligence” by Oren Etzioni

2. “How to Make AI that’s Good for People” by Fei-Fei Li

3. “Silicon Valley Sharknado” by Maureen Dowd

4. From “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” by A.M. Turing

5. Video: “In the Age of AI” 2019 Frontline YouTube

REQUIRED INDEPENDENT RESEARCH—In addition to the 5 sources listed above, you must find 2-3 additional sources, pertaining directly to your chosen topic. These additional sources must be used in your argument and cited with proper MLA 8 documentation. But they do NOT require Journal Entries.

TOPICS DIRECTIONS: Pick ONE topic from this list for your research and writing.

1.Even in 1950, there was a lively debate about the effectiveness of the Turing test. Over the years, scientists and philosophers have been arguing about the best way to test consciousness in robots/androids/AI. John Seale’s Chinese Room, for example, is one counter to Turing. After researching the issue, write an essay that argues that consciousness in robots is possible (or not) and that testing for it is (or isn’t) possible.

2. The technological singularity is a concept used in the computer and artificial intelligence community that signals the historical moment when AI will be capable of redesigning itself, eventually building computers or robots better than itself. Such a possibility could cause super-intelligent machines to be far beyond our capacities or control. There has been a lively debate for years over this idea. Some think it is inevitable; some do not think it possible. After researching the issue, join the debate by arguing that singularity is going to happen (or not) and that it will be a catastrophe or a blessing.

3. Create an argument for what you see as the gravest dangers of artificial intelligence and why you think those dangers outweigh the obvious and multiple positive effects of such technology.

4. Narrow your vision to AI in one facet of society: medicine, or the military, or the law or industry. Research how AI currently is being used in that domain and write an argument about how advances in AI will enhance medicine or the military or the law or industry and whether those advances will create new risks and new potential dangers (or not). Be sure to limit your research to only one field: Medicine OR the Military OR the Law OR Industry. Do not try to do all of them!

5. Why do Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking believe that AI can be catastrophic for the human race? Do you agree or disagree with their thinking? Write an argument in which you provide evidence in support of their vision, or evidence which supports another, more positive vision.

6. Create your own topic. Make sure it pertains to controversial issues within the field of artificial intelligence. Have the topic written out for approval BEFORE the THESIS is due to Denny. Email your topic ASAP.

Assignment/Manuscript Requirements:

· Length: a general guideline for length is 4-7 typed pages. This is a guideline. I don’t count words and you shouldn’t either. If the paper is too short, it is too short because you haven’t made a sufficient argument. If it’s too long, then it has irrelevant material. But I don’t think any of these topics can be adequately covered in less than 4 typed .pages.

· In-Text Citations: You must document source information throughout the text of your essay and then use MLA8 in-text citations. You must have in-text citations in your argument—to demonstrate your ability. ALL 3 sources you find on your own must be used in the argument; they must also have in-text citations.

· Works Cited and Consulted Lists: Required in MLA 8 format.

· Documentation HELP (MLA 8) --- see a librarian: Kerry Cotter, Russell Grooms, Anne Beebee in the library on the 2nd floor of the Arts & Sciences building.

--- see [email protected] Online Writing Lab

--- Do NOT use online generators at other places—they are incorrect or do not use MLA 8

· Font: New Times Roman or Garamond, size 12

· Standard margins

· Pages numbered

· Paper Titled –using correct form: NO underlining NO bold NO quotation marks. Use Capitalization of ALL Main Words only.

· Document Titles: follow correct form by italicizing all large documents such as book titles, newspaper titles, magazine titles, film titles. Smaller documents such as chapters in book, articles in newspapers a

DEADLINES:

Reading Journal DUE--- Nov. 17

Thesis Statement DUE – Nov. 24

Peer Review Draft DUE – Dec. 1

Final Due (after Peer Review)— With the Final Portfolio no later than midnight, Dec. 9th.

This argument will not be submitted for grading prior to this Portfolio submit. You should have practiced writing arguments and improved so that you don’t need multiple revisions. There will be NO REVISIONS on this argument, so do your best. I am looking for improvement in your skills; I do not average grades.