LOGICOMP 301 : Philosophy and Computation

Arts

2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Covers a range of issues arising from the engagement of philosophy and computer science. Topics include the nature of computation, the limits of computation, and philosophical problems facing Artificial Intelligence.

Course Overview

Computer science originated in certain logical problems to do with the notion of an algorithmic procedure, resulting in the attempt to make this notion mathematically rigorous and, later, in the attempt to let machines implement such procedures. Since the heyday of this early work in the 1930s, philosophy has continued to engage with computer science on both foundational and ethical issues. This course covers a range of topics that arise from this engagement.
The course has three parts:
Part One - Foundations of Computation; the essence of computation; analyses of computation; programming with pebbles; the Church-Turing thesis; undecidability.
Part Two - The limits of computation; Hilbert’s programme and the limits of provability; proving vs programming; prospects and problems of data science.
Part Three - Examining the lines between humans and computers. What is Artificial (or natural) Intelligence. Forms of the Turing Test. Ethics about, for, and by Artificial Intelligence, including autonomous vehicles and similar physical systems, and bias in big data. Existential, practical, and ethical issues in living with our new robot overlords.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: PHIL 222 or COMPSCI 225

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Critically evaluate the philosophical and practical implications of the Church-Turing Thesis (Capability 1.1 and 2.1)
  2. Explore the wider implications of theoretical constraints on computing (Capability 1.1 and 3.2)
  3. Critically evaluate the fundamental relations between computing and proving (Capability 1.1, 2.3 and 3.2)
  4. Explain the technical limits of data science and their social implications and capabilities (Capability 1.1, 2.3, 3.1 and 6.3)
  5. Demonstrate the limits and capabilities of Artificial Intelligence, and of Human Intelligence's ability to understand Artificial Intelligence (Capability 1.3 and 2.2)
  6. Evaluate and discuss the ethical and social implications of some near-future Artificial Intelligence applications (Capability 2.3, 4.2 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 20% Individual Coursework
Test 20% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 60% Individual Examination

Some small bonus tasks may be available throughout the semester.

Next offered

Semester 1, 2022

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures (including the 1 hour 'tutorial'), 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and an average of 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including student hours.
Attendance on campus is required for the potential test/exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 22/12/2020 04:45 p.m.