LOGICOMP 301 : Philosophy and Computation

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) (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 - Organic vs mechanical computation. Exploring the relationship between logic, incompleteness, and organic processes.
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, and bias in big data. Existential, practical, and ethical issues in living with our new robot overlords.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: COMPSCI 120, and PHIL 216 or 222

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
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 3 and 5)
  2. Explore the wider implications of theoretical constraints on computing (Capability 3 and 4)
  3. Critically evaluate the differences and similarities between mechanical vs organic computing (Capability 3 and 5)
  4. Explain how incompleteness results may apply to natural processes (Capability 3 and 5)
  5. Demonstrate the limits and capabilities of Artificial Intelligence, and of Human Intelligence's ability to understand Artificial Intelligence (Capability 5)
  6. Evaluate and discuss the ethical and social implications of some near-future Artificial Intelligence applications (Capability 1 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments and Activities 100% Individual Coursework

Exact Coursework assessment will vary each year.

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.

Each week of 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 lectures to complete components of the course, including marked contributions to classes.
Lectures will be available as recordings, but involve discussion, and sometimes extensive whiteboard use. Recordings may be of little use.
Attendance on campus is required for any tests we may hold.

Learning 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.

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.

For example, some of this year's assignments have been heavily shaped by positive feedback by past students.

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

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 course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, 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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 11/10/2023 04:50 p.m.