Literature & the Future1 Final Exams –Day, Time, Room (Monday class) (Tuesday class) (Thursday class)

Literature & the Future2 The Prometheus Legend In an effort to steal the secret of fire from the Gods, Prometheus was punished by having his eyes plucked out by eagles. Much literature in the past showed that the acquisition of knowledge (information) was inherently evil and was punished by the gods.

Literature & the Future3 The Golem In this legend, Rabbi Judah Low of Prague (16th Century) made a figure of clay and put "the breath of life" into its nostrils. He caused this figure (the golem) to come alive and protect the Ghetto. In this legend Artificial Intelligence was created through religious magic. As opposed to the Prometheus legend, it is a positive story.

Literature & the Future4 Frankenstein “Frankenstein, the Modern Prometheus” by Mary Shelly (1818). Ms. Shelly wrote about a doctor (M. D.) who took it upon himself to create life using the (then new) power of electricity. He was destroyed for his intrusion into what was considered to be God's domain. This story is a continuation of the negative view of technology.

Literature & the Future5 R. U. R. In 1920 Karel Capek, a Czech playwright, wrote "Rossum's Universal Robots" a stage play that dealt with the essential humanity of man-made intelligence. During the play the robots demanded the right to marry, and finally to vote. This play incorporates the first use of the word Robot, a Czech word for drudgery.

Literature & the Future6 I, Robot In 1950, Isaac Asimov wrote a seminal collection of stories on Robots in which he introduced the three Laws of Robotics. More than 100 stories followed expanding on this theme. This concept of the Robot as an engineering result was new.

Literature & the Future7 The 3 Laws of Robotics 1. A Robot shall not harm a human being or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A Robot must obey the orders given it by a human being except where such order conflict with the first law. 3. A Robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.

Literature & the Future8 Other Works Player Piano (1952) The Nine Billion Names of God (1953) The Caves of Steel (1953) A Canticle for Liebowitz (1959) Colossus, The Forbin Project (1966) 2001 (1968)

Literature & the Future9 Cost of Computing Cost of computing power decreases by about a factor of 10 every three year: Year: Cost of PDP-8 Cost of Cray I Student 1966 $1,000,000. did not exist. just born 1976 $1,000. " 1986 $1. $1,000,000. in college 1996 $1, $1. mid career

Literature & the Future10 Refusal of Technology Has there ever been a technological advance that was rejected by the community for social reasons alone? The automatic hat tipper The telephone, voic Poison gas Knowledge of sex of the unborn Nuclear power