Simulated Worlds
Register for ClassThis course will provide students with the opportunity to use the technologies of extended reality (XR) and AI-powered simulation as a lens through which to explore the shifting nature of human values, interactions, and attitudes in the early 21st century. In doing so, the course will engage students in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of virtual worlds, preparing them to engage with our increasingly simulated digital spaces in critical and informed ways.
Students in the course will also take advantage of technologies available at the Ahmanson Lab with support from the professor and dedicated Lab staff. Students will have the chance to explore and use XR technologies, generative AI tools, bot systems, and a brain-computer interface, gaining knowledge and hands-on experience while engaging with the themes of the course.
Through readings, discussions, and the thoughtful, hands-on application/exploration of relevant technologies, students will examine the evolution of virtual worlds, from their origins in early science fiction, mechanical and computer simulations as well as stereoscopic technologies and early film, to present day immersive digital environments; the philosophical questions raised by VR, immersive environments, and in particular, the Simulation Hypothesis; and the social and political implications of virtual worlds, including the capacity to counterfeit people and to simulate human behavior at scale.
Participation (15%): Active participation in discussions is essential in this seminar. As is attendance. In order to effectively participate in discussions students must come prepared by thoughtfully completing reading assignments each week. In addition, students should read the writing assignments of their peers on the weeks when they are due and come to class prepared to discuss other’s perspectives.
Writing Assignments (40%): In the final week of each course section, students will write shorter essays (500 words) that synthesize and analyze readings and topics covered throughout that portion of the course. These essays will be posted to the class’ website.
Final Project (45%): Students will complete a final project for the course. Projects can take the form of either (a) a longer-form essay (1000 words) on a research topic that relates to the core themes of the course (to be determined in consultation with the professor); or (b) the fabrication of an artifact, system, simulation, or environment that employs one of the technologies explored at the Ahmanson Lab during the class and demonstrates a deep engagement with the course themes (to be determined in consultation with the professor), particularly in how simulation reshapes perceptions of society, knowledge, or reality (this option must be accompanied by a 150-word reflection essay on how the project relates to the course themes).
Writing Assignments (40%): In the final week of each course section, students will write shorter essays (500 words) that synthesize and analyze readings and topics covered throughout that portion of the course. These essays will be posted to the class’ website.
Final Project (45%): Students will complete a final project for the course. Projects can take the form of either (a) a longer-form essay (1000 words) on a research topic that relates to the core themes of the course (to be determined in consultation with the professor); or (b) the fabrication of an artifact, system, simulation, or environment that employs one of the technologies explored at the Ahmanson Lab during the class and demonstrates a deep engagement with the course themes (to be determined in consultation with the professor), particularly in how simulation reshapes perceptions of society, knowledge, or reality (this option must be accompanied by a 150-word reflection essay on how the project relates to the course themes).
Over the course of the semester, the class will build a website that features students' research, reflections, and insights on simulation and society. The website, which will consist primarily of the writing assignments and final projects outlined under “Course Requirements” above, will include three sections: a collection of essays and creative projects that document and examine topics related to the history, philosophy, and politics of simulation; an interactive timeline tracing the evolution of simulation technologies and their impact on society; and a series of brief entries providing strategies for critically engaging the growing complexity of simulated and artificial online spaces. Finally, the site will feature ways for readers to meaningfully navigate between these sections, allowing them to move fluidly from larger argument-driven essays to specific moments in a timeline or individual strategies and back again.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Outline the historical development of technologies used to simulate reality and model social and natural aspects the world.
- Critically analyze the impact of simulation technologies on society, culture, politics, knowledge, and reality.
- Understand how technologies shape and are shaped by a wide range of human endeavors, using them as a lens to examine shifts in our thought and behavior.
- Engage thoughtfully in digital spaces, with a heightened awareness for discerning authentic information and identities from increasingly simulated content online.
- Design and develop an online scholarly resource that effectively organizes interdisciplinary research and knowledge.