"The end of theory: The data deluge makes the scientific method obsolete." Wired Magazine (2008).
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Section One: Weeks 1-4
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Section One: The Evolution of Simulated Realities
In this section, we will begin our journey into virtual worlds by looking at how and why humans have represented and simulated reality, from early stereoscopes to modern virtual reality. We will also examine the creation of abstract models of reality, focusing on their evolution in video games, design, scientific modeling, and generative artificial intelligence.
January 16
Introduction to the class. We’ll go over the syllabus, course objectives, and expectations. We'll also introduce ourselves, get to know each other, and explore the course topic broadly.
January 23
From Stereoscopes to VR: We will look at the history of visual and immersive technologies with a focus on the hardware used to generate representations of the physical world.
Readings:
Chapter 1. Bolter, Jay David, Maria Engberg, and Blair MacIntyre. Reality media: Augmented and virtual reality. MIT Press, 2021. [Download]
Interactive Session:
Students will engage with a variety of prominent VR experiences that feature significant simulations of the real world, such as Google Earth and VRChat.January 30
From Text-based adventure games to MMORPs: We will delve into the development of simulations in video games with a focus on world-building and interactive storytelling.
Readings:
Chapters 1-3. Barton, M., & Stacks, S. Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. 2008. [Download]
Interactive Session:
Students will play with a host of old video games, from 1970s text-based adventure games to 1990s graphic adventure games.February 6
From Reality to Models: We will explore the advancements of complex computer simulations with a focus on modeling in science, engineering, architecture, and design.
Website:
Readings:
Chapter 1. Turkle, Sherry. “Simulation and Its Discontents.” MIT Press, 2009. [Download]
Introduction to Scalar: brief tutorials on adding text and media to class site as well as organizing content via linear and non-linear pathways. Initial brainstorming on organizational strategies for website.February 13
From Theory to Models. We will examine ideas behind Dataism, and the "end of theory," exploring how the rise of big data and generative AI, particularly Large Language Models and General World Models, represent a shift from deep theoretical understanding of natural and social phenomena to simply simulating and predicting the world with sufficient accuracy.
Readings:
Anderson, Chris. "The end of theory: The data deluge makes the scientific method obsolete." Wired Magazine 16.7 (2008): 16-07. [Download]
Bender, Emily M., et al. "On the dangers of stochastic parrots: Can language models be too big?." Proceedings of the 2021 ACM conference on fairness, accountability, and transparency. 2021. [Download]
“Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence: Early experiments with GPT-4” and “What are World Models?” [Download]
Assignments:
Writing responses for Section 1 due February 12, 5pm.
Website:
Dedicated in-class time for design and development of class website.
