Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence

Catalog description

Artificial intelligence is one of (if not) the major technological advances of our time. Applications of AI have the potential to change our lives in positive and negative ways. AI also raises a huge number of philosophical problems. In this class, we will address three major classes of issues arising from AI. The first is about the mind: can AI systems think? Or, more subtly, can AI systems be used to model the way that biological organisms think? The second is about knowledge. Can we learn from AI systems? Should we trust the judgments of AI systems in science or policy matters? The third is about ethics. Can an AI system do something wrong? Who is responsible for the judgments of an AI system? What is the source of biases in AI systems? The class requires no background in AI or computer science, but students will learn the key properties of a variety of AI systems.