Big Idea Thursdays
BIT 0: What is computation?
| Discussion date: | Thursday, January 27 |
| Reading: | The Pattern on the Stone, chapters 1 - 3 |
| A Tinkertoy computer that plays tic-tac-toe | |
| Like Water for Money | |
| Discussion questions |
Your 1-2 page response paper and two discussion questions are due on Monday, January 24. Please send both to me in an email.
Your paper should respond to the following general prompt:
According to Hillis, what is the nature of computation? Compare and contrast with your previous understanding of what is meant by "computation."
Please note that this is a purposefully minimal prompt. You are encouraged to take your response in any direction that interests you. For example, you may want to focus on one particular aspect of the reading or pose questions that you would like to investigate further. You will be graded on both the content and organization of your paper.
BIT 1: Computation and its Limits
| Discussion date: | Thursday, February 10 |
| Reading: | The Pattern on the Stone, chapters 4- 7 |
| Discussion questions |
Your 1-2 page response paper and two discussion questions are due in class on Monday, February 7.
BIT 2: Evolutionary algorithms
| Discussion date: | Thursday, February 24 |
| Reading: | The Pattern on the Stone, chapters 8 and 9 |
| Evolving Inventions | |
| The Many Facets of Natural Computing (optional) | |
| Karl Sims' evolved creatures | |
| Discussion questions |
Your 1-2 page response paper and two discussion questions are due in class on Monday, February 21.
BIT 3: Emergence and swarm intelligence
| Discussion date: | Thursday, March 10 |
| Reading: | Emergence, through chapter 7 |
| Maze solving by an amoeboid organism | |
| Discussion questions |
Your 1-2 page response paper and two discussion questions are due in class on Monday, March 7.
BIT 4: Networks
| Discussion date: | Thursday, March 31 |
| Reading: | Six Degrees, chapters 1 - 5 (minimum) |
| Discussion questions |
Your 1-2 page response paper and two discussion questions are due in class on Monday, April 4.