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Course about Robots, et. al.
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Rhondak101
Posted 2011-08-28 3:06 PM (#2608)
Subject: Course about Robots, et. al.



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Location: SC, USA		This semester I'm teaching an Honors English course for college freshmen. I decided to use readings concerning human-created creatures starting with the Jewish myth of the golem and working up to androids, cyborgs, and robots. I decided not to solicit texts from this forum because I was having a hard enough time limiting texts as it was.
However, I thought that I would share the reading list with you guys to get some post-creation feedback.


Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Isaac Asimov, Robot Visions
Karel Čapek, R. U. R. (Rossums Universal Robots)
Marge Piercy, He, She and It
Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
and the stories
E. T. A. Hoffmann, The Sandman and "The Automata"
Edgar Allan Poe, Maelzels Chess Player
F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre, The Clockwork Horror
Mary Robinette Kowal, For Want of a Nail
Jorge Luis Borges, The Circular Ruins


We are also reading scientific and psychological articles and watching Blade Runner and some scenes from Metropolis.

I'll probably do this course again for upper-level students, so I'd like to hear your feedback.
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Administrator
Posted 2011-08-28 3:25 PM (#2609 - in reply to #2608)
Subject: RE: Course about Robots, et. al.



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Location: Dallas, Texas

I would take this class in a second were I still in school!  What a great theme and you've picked some great books for your lucky students.  Looks like you've got the genre covered from the very beginning with Frankenstein to the present Hugo Award winning For Want of a Nail.

Probably best that you didn't poll for ideas.  You'd have been buried with recommendations   Reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and watching Blade Runner after should be fascinating for your students.  I hope you'll find a few minutes to show them the robotic head of Philip K. Dick.  That thing is creepy awesome.  What a treat!

I hope you'll post about the class as the semester goes on.  I'd love to hear how it goes and how the class responds.  I'm glad it's an Honors course as those kids should make it a great experience for you as well.

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icowrich
Posted 2011-08-29 12:49 AM (#2619 - in reply to #2608)
Subject: Re: Course about Robots, et. al.



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Location: Irving, TX		I was all ready to ignore your wishes and suggest some books, but, frankly, I can't think of a better selection than what you have provided. Still, I might suggest supplementing the pre-Shelley history to include the κοῦραι χρύσειαι (Homer in the Iliad 18.416-420 called them the ἀμφίπολοι χρύσειαι), Hepaestus' "Golden Maidens," who assisted their lame creator with various tasks. The very same god made Τάλως, the giant made of bronze. It shouldn't take up too much class time, as it would only require a few excerpts from the Iliad and the Argonautica. It'd be a nice segue from the (possibly more ancient) Jewish myths to post-Renaissance concoctions.

When you have a complete syllabus, could I trouble you for a copy? I teach AP senior English, and I'd love to adapt this into a unit.
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Rhondak101
Posted 2011-08-29 6:17 AM (#2620 - in reply to #2619)
Subject: Re: Course about Robots, et. al.



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Location: SC, USA		Hi,
Thanks for the suggestion. I decided not to dig out the Iliad text b/c several of the Asimov essays that we will read mention Hephaestus' creations and Talos. Not surprisingly, Asimov does some fantastic history of robots in his work. If students seem particularly interested in the Greek robots, I'll point them back to the primary texts.

And, please, ignore my wishes. Now that the syllabus is complete I'm willing to entertain what I could do next time.
I'll email you the syllabus later today.

Rhonda
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gallyangel
Posted 2011-08-29 11:55 PM (#2625 - in reply to #2608)
Subject: Re: Course about Robots, et. al.



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Location: The Wilds of Washington		Hi. I stumbled across a little piece done by a futurist which might interest you, or others here. It's just a collation of just how many different versions of this topic (the Other) that SF has come up with.
Quote: "If we think of Human existence as white light and the Prism as technology, then what might shine out from that Prism when we shine our brilliance though it? What Possibilities might the future of intelligent life hold for a Post-Human Future? Where might we take technology? Or, better yet, where might technology direct our evolution?" He says SF has given us 27 distinct answers. If anyone wants a copy, I can email you one.
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