HPS255H1

History and Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence

This course introduces students to the historical and philosophical issues around artificial intelligence (AI). We will cover the geopolitical, economic, and cultural contexts from which the field of AI emerged, as well as the troubled history of the scientific concept of intelligence and how that has influenced the development of AI. The course will also introduce students to foundational and normative questions, such as how we should define and measure AI, how to evaluate the accomplishments of AI systems, and what the benefits and risks of relying on such systems might be.