This course will trace the history of the machine from the monastery bell to the latest humanoid robot, in select episodes. The course will focus on cultural aspects of technologies of the 21st century, from coffee grinders and microwave ovens to automobiles, artificial intelligence, mobile phones, autonomous robots, social networking, instant messaging and surveillance systems.

Materials will be gathered from diverse authors such as: Lewis Mumford, Siegfried Giedion, Paul Virilio, Jean Baudrillard, Harun Farocki, Paul Feyerabend, Friedrich Kittler, Martin Heidegger, Matthew Fuller, Michel Foucault, Caroline Marvin, Hans Moravec, Marvin Minsky, John von Neumann, Katherine Hayles, Rodney Brooks, Slavoj Zizek, Vilem Flusser, Sherry Turkle, Bruno Latour, Manuel De Landa, David Marr, David Nye and others.

Open to all students !