In Search of the Electric Monk

Throughout civilization, we have seen machines free humans from arduous tasks we would rather not—or cannot—perform ourselves, from manual labor such as harvesting crops or walking long distances, to factory and construction work and performing intricate computations. More recently, digital technology and simulated intelligence have been increasingly used to free humans from the tiresome acts of physical interaction, creative production, and even learning, as society becomes ever more ready for Douglas Adams' Electric Monk. In this seminar we will explore the side effects of technological progress on the human condition, considering written works and films ranging from nonfiction and science to fiction and science fiction.