Reading the Algorithm
This course seeks to define the algorithm in terms of its cultural shadow, incorporating computational as well as philosophical understandings of how technical systems shape human activity to understand the stories we tell ourselves about algorithms. Students will learn a toolkit for “algorithmic reading” which they can use to analyze a modern algorithm and its footprint in society. The class will feature reading and writing assignments centered on science fiction, popular and news articles, and social media/other artifact analysis.
History and Foundations
Videos
Reading
Read Chapter 1, “What Is an Algorithm?” in What Algorithms Want by Ed Finn. Finn, E. (2018). What algorithms want: Imagination in the age of computing. MIT Press.
Wiener, Norbert. The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society. Da Capo Press, 1988. Print.
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 1-8
Homework
Algorithmic Reading Toolkit – Infrastructure and System Design
Videos
Reading
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 9-16
Gebru, Timnit, et al. “Datasheets for datasets.” Communications of the ACM 64.12 (2021): 86-92.
Crawford, K., & Joler, V. (2018). Anatomy of an AI System. Anatomy of an AI System.
Homework
Algorithmic Reading Toolkit – User Experience and Ethics
Videos
Reading
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 17-26
Norman, D. (2013). The design of everyday things: Revised and expanded edition. Basic books. Chapters 1-2
Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. In Algorithms of oppression. New York university press. Introduction and Ch. 1
Homework
Algorithmic Reading Toolkit – Ethics and Speculative Futures
Videos
Reading
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 27-36
Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. In Algorithms of oppression. New York university press. Chapter 2
Homework
Material Production of Algorithms
Videos
Reading
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 37-47
Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. In Algorithms of oppression. New York university press. Chapter 3
Bender, E. M., Gebru, T., McMillan-Major, A., & Shmitchell, S. (2021, March). On the dangers of stochastic parrots: Can language models be too big?🦜. In Proceedings of the 2021 ACM conference on fairness, accountability, and transparency (pp. 610-623).
Homework
Algorithmic Reading Toolkit – User Experience and Ethics
Videos
Reading
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 48-57
Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. In Algorithms of oppression. New York university press. Chapter 4-5
Chapter on “Pragmatic Imagination” in Pendleton-Jullian, A. M., & Brown, J. S. (2018). Design Unbound: Designing for Emergence in a White Water World, Volume 2: Ecologies of Change (Vol. 2). mit Press.
Homework
Putting It All Together
Videos
Reading
Stephenson, N. (1994). Snow crash. Penguin UK. Chapters 58 – end
Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. In Algorithms of oppression. New York university press. Chapter 6 – end