Technology has invaded every aspect of modern life. Through social media technology has become the architect even of our most private lives. Technology begins to create its own momentum and now threatens to surpass our abilities to control it. The implications of our having become addicted to technology as the answer to every problem is the focus of this class, where we question a technology that, while taking over our lives, seems to be taking on a life of its own: Are we to be slaves to or masters of technology? Will our technological future include human values and humane sensibilities, or will humanity itself be so transformed by technologies as to become something entirely different from who we are now, a Humanity 2.0? In particular we will consider the opposition between the techno-optimists, who see technology as our savior, and the techno-pessimists, who view our growing dependence on technology with alarm. Perhaps the most important question for us concerns the role of the artist in a world dominated by technological thinking? The course will include many documentaries and other graphic illustrations of concepts.

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