80-790 Philosophical and Practical Aspects of AI

12 units, Carnegie Mellon University

Artificial Intelligence has deep roots in both philosophy and computer science and has undergone major paradigm shifts, from symbolic AI to statistical learning, deep learning, foundation models, causal AI, and embodied AI. This course examines the historical development of AI, analyzing the motivations, strengths, and limitations of each paradigm, as well as the types of problems they aim to address. We explore foundational contributions from thinkers and scientists such as Aristotle, Augustine, Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Immanuel Kant, Gottlob Frege, Alan Turing, Marvin Minsky, Herbert Simon, Judea Pearl, Geoffrey Hinton, Demis Hassabis, and Richard Sutton, among others. Through these perspectives, we investigate the philosophical foundations, practical advances, and societal implications of AI

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026

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