85-103 Possible Minds: Exploring Intelligence in Science Fiction

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

This course uses readings ranging from classic to contemporary science fiction to examine fundamental questions about the nature of intelligence across human, artificial, and possible alien minds. Through short stories and novel excerpts, we will explore themes such as consciousness, identity, memory, perception, free will, and the boundaries of personhood and social intelligence, connecting imaginative and prescient narratives to current scientific, philosophical, and societal debates. Class discussions will use fiction as a lens for investigating what it means to be intelligent.

Prerequisites: none listed

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