Choose one of the following topics to develop a paper of 1500 words. Your paper should build an argument using direct quotations from the texts and your explanations of them. Other references that you may wish to cite than those covered in class should be properly noted through endnotes titled “References”.

1) Explain Heidegger’s concept of “enframing” and “standing reserve” as a means of understanding modern technology. Do these concepts apply in the same way to information technologies? Elaborate using two different examples of information technologies.

2) Explain Benjamin’s concept of the loss of “aura” of the artistic object through mechanical reproduction. Use his distinction to interrogate our contemporary media on the internet. How do we give value to things? What are the challenges this poses?

3) Turing’s “imitation game” has become the basis for testing intelligence in machines. Explain the test and what Turing includes and excludes from his concept of intelligence. Reflect on some current “intelligent” machines and how they measure up to Turing’s test.

DUE: Tuesday, October 3rd by 5pm. Microsoft Word document emailed to omarkhan@buffalo.edu.

Criteria for Evaluation:

• Understanding of the reading and the concepts presented thereof (1-10)

• Ability to apply those concept to relevant contemporary examples (1-10)

• Ability to organize arguments in a clear fashion (1-10)