MDSB01 Human Animal Machine Final Assignment 2021
Total Points: 40
Total Words: minimum 1000 / maximum 1500-2000 (not including direct quotations or Works Cited)
Instructions:
Please read these instructions carefully. Email Prof Cowan OR Khalid Kabeer if you have any questions.
This Final Assignment is a chance for you to demonstrate some of what you have learned over the course of Human, Animal, Machine. For this reason, you may reference the lectures and material from your discussion groups, in addition to the course readings, machinima, YouTube videos, films, music videos, etc. Just remember to cite (name) the source of your information! The goal of this midterm is for you to bring ideas together across texts.
· Answer 1 question each from Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
- Each answer should include direct quotations from the course readings or videos you are working with.
- Clearly indicate which question you are answering!
- Do not use outside sources.
- Remember to include the names of the authors/artists and title of the works you are discussing in each answer using in-text citation.
- Include a Works Cited in APA, Chicago or MLA format for all materials cited.
- You are welcome to incorporate material from the lecture, lecture slides, notes or lecture- sodes, but remember to indicate that you are referencing a lecture, lecture slides, notes lecture-sode simply by writing, “as Prof. Cowan discussed in her lecture, lecture slides, ..” (In your Works Cited indicate Cowan, T.L. Human, Animal Machine Lecture or Lecture-sode, [date].
- You are welcome to incorporate ideas you learned from one of your discussion group If you do reference materials or ideas that you got from your discussion group remember to indicate this and cite the name of the student whose post you are referencing! (In your Works Cited indicate Name of student, Human, Animal, Machine discussion group, date.)
· Parts 1 & 2: 15 marks each (30 marks)
- 12 marks for complete answer of the question(s), appropriate and correct use of course materials, demonstrating comprehension of the materials and building your own analysis
- 3 marks for overall writing style, mechanics (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc.), coherent idea structure, citation and works
Part 3: 10 marks
- 7 marks for complete answer of the question(s), appropriate and correct use of course materials, demonstrating comprehension of the materials and building your own analysis
- 3 marks for overall writing style, mechanics (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc.), coherent idea structure, citation and works cited.
Question 1.1 Imagine you are writing a (long!) email to a friend or family about your Human, Animal, Machine (and the environment) class. In this email, explain 3 of the concepts “brought to you by the Letter A” – anthropomorphism, avatars, abjection, alterity, animation, aliens, algorithmic bias/harm, artificial intelligence, the Anthropocene. What critical analysis does each of these terms bring to your understanding of the relationships between humans, animals, machines and the environment? Why is it important to understand these concepts? What are some connections you can make across these concepts? Your answer should be minimum 350- 400 – up to 600 words. Directly reference 3 texts from weeks 6, 7, 10, 11.
You might start your email like this:
Subject: Human, Animal, Machine (and the environment)! Dear *****,
This semester I am taking a [great, weird, hard, awesome, etc. J ] course called Human, Animal, Machine (and the environment). Do you know how many core concepts about the relationships between humans, animals, machines and the environment start with the letter A?! For example, anthropomorphism is the….
Question 1.2 Across our readings in the past 4 weeks, we have learned many reasons why we give human characteristics to non-human and more-than-human phenomena, and how humans have built or programmed human characteristics (gender, racial bias, etc.) into “artificial intelligence.” Referencing at least 3 course readings or other materials from weeks 6, 7, 10, 11, answer the following 3 questions: Your answer should be minimum 350-400 – up to 600 words TOTAL
- According to our readings and other course materials, what is anthropomorphism and why do humans do it? Why is it important to understand this concept?
- According to our readings and other course materials, what is algorithmic harm and algorithmic bias and how does it happen? Why is it important to understand this concept?
- Based on your own understanding of these concepts/practices, what do you think might be the relationship between anthropomorphism and human bias in AI?
Question 2.1 Answer 2 of the following. Your answer should be minimum 350-400 – up to 600 words TOTAL.
- Define intersectionality. According to Safiya Umoja Noble, why it important to bring an intersectional analysis to our study of digital media and/or technology?
- What is the job of commercial content managers? Identify and explain some of the problems that Sarah Roberts raises in her analyses of this new form of digital labour.
- According to any of the readings or videos and lectures and discussions in Week 9, what is a cyborg? What is a “cyborg imagination”? How might the hybrid figure of the cyborg help us to think beyond binaries between human/animal, human/machine, animal/machine?
Question 2.2 Referencing any 3 of our readings or other materials in Weeks 8, 9, 11 and drawing from your own experience, write a short essay, lecture, video or podcast in which you discuss the significance of and draw connections between three of the following concepts: Coltan Mining, Content Managers, Intersectionality, Cyborgs, Companion Species and the COVID-19 virus. If you choose, you can record this as a video or podcast and submit the video or sound file (AND please submit your written script – it does not have to be in formal academic prose). Videos and Podcasts no longer than 3-5 min. Your answer should be minimum 350-400 – up to 600 words.
Question 3.1 Referencing at least one course reading from Weeks 6-11 and one of the following assigned films, answer the following question: How does this film engage with you one of the following key concepts that we have developed in Human, Animal, Machine (and the environment)? Remember: Do NOT use outside readings. You may choose to write this answer as a film REVIEW in which you engage with this key concept as well as offering your perspective about what was useful, informative or misleading or lacking in the film. Your answer should be minimum 350-400 – up to 600 words.
Films (Choose 1) Key Concepts (Choose 1)
Dirty Computer Algorithmic Bias/Fairness
Coded Bias The Anthropocene
The Anthropocene Cyborgs
Artificial Intelligence Feminized AI Algorithmic Harm Intersectional Analysis
Question 3.2 Remember all the way back in Week 1?! In your Introductory Discussion Post for this course, you were asked to write about your favourite movie, novel, comic, game, piece of visual art or other kind of media that thematizes the intersections of Human, Animal, Machine and to discuss how it to course themes. Referencing at least one key concept and one course reading from this course, reconsider your answer: How does this movie, novel, comic, game, visual art, etc. relate to course themes? Build an analysis based on one key course concept. What does what you have learned in this course, add to your understanding of this movie, novel, etc.? The title of your answer should include your key concept and the title of your cultural artifact, for example: “Anthropomorphism in The Little Mermaid.” 300-400 words. Remember: Do NOT use outside readings. You may choose to write this answer as a REVIEW in which you engage with this key concept as well as offering your perspective about what was useful, informative or misleading or lacking in the film. Your answer should be minimum 350-400 – up to 600 words
Indigenous Knowledges Indigenous Futurities Making Kin with Machines Data Sovereignty Quantified Life
Digital Afterlife/Digital Remains Anthropomorphism
Abjection Alterity
Algorithmic Harm Feminized AI Intersectional Analysis Cyborgs
Artificial Intelligence Companion Species
More-than-Human dynamics & viruses/COVID-19
