Overview

“We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.” This can also be said of the rules and technologies we construct for human cooperation, which allows for enterprise from the subtly complex (can a single person make a pencil?), to the brashly grandiose (space flight!). In return, our scaled social and political systems shape our behavior for better or worse.

In this IAP activity, we will read works from computer science, sociology, and political theory to explore the mechanisms of large scale cooperative behavior. The structure of the seminar is simple: read and discuss. We will also cover applied topics such as social networks, crypto, identity, and the nascent philosophy of digital pluralism.

The seminar will be heavy on reading, discussion, and participation (~10 hours / wk including class time). Please commit to attending as many in-person meetings as possible. If there is sufficient demand we may open up a Zoom option. Please register here.