HSCI-236: Becoming a Cyborg

This class delves into subjects in cybernetics and society as they find their reflection in contemporary culture, design, art, and ethics. We will look at how technology mediates our actions and experiences. As we engage with science in action, we will examine object and human relations through the prism of actors and networks in cybernetics. Metaphors of interactivity will lead us to look at different kinds of interfaces and modeling systems while the idea of cyborg will be examined as a site of knowledge-building to manifest diversity. Finally, the field of biotechnics in the age of immersive media will lead us to consider hybrid subjectivities, new technological platforms for evolving identities, and the ethical questions raised by technology. This course, while exploring contemporary scientific and sociological ideas, is geared toward enriching your art and design practice in practical and meaningful ways.