HISTORY 4527, Sect. 100 Prof. J. Johnson

From Frankenstein to Artificial Life Fall 2003

Take-Home Essay Assignment

Scope of the paper: You are to compose an essay on a topic you will propose and refine in consultation with the instructor, Dr. Johnson. The topic should be related in some specific or general way to the fictional visions we are discussing in the first part of this course, i.e., the images of artificial creation or artificial life-forms in Frankenstein, Brave New World, and R.U.R. Hence you may choose to discuss, for example, cloning, in-vitro fertilization ("test-tube babies"), organ transplants, artificial organs, genetic engineering and related aspects of the biotechnology industry (which may be applied to human, animal, or plant life), gene therapy, artificial intelligence, and robots. You can discuss technologies or processes that already exist as well as those that are being (or might soon be) developed, assuming that you can find printed sources that discuss the process and its implications in sufficient detail. Subject to the instructor's approval, you may also choose to discuss some aspects of "artificial life" in the somewhat broader scope presented in Brave New World, such as the use of conditioning techniques, drugs and other controlling technologies to induce "artificial" consciousness and behavior. Whichever topic you choose, you should consider the ways in which our perceptions of it and its implications may have been shaped by the fictional images that preceded it. If those perceptions are negative or pessimistic (as is often the case), you should consider whether or not the pessimism is justified in our real world, as opposed to the fictional worlds of authors like Mary Shelley and Aldous Huxley. In other words, from the perspective of "natural vs. artificial," that is, the "natural" living process or life-form and the new (or imagined) "artificial life" technology that is (was/might be) supposed to replace it.

This paper should primarily be historical, but it can raise ethical questions as well, provided that your main approach is historical (please, no "recycled" papers from other disciplines!). If you have questions about the suitability of a topic, consult with the instructor.

Tasks of the paper:

1) Introduce the particular artificial-life technology you have selected, giving a brief overview of its main aspects and purposes (you do not need to be too technical).

2) Explain how the artificial-life technology you have selected may be related (at least in general terms, but be as specific as you can) to the fictional vision you choose (see above). Within the context of that vision, discuss the origins and role of the technology you have selected, and evaluate its impact on the characters and their society. In particular, explain why (in the fictional context) the artificial has replaced its "natural" equivalent.

3) Returning to our contemporary society, discuss the actual origins and role of the artificial-life technology you have selected, and evaluate its impact on our society. In particular, consider whether, and to what extent, it improves upon its "natural" equivalent; if you do not believe that it is in fact an improvement, why not?

4) Consider the extent to which our society may share negative perceptions of the technology, justified or unjustified. Are these perceptions in any way shaped by images arising from the fictional vision you have discussed? Try to find evidence that may show direct connections (e.g., references to "Frankenstein" or "Brave New World," or more broadly, phrases like "unnatural," "technology out of control," etc., in critical descriptions of the real-world technology).

Length: approximately 6-8 (or at most 10) pages, printed in 11 or 12 pt Times New Roman or Arial font with 1-inch margins. Illustrations may be included (these pages will not be counted as part of the minimum length).

Sources: Your paper should use as sources at least TWO main books (or extensive articles or stories), one of which should be Frankenstein, Brave New World, or R.U.R., supplemented by other materials, which may include such things as newspaper or magazine articles to show social perceptions of the technology. For your principal sources, you may use works in the bibliography posted on Dr. Johnson's website (http://www11.homepage.villanova.edu/jeffrey.johnson/) [Note: the bibliography may later be shifted to WebCT]. To assist you in selecting sources, these are listed by general category in the bibliography. The bibliography is selective, and it is not exhaustive -- very recent works may not be listed. Check with library reference, in the on-line catalog, and the bibliographies in our course books for more sources.

Deadlines:

Topic proposal (PLEASE, no later than Thursday, Oct. 2 [by email; you may also submit your topic proposal in class on Monday, Sept. 29]): a brief paragraph outlining your proposed topic, with at least two suggested sources. The topics will be returned approved, or with comments or suggestions for changes, the following week (Monday, Oct. 6), at the time of the in-class essay. You should begin systematic research on the paper during the fall break.

1-page preliminary abstract and outline of your paper, with complete list of sources (in class Monday, Nov. 10): submit a revised abstract/description of your topic and preliminary outline of the proposed paper. In your abstract, briefly indicate how the paper approaches the 4 tasks indicated above, and indicate the status of your work on it. Finally, include a list of all sources you have or plan to use. If you need to use interlibrary loan to get supplementary sources, it is OK to incorporate them into the final draft if they arrive too late for the first-draft deadline; but indicate this might be a problem in your source list. The instructor will return your preliminary abstract & list with comments for modifications, as they may seem needed. NOTE: Your abstract and source list constitute 5% of the total value of your paper (the paper as such will be worth 25% of your course grade). Late submissions will be penalized.

First drafts of papers (in class Monday, Nov. 24): as complete & in as good a form as possible (see below); if returned for revision, the final deadline will be the last day of class, Dec. 8.

Guidelines for evaluation:

1) Argument/Analysis: Be sure to organize your essay in the form of an argument, stating your premise clearly in the introduction, then developing it with evidence in the body, and finally coming to a clear conclusion. You will be evaluated in part on how well you construct your argument and present your evidence, in part on how well your paper reflects critical thinking about the topic, and in part on how well and how clearly you write. Please correct typographical and stylistic errors before you turn in the paper. Papers that have significant problems of clarity will be returned for rewriting.

2) Evidence: Be sure to include footnotes or endnotes keyed to superscript numbers in your text, so as to identify the sources of all direct quotations, paraphrases, obscure facts, and unique ideas that you use in the paper. Notes should include author's last name, short title, year of publication, and page(s) cited (complete bibliographical info will be at the end, in your list of works cited). You will be evaluated in part on the quality (how accurate, how relevant?) and in part on the quantity of evidence you present (i.e., do you give enough information to explain or justify the points you are making?). All sources you cite should be listed at the end of the paper as "Works Cited" (that way, you can have shorter footnotes); do not list works you do not cite in the paper itself. Each entry in your "Works Cited" list should include the appropriate information to fully identify & locate the source of the work (see below for samples The total number of different sources you use is not a major factor; a long list of titles that you do not really make use of in the paper is much less impressive than notes that show a careful and thorough use of a more limited number of sources. Papers that have significant problems in use of evidence will be returned for revision & correction.

Citation form (for list of works cited):

Books should be cited like this:

Full Name of Author, Title of Book, volume number [if appropriate] (Place of Publication: Year).

Articles in journals or newspapers should be cited like this:

Full Name of author, "Title of Article," Title of Journal, NN [=Volume Number] (Year), NN-NN. [=page numbers of the complete article]

Articles or chapters in collective works should be cited like this:

Full Name of author, "Title of Article or Chapter," Editor's Name (ed.), Title of Book (Place of publication: Year), pp. NN-NN. [=page numbers]

Internet sources should be cited like this:

Name of author (if listed), webpage title (if possible with title of specific portion of webpage being cited), URL (=web address) (date of download).

[Example of an internet citation:] Prof. J. A. Johnson, Coursework - Fall 2003 (HIS 4527 - From Frankenstein to . . . Artificial Life:  Guidelines for Take-home paper), http://www11.homepage.villanova.edu/jeffrey.johnson/ (September 25, 2003).