2016-17 Academic Catalog

How do we define humans? How are we, for example, different from intelligent machines? This seminar focuses on beings who push the limits of what it means to be human, such as monsters, robots, and cyborgs. Through a discussion of works by German authors and filmmakers, alongside influential texts from other traditions (ranging from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner), we will explore how these stories react to changing notions of humanity in the face of rapid technological and scientific progress. All readings, discussion, and coursework will be in English.