MIT Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

EECS Spring 1998 Catalogue Supplement

6.915 The Human Intelligence Enterprise

MW 9:30-11, 56-180
Prof. Patrick Winston, NE43-816, x6754
Prerequisite: 6.034
3-0-9

Goal: to explore the science side of AI via great papers

The principal scientific goal of Artificial Intelligence is to develop an understanding of human intelligence from a computational point of view.

The goal of this class is to provide a mechanism for students to learn about progress toward understanding human intelligence and to develop a foundation for making personal contributions toward reaching that goal. Thus, this class complements 6.034,which attemps to equip students with problem solving and learning tools that have immediate practical benefit.

The content of this class is largely focused on papers identified in a recent informal survey of representative AI leaders who were asked to identify the papers that had most influenced the way they think about human intelligence. Most of the papers are from the Artificial Intelligence literature; many are from brain science and cognitive psychology.

The target audience for this class are students who wish to understand intelligence computationally and students who wish to develop research and presentation skills. You should take this class if you want to participate in the enterprise of explaining intelligence from a computational point of view. When you have finished the subject you will understand the powerful ideas behind an optimistic view of what will be learned in the next decade.

Students will also learn how to dig the salient ideas out of a research paper without distraction by the minutiae. Students will learn to separate powerful ideas from the detritus.

The class will teach students how to present complex ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, as though presenting a thesis, delivering a job talk, chatting with a high-ranking official at breakfast, or making a presentation to a potential customer or venture capitalist. When you have finished the subject you will have learned about heuristics that will improve your ability to do all these things.

The class is intended for upper level undergraduates and early graduate students. It provides a bridge between 6.034 and design/project/thesis work in Artificial Intelligence. Students should have taken 6.034 and should have already written an MEng proposal or equivalent.

The class will focus on discussion of assigned reading. Each student will present the content of one or more paper, read as if that paper was his/her own, in order to develop skill in communicating complex ideas effectively. Because of the emphasis on reading, discussion, and presentation, regular attendance will be expected along with dedicated attention to the reading material.

Grades will be determined, tentatively, as follows:

brief weekly quizzes aimed at ensuring that the assigned reading is read - 20%
classroom participation, to include presentations of one minute to 1/2 hour - 30%
for student electing to do a project, a project proposal - 20%
for students not electing to do a project, an approximately 5-page critique of a paper (20%) followed by an approximately 10-page critique of a group of papers (30%)

A project is encouraged but not required. Students electing to do a project are encouraged to undertake a project of their own invention or select from a list of suggestions which builds on the material to be studied.

There will be opportunities for the following:

Obtain engineering design points (optional)
Satisfy aspects of the writing requirement (optional)
Generate MEng thesis proposal (optional)

Enrollment will be limited to approximately 20 students.