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Artificial
Worlds Syllabus |
Calendar |
Friday 10:00 until
1:00. 6 units. CLICC PC Classroom A (Powell 307). Enrollment cap = 14.
Nicholas Gessler - gessler@ucla.edu
- Office hours after class.
DESCRIPTION
We take a critical look at the philosophy, epistemology, theory and practice in the growing fields of Artificial Life, Artificial Societies, Artificial Culture and Evolutionary Computation with a special emphasis on the creative and artistic implications of these algorithmic self-made computational worlds. We will examine the coevolution between culture and technology in science, industry, entertainment and especially art. We will look into the cutting-edge technologies of autonomous agents in computer programs, reconfigurable hardware and social robotics. Special attention will be given to the "algorists" (algorithmic artists) and those who work with ever-changing dynamic rule-based reactive art. As time and opportunities permit, we will do critiques of readings, investigate algorithmic artists on the Web, learn to write and alter sample programs in Borland C++ for Windows PCs, engage in some robotics projects, view videos and partake of extramural events. No previous programming experience is required. Open to graduates and undergraduates.
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Books on
Art, Design and Visualizations - More
Books
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Evolutionary Design by Computers
by Peter Bentley (Editor) |
Evolutionary Architecture : Nature
As a Basis for Design by Eugene Tsui |
Fractal Cities : A Geometry of
Form and Function by Michael Batty, Paul Longley |
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The Algorithmic Beauty of Sea Shells
(Virtual Laboratory) by Hans Meinhardt, Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, Deborah
R. Fowler |
The Algorithmic Beauty of Plants
(The Virtual Laboratory) by Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, Aristid Lindenmayer |
The Computational Beauty of Nature:
Computer Explorations of Fractals, Chaos, Complex Systems, and Adaptation
by Gary William Flake |
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The Algorithmic Beauty of Seaweeds,
Sponges and Corals by Jaap A. Kaandorp, Janet E. Kubler |
Evolutionary Art and Computers
by Stephen Todd, William Latham (Contributor) |
Creative Evolutionary Systems (With
CD-ROM) by Peter J. Bentley (Editor), David W. Corne (Editor) |
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Illustrating Evolutionary Computation
With Mathematica by Christian Jacob |
A New Kind of Science by Stephen
Wolfram |
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ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
| Eight weekly challenges (5% each). |
40%
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| Mini-Reports, presentations, discussions and classroom attendance (3 absences are permitted with no penalty). |
30%
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| One final project and class presentation on a mapping practice that interests you. |
30%
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| Total possible points. |
100%
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Challenges will be mostly simulations for you to write, explore, and enhance in code, pseudocode and procedural ideas. Please keep your own copies
since I will not return what you turn in. Please turn in the following for each programming challenge:
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