from the course catalog:

They are everywhere in our homes, offices, and classrooms and in less obvious places like telephones, televisions, and kitchen appliances. Soon they may be in our wallets and maybe even in our brains. In this course, we will consider four different, but overlapping ways in which the ubiquity of networked computers affects society. First, how do computers alter our "quality of life" through the use of electronic mail, Web searching and electronic commerce? What is the economic impact of computers - not just the price of Microsoft stock - but also in terms of the dot-com mania and the ideal of a cashless society? How do we deal with ethical issues relating to the use of computers like digital-copyright problems, First Amendment concerns, and privacy and security of the Internet? What effect do computers have on our culture, in terms of both content (e.g., book and movie plots) and process (e.g., digital film). Finally, we will attempt to tie together these four areas by considering the future of computers including quantum computers, the next-generation internet, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.