Today we talk about algorithms as an integral part of our everyday life, as well as an essential part of how the global economy is govern – an algorithmic culture on the local, meso and macro level. But what, really, is an algorithm? How long have human culture been engaged in algorithmic rituals? And how are algorithms construct our reality? These are questions that we aim to discuss, guided by a couple selected articles on the matter, at this semester’s first Humlab Tech Breakfast.
Readings
Yuri Gurevich, “What is an algorithm?” Microsoft Research Technical Report MSR-TR-2011-116, July 2011
Matteo Pasquinelli, “Three Thousand Years of Algorithmic Rituals: The Emergence of AI from the Computation of Space”, e-flux (101), https://www.e-flux.com/journal/101/273221/three-thousand-years-of-algorithmic-rituals-the-emergence-of-ai-from-the-computation-of-space/
Ted Striphas, ”Algorithmic culture”, European Journal of Cultural Studies 2015, Vol. 18(4-5) 395– 412
Natascha Just & Michael Latzer, “Governance by algorithms: reality construction by algorithmic selection on the Internet”, Media, Culture & Society 2017, Vol. 39(2) 238– 258