Law & Computer Science: Resolving "The Runaround" Problem

Introduction to the module

You are about to embark on an interdisciplinary adventure. Here are terms that will serve as tools for your journey:

Complex problem: a problem whose potential solutions require interdisciplinary perspectives
We will consider different types of disciplines in this module. They are:
- Base discipline: the department/field that houses your course (e.g., biology, art)
- Identity discipline: the field with which you personally identify (may or may not be your major; may or may not be the base discipline)
- Parallax-enabling discipline/s: the additional field/s introduced by this module

You will soon explore a science fiction story that presents a complex problem. Your mission is to examine how the base, identity, and parallax-enabling disciplines intertwine in potential solutions to this complex problem.

"The Runaround"

In Isaac Asimov's seminal short story, "The Runaround," a robot tasked with mining is unable to complete his task because of conflicting programming. The humans responsible for overseeing the mining operation have to discover why the robot is giving them "the runaround." In this jigsaw module, students will explore competing rules and how they can create deadlock or infinite loops. They will examine the story to understand how Asimov resolved the problem. The key concepts of the story will be applied to real conflicts challenging students to explore the complexity in how laws and programming can interact in unintended ways.

Module-level student learning outcome

Reflect on the competencies and skills you have gained. Discuss how the science fiction module impacts the way you view your own discipline and your place in it.

Featuring:

"The Runaround" by Isaac Asimov

Base discipline:	Parallax-enabling discipline/s:
Law / Computer Science	Ethics / Philosophy

Created by Cyra Choudhury, Florida International University, and Mindy Knowles, Miami Dade College
Imagined by the Science & Fiction Lab * Supported and designed by FIU Online