Course Description

History is full of “what ifs”. What if it were not the Qin state that unified China? What if Rome had never fallen? What if the Black Death had been less devastating? For centuries, historians and philosophers have debated whether history is shaped by individual choices, structural forces, or pure chance. Today, with the rise of artificial intelligence, agent-based modeling, and big data, these questions take on new urgency.

This course explores whether human civilization can be simulated—and what such simulations reveal about our past, present, and future. Students will critically engage with AI-driven approaches, ranging from large language models that reimagine historical voices to agent-based modeling of ancient societies. At the same time, the course emphasizes the limits of simulation, asking whether human culture, institutions, and historical contingency can ever be reduced to data.

Through readings, discussions, presentations, hands-on experiments, and group projects, students will grapple with the intersection of artificial intelligence, computation, and history, gaining both a critical understanding of digital tools and a deeper appreciation for the complexity of human society.

Course Learning Outcomes

On completing the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand key concepts in historical simulation and computational modeling.
2. Analyze how different models, games, and AI systems represent diverse human societies.
3. Apply basic computational reasoning to explore social dynamics.
4. Integrate qualitative and computational perspectives to develop well-reasoned interpretations of historical patterns.
5. Critically evaluate the strengths, limitations, and ethical implications of using AI-based simulations.

Offer Semester and Day of Teaching

Second semester (Wed)