At the heart of the Christian understanding of intelligence is the integration of truth into the moral and spiritual life of the person, guiding his or her actions in light of God’s goodness and truth.
"Technological progress is part of God's plan for creation."
We have to ask what is meant by this.
I think it's a mistake to interpret it to mean that God positively wills all forms of technological progress. You and I would agree on that.
But even deeper, a proper interpretation of the DDF here has to include a correct understanding of technology and what it's for. Technology as a tool of stewardship and integral human development is one thing; technology as pure "techne," reducing all things to a technique so that we can impose our will on reality - that is something that we cannot accept uncritically as Christians.
Steven, I would be very interested to know your take on the opportunities that come with AI. As you know, I am with Dreher on the specifically spiritual threats, but I am open to your optimism on this matter!
In this life there will always an opprotunity for choosing maladies. But we don't have to ask what is meant by technology. Rather we must see the difference between technology and application. We do not reduce all thing to techno, rather we should refine our discernment by application. This was done well, albeit broadly in Antiqua et Nova under section V entitled Specific Questions. The subsection on AI and Human Relations is well flushed out for where the technology is today citing the application of athroproborphization as one of the issues for both adults and children as an example.
As a former Systems and Software Engineer who was very early on to these things, I feel like I should write more about this. Paragraph 58 in Antiqua et Nova is probably next on my list as it expresses our hope for AI that it can have "the potential to foster connections within the human family" while also contextualizing that "Authentic human relationships require the richness of being with others in their pain, their pleas, and their joy."
The logicial curiosity for me then is wondering how these tools can help us be with others in their pain, pleas, and joys. I don't have the answer to this now, but I think that's the thing worth exploring. Thank you as always for your thoughtful notes!
"Technological progress is part of God's plan for creation."
We have to ask what is meant by this.
I think it's a mistake to interpret it to mean that God positively wills all forms of technological progress. You and I would agree on that.
But even deeper, a proper interpretation of the DDF here has to include a correct understanding of technology and what it's for. Technology as a tool of stewardship and integral human development is one thing; technology as pure "techne," reducing all things to a technique so that we can impose our will on reality - that is something that we cannot accept uncritically as Christians.
Steven, I would be very interested to know your take on the opportunities that come with AI. As you know, I am with Dreher on the specifically spiritual threats, but I am open to your optimism on this matter!
In this life there will always an opprotunity for choosing maladies. But we don't have to ask what is meant by technology. Rather we must see the difference between technology and application. We do not reduce all thing to techno, rather we should refine our discernment by application. This was done well, albeit broadly in Antiqua et Nova under section V entitled Specific Questions. The subsection on AI and Human Relations is well flushed out for where the technology is today citing the application of athroproborphization as one of the issues for both adults and children as an example.
As a former Systems and Software Engineer who was very early on to these things, I feel like I should write more about this. Paragraph 58 in Antiqua et Nova is probably next on my list as it expresses our hope for AI that it can have "the potential to foster connections within the human family" while also contextualizing that "Authentic human relationships require the richness of being with others in their pain, their pleas, and their joy."
The logicial curiosity for me then is wondering how these tools can help us be with others in their pain, pleas, and joys. I don't have the answer to this now, but I think that's the thing worth exploring. Thank you as always for your thoughtful notes!