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Tag: technology

Christian Transhumanism: A Bridge Between Theology and AI

In the previous blog, I talked about how theology has much to offer to the AI conversation. With that said, one must recognize that the conversation between AI and Theology is rather awkward at the moment. While sharing common points of references, there are still significant divides in values, worldviews and language. At the root of this disconnect is the last century and half ongoing conflict between science and religion. As a consequence, the theologian is mostly disinterested if not intimidated by technology. The technologist finds Theology antiquated and inconsequential to the rise of new technologies. To delve more deeply on this rift would take more than a blog but for now suffice it to say that work must be done to bridge this divide if we are to have a productive and meaningful conversation.

In that front, I am encouraged by the emergence of Christian Transhumanism. This budding movement shows promise in creating the space where Theology and Technology can learn from each other. How? Well, first some definitions are in order.

What is Transhumanism?

According to Nick Bostrum, Transhumanism is an “international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities.”

Transhumanism is an optimistic view of the future that sees technology as the conduit for a new and improved humanity. This can translate into efforts to extend lifespan, enhance human abilities and or re-think the social order in light of these new possibilities. It is a movement driven by imagination mostly found in Science Fiction. Many of us may enjoy the thrill of watching or reading a Science Fiction story. The Transhumanist goes a step further and asks: what if those things actually happen? How would we live in these new worlds? What possibilities, conflicts and hopes would we experience? For the purpose of this blog, Transhuamanists are at the forefront of reflecting on the ethical implications of emerging technologies. That makes them an important conversation partner in the dialogue between AI and Theology.

Can Transhumanism be Christian?

In view of the description above, what would Christian Transhumanism look like? First, it is important to point out that Transhumanism in its purest form is a thoroughly secular movement. Most of its members claim no religious affiliation. This makes it for an even more intriguing proposition to espouse a Christian version of it.

The Christian Transhumanist Association (CTA) is probably one for the first attempts to pursue exactly that. At a high level, the movement merges Christian theology with Transhumanism in three meaningful ways. Firstly, it translates Transhumanism search for human evolution into growth. This growth is not limited to spiritual but more akin to what I have been describing in this blog as human flourishing – a holistic view that encompasses spiritual, physical and social dimensions. Secondly, it calibrates Tranhumanist telos towards the renewal of the Earth. That it, the goal is not progress for progress sake but it is replaced by a Christian eschatological aim – the new heaven and the new earth. Thirdly, it sees the use of technology as a way to fulfill our call to Christian discipleship. In a creative move, the group actually sees the pursue of technological advance as part of spiritual formation.

In doing so, CTA embodies a robust theology of technology laying the ground work for a dialogue between AI and Theology. This is not a problem-free path, as inevitably any deep engagement with another philosophy can lead to unbalanced syncretism or shallow proselytizing. That is, on the one hand Christian Transhumanism can alter its Christian base enough to lose its essence. On the other hand, Christian Transhumanism can engage in forceful imposition of Christian ideals into the Transhumanist community without genuine engagement. Walking this thin line is part of the challenge for the next years to come.

Intrigued? I invite you to visit their website for more information

Where do We Go From Here?

Christian Transhumanism is in its infancy stages and so it is too early to assess its role in bridging the divide between AI and Theology. It is an important line of thinking but not the only one. An alternative view would be a bioconservative Christian movement emerging as a counter-point to Christian Transhumanism. Bioconservatives are those who would advocate limiting or rejecting the use of technology in extending life or enhancing human abilities. Yet, this position will become more precarious as some of these technological advances are all but inevitable. Just think about taking a stance against automobiles in the beginning of the 20th century. I guess the Amish are a witness to this position and their legacy will live on in other movements in the coming future.

At the moment, I am leaning towards the Christian Transhumanist side. Christian history is filled with examples where the church has resisted change rather than shaping it towards desirable aims. At its best, I see Christian Transhumanism doing the latter, welcoming technological change with enthusiasm while also holding a theologically lens to expose its dangers. My hope is that CTA can live out its mission as both a reforming voice in the church and a beacon of hope in a fast-changing world.

How Can Humans Flourish?

 

In previous blogs, I often used the phrase “AI for human flourishing.” In this blog, I want to explore what human flourishing is.

What is Human Flourishing?

I learned of this concept still in seminary when taking classes on ethics, mission and ministry. It is a new term that encompasses three levels of well-being: emotional, psychological and social. It connotes a state in which people are thriving. This may or may not be accompanied by material wealth but it is broader to include less tangible factors such as joy, connection to others and personal growth.

This concept initiated a shift in my thinking away from concrete measures like getting a job, financial compensation, church numerical growth and decisions for Christ (a favorite in evangelical circles) to broader measures of impact. One can be thriving even while staying in the same place or job. One can be maturing even through hardships. One can become more loving even when circumstances worsen.

Human Flourishing and Spiritual Growth

From a Christian perspective, human flourishing is analogous to spiritual growth. While the first focus on good emotions, the latter focus on virtue. Yet, there is no reason to believe one is opposed to the other. In fact, I would venture to guess that true spiritual health should lead to overall well-being even if that is not the case at first. Take the case of the virtue of forgiveness for example, which now has proven to be beneficial to one’s health. This is just one example as how spiritual growth correlates with human flourishing.

I also like how the idea of flourishing points to the image of a garden. Plants in a garden do not only grow in size, they also produce fruits. In the same way, spiritual growth manifests itself in the fruits of human flourishing. The well-being translates into personal and social thriving. It manifests itself in healthy relationships, greater personal focus, mastery of new skills, perseverance to complete difficult problems and overcome the daily challenges of life and work. The individual that flourishes will inspire flourishing in others as this virtuous cycle spills over to those around her.

The main point here is that those concepts are interconnected. To focus on spiritual growth without seeing it reflected in human flourishing makes the first incomplete. In fact, the connection between spiritual growth and human flourishing reflects Jesus’ insistence that we would know a tree by its fruits. That is, It cannot be an internal change if it does not translate into visible change.

A Picture of Human Flourishing

As I try to describe it, I ponder on the gift and privilege of being a parent. Seeing my children grow gives me most vivid picture of human flourishing. I see them growing in knowledge, character and skill in many areas. I celebrate with them, every milestone from mastering the basic skills of speaking, reading and learning to be kind. Slowly I realize how fast they are growing, how beautifully they are flourishing. They are not following the same path or becoming the same person. Yet, each one of them is reflecting their own flourishing in becoming more like their own selves.

My dream for AI theology is that we do not stay in the realm of the abstract but that this conversation translates into concrete human flourishing. It is not just about a transfer of knowledge but an unlocking of potential that bears fruit. That’s why I am interested in innovative forms of education that harness the possibilities of technology as a tool for human flourishing. As a tool, technology gives us the “know-how” to take the raw material we have to use it to solve problems. I would love to see many empowered with the knowledge to build AI solutions that solve social problems.

Let us keep dreaming.

 

Why AI Theology?

My path here was certainly not intentional or carefully planned. For years, I’ve been asking ‌ how could I marry my work skills with my passion. Becoming a data scientist was not a carefully planned career. I kind of fell into it. Like many people in the workplace, my career arose out of a blend of opportunities, skill sets, curiosity and providence (a word I prefer from luck). I started working for a large bank right out of college. My initial plan was to do that for “a few years” until I would start doing what I was “called” to do. These few years turn into a decade and then more years. Throughout this time, I wondered what in the world I was doing in my job. That is also when I started pursuing a degree in Theology, in the hopes of a career change. For years, I saw these pursuits as separate endeavors, failing to see much connection between them.

As I started studying Theology while still working as a data scientist, I was constantly straddling these two worlds. They tap into different parts of our brain, requiring different skills. As a data professional, I see the world through tables organized in columns and rows. My primary function is to extract meaning out of these tables either by combining them, creating new ones or visualizing their information in clarifying ways. This can happen through summarization or modeling. At times, I am trying to answer questions while others, I am simply exploring the data.

As a Theology student, I see the world through text. We start with sacred text, written two Millennia ago in languages not spoken today. Beyond that, we work with an ungodly (no pun intended) amount of books based on reflection on the sacred text between the time the sacred texts were written and our present day. Beyond that, you reflect on the experience of the believing community and academy that enriches, confuses and at times undermines the sacred text. Yet Theology is not only about books. It is ‌about being human – how we experience the world around us and speak hope into it. Theology also informs and shapes values, morals and ideologies. That is ‌what has drawn me to it from an early age. So, even as the Sacred texts are studied and analyzed, that is a sense of gravitas often missing from most forms of knowledge.

While navigating these two world concurrently, I often saw them as incompatible. It is not that they are opposed to each other but that they seem to talk past each other. They ask different questions, seek other means to pursue answers and arrive at widely different conclusions. At its core, Theology is mostly concerned with how things should be. Data analysis strives to be a detached assessment of how things are. One example of that would be ‌global warming. Theology is mostly concerned with the moral implications of what causes global warming and how people will be affected. It then proposes an alternative way to relate to the environment, inspired by Christian revelation, that will lead to a more just future. A data analysis approach will look at past trends and then make assumptions for future forecast. Scientists gather heaps of data, develop complex models that provide benchmarks that will guide planning for the future (ie: an % increase of CO2 ‌ as the benchmark being discussed in the recent gathering of world leaders). Data analysis will also use test and control methods which determine which one has yielded the best results. A theological approach is not interested in what has worked but what is good.

As I approached the end of my theological education, I found myself longing for integration. In that pursuit, I began to ask what it would look like to interact Theology with technology. This convergence started taking shape as breakthroughs in computing power, big data and promising algorithms ushered Artificial Intelligence to the spotlight. Because data science is an essential part of AI, I saw opportunity in the horizon. As industry titans make their bet on Artificial Intelligence, data science became a promising field for employment. If these investments yield concrete applications, data science will become a regular function of organization across all industries just like finance and accounting is today.

Apart from the impact on data science, the advent of Artificial Intelligence raises profound questions. The idea that machine could act in such human-like manner that we may confuse them with people is mind-boggling. This clearly marks a new era of technological advancement requiring a  multi-disciplinary engagement. Simply put, will human-made intelligence mirror our best or our worse? In that question, I believe the Christian tradition has much to contribute.

Yet, I don’t see many voices addressing the intersection of technology and Theology effectively. At best, these topics are discussed separately as if they did not interact. This in turn becomes my personal attempt to integrate the very worlds I live in, with the hopes it may bring insight and wisdom in answering the perennial question: How shall we then live in a world where Artificial Intelligence is a reality?

Here is a list of topics I plan to address in this blog:

  • What are the ethical implications of the increasing use of AI applications in our world?
  • What would it look like to do theology with AI and vice-versa – what would a theologically-informed AI look like?
  • Can AI be used for good and what would that look like?
  • Who gets to decide how AI will affect our way of life?

These are just a few questions worthy of exploration. Let the conversation begin.