Christianity and Neurology
2 comments
I love what science-fiction author and orthodox Roman Catholic John C. Wright said recently:
http://johncwright.livejournal.com/255380.html?thread=763381...
"I do not value a human because of the biological fact that they share my genus and species, no. The biological fact is indeed indifferent to the more profound moral fact: I value Man because he is Imago Dei, the image of God.
"Spock of Vulcan is not a member of my species, but if he were real, I would value him, and say he has rights, and protect his life, and so on. I value Vulcans because they are also Imago Dei, rational creatures as God is. For that matter, R2D2 is an intelligent being, capable of moral decisions, and great bravery, and yet nothing in his biology -- he is not, properly speaking, even a living thing -- makes him human. He clearly has a soul, however, or whatever you want to call the thing that makes for courage and humor and loyalty. The robot is also Imago Dei."
http://johncwright.livejournal.com/255380.html?thread=763381...
"I do not value a human because of the biological fact that they share my genus and species, no. The biological fact is indeed indifferent to the more profound moral fact: I value Man because he is Imago Dei, the image of God.
"Spock of Vulcan is not a member of my species, but if he were real, I would value him, and say he has rights, and protect his life, and so on. I value Vulcans because they are also Imago Dei, rational creatures as God is. For that matter, R2D2 is an intelligent being, capable of moral decisions, and great bravery, and yet nothing in his biology -- he is not, properly speaking, even a living thing -- makes him human. He clearly has a soul, however, or whatever you want to call the thing that makes for courage and humor and loyalty. The robot is also Imago Dei."
Based on my experience, some people (ugh weasel words) can not cope with the idea that humans might be made of the same mental or physical patterns as both other animals and inanimate objects. The notion that there is something 'holy' about each person that transcends our physical selves is pretty central to the Abrahamic religions.
However, after thinking about it, what exact threats would strong AI or an entirely material soul have on Christianity? Actually, the alternative viewpoint that many fundamentalists (that immaterial components functions fully with a material organ, and then consequently leave after death) makes no sense at all from a theological perspective, and I really don't see exactly why certain Christians have a problem with this. I'd imagine that if there was a God in control of heaven, he could probably just copy aspects of the material "unit" into something not material.
Does anybody know what exactly is so nerve-shattering about the concept of an entirely material personality (and with that, strong AI?)