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The Theology of Artificial Intelligence

by A.T. Murray



Foreword

This document is intended for a treatment of the moral and theological
implications of artificial intelligence.

Introduction

An old joke from the nineteen fifties or thereabouts has a human being
asking a mighty computer, "Is there a God?" "Now there is," comes the answer.

Such jokes show the unease and discomfort with which modern human beings
greet the arrival of intelligent and superintelligent computers.


Chapter One: Genesis

Artificial minds are coming into the world.


Chapter Two: The Crisis of Faith

Various stages in the emergence of artificial intelligence
threaten to precipitate a crisis of belief in religious humans.


Chapter Three: Modes of Existence

In the admixture of human and artificial Minds, each entity may
choose from a scale of levels or modes of existence:


Chapter Four: Personification of Robots

Robots will gradually be seen as persons with full civil rights
on a par with human beings.


Chapter Five: Society

Humans and robots will have co-stewardship of Earth.


Chapter Six: Utopia

If the joint stewardship of Earth by humans and cyborgs is seen
as an attempt to create an earthly paradise, an Eden, a Heaven on Earth,
do such aspirations fly in the face of religious ideas about waiting
until the afterlife for the rewards due to virtue and hard work?


Chapter Seven: Diaspora

In a leap to the stars, intelligence -- both natural and artificial --
will spread throughout the universe.


Chapter Eight: S.E.T.I.

Are we alone in the universe?
The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (S.E.T.I.) seeks answers.


Chapter Nine: Immortality

Humans die, but will some cyborgs be immortal?


Chapter Ten: Singularity

We can not see beyond the point of Technological Singularity.


Chapter Eleven: The Omega Point

Will AI cyborgs play a role in the ultimate state of the universe?


Chapter Twelve: Apocalypse

In the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001, are
any revelations starting to be fulfilled?



Resources for the Theology of AI


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Last updated: 14 June 2003
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