Man and Machine: A Biblical Look at Present and Future Technology with C. S. Lewis Lesson 8

1. Man and Machine: A Biblical Look at Present and Future Technology with C. S. LewisLesson 8 Chesterfield Presbyterian Church February 20, 2011 Andrew Shaw andrew.shaw@att.net

2. Man and Machine: Outline • Man and Machine: Theology of Technology • Man is Master of the Machine • Man Uses the Machine to Master Others • Man is Mastered by the Machine • Man is “Nothing But” a Machine • Man Must Become a Machine

3. Man Must Become a Machine Three Laws of Robotics (Isaac Asimov, 1942) • A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. • A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. • A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. Android

4. III. Faking Life A. Nanotechnology and Bio-nanotechnology B. Cybernetics and Artificial Intelligence C. Transhumanism and Posthumanism “O brave new world that has such people in it. Let’s start at once.” “You have a most peculiar way of talking sometimes,” said Bernard, staring at the young man in perplexed astonishment. “And, anyhow, hadn’t you better wait till you actually see the new world?” Savage

5. III. Faking Life • Turing Test • Singularity Alan Turing 1912-1954 Ray Kurzweil 1948 - ? "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

6. Claudia Mitchell, 2006 thought controlled arm Peng Shulin, 2007

7. When does healing become enhancement? 1. Human propensity to enslave, destroy, and demean. 2. Clouds the perception of the darkness of the unredeemed human heart. "There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him." C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce Oscar Pistorius, 2008

8. NANOSCALE • 1 billionth of a meter • 10 hydrogen atoms • DNA = 2.3 nm wide

9. Nanotechnology: Applications 1. Miniaturization of electronic components 2. Improved durability – less pollution and more efficient 3. Military – stealth garments, interface with electronics; cyborg soldier 4. Cosmetic enhancement 5.Medical uses (next slide) Contact Lens Microcircuitry U of Wash Nanogears

10. Nanotechnology: Medical Uses • Rational drug design • Devices specifically targeting and destroying tumor cells or infectious agents • In vivo devices for at-the-site-of-need drug manufacture and release • Tissue engineering or re-engineering • Early detection or monitoring devices In vitro lab-on-a-chip diagnostic tools More durable prosthetic devices or implants Devices to clear existing atherosclerotic lesions in coronary or cerebral arteries Biomimetic nanostructures to repair or replace DNA or other organelles Artificial replacements for red blood cells and platelets Tools to augment or repair interaction between neurons in the brain Devices to improve biocompatibility and the interface between brain tissue and cybernetic devices Quantum computer chip

12. B. Faking Life: Cybernetics The science of the control and communication in the animal and the machine.* "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce * Hook, C. Christopher. “Techno Sapiens: Nanotechnology, Cybernetics, Transhumanism and the Remaking of Humankind.” In Human Dignity in the Biotech Century, ed. Charles W. Colson and Nigel M. de S. Cameron, 75-97. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 76.

13. Cybernetics: Applications 1. Neural-silicon junctions – seamless integration of electronics with our nervous system 2. Virtual reality 3. Repair nerve damage 4. External (wearable) computing devices Augmented reality – supplementing senses (e.g., retrograde vision, projected hearing, infrared vision, GPS)

14. C. Faking Life: Transhumanism “The study of the means and obstacles to humanity using technological and other rational means to becoming posthumans, and of the ethical issues that are involved in this. “Posthumans” is the term for the very much more advanced beings that humans may one day design themselves into if we manage to upgrade our current human nature and radically extend our capacities.” “2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal Time Magazine, Feb. 21, 2011 from http://www.nickbostrom.com/old/transhumanisn.html, p. 85

15. Transhumanism – Ethical Issues A. “The human species does not represent the end of our evolution but the beginning.” B. Technological immortality C. Reductionism, libertarianism, postmodernism • Four transhuman assumptions* 1. information is more important to being human than is the body. 2. consciousness is an epiphenomenon. 3. the body is simply a prosthesis. 4. seamlessly articulated with intelligent machines. Data Star Trek, TNG (*N. Katherine Hayles How We Became Posthuman, 1999, p. 87)

16. Transhumanism – Ethical Issues E. Accidents, Abuses, Regulation 1. just distribution of technology 2. impact on jobs and economy 3. effects created by increased longevity F. The “Borgification” of Humanity 1. physical and emotional safety 2. personality fragmentation 3. personal relationships  cyber-relationships 4. cyber-addictions 5. encouragement of inauthentic behavior 6. increased dissatisfaction with reality Star Trek: First Contact (1997)

17. The Importance of Jesus’ Incarnation The Reasons Usually Discussed… • Substitutionary atonement: a perfect sacrifice (Heb. 9:26) • Identification with us: able to sympathize (Heb. 2:8, 4:14-16) • Humiliation and suffering of Christ (Phil. 2:8, 1 Pet. 3:18) • Celebration: Christ conquered death! (1 Cor. 15:53-57) Additional Reasons in response to Posthumanism… • Reaffirmation: God’s creation of our bodies is (still) very good (Gen. 1:31). Blame the Fall, not our bodies, for disease, injury, and death. (1 Tim. 4:4-5, Col. 1) • Validation: physicality is good and right. (contra nature/grace dichotomy) We are physical AND spiritual beings by design. (2 Tim. 4:6-11) • Exaltation: Our resurrected bodies will not be susceptible to disease, injury, and death! (imperishable – 1 Cor. 15:52, 1 Pet. 1:23) • Restoration anticipates resurrection of our body, not replacement. (Rom. 6:5-6, 1 Pet. 1:3)

18. Technology: Master or Servant? 1. Idol worship  2. Marginalization  3. Isolation  4. Held captive Thesis: Technological efforts to make us more than human, i.e., to be like God, inevitably make us less than human, i.e., enslaved by technology. Matrix (1999) pod

19. Man and Machine: Evaluating Technologies 1. COERCION – an inferior relationship. Sadly, history – present and past – is replete with examples of man’s inhumanity to man, both at the individual level as well the national and international levels. Abominable examples include slavery, racism, and genocide. When these criteria are used, the following words and phrases often result: manipulation, exploitation, discrimination, oppression, caste system, and lack of informed consent. Consequently, when such terminology is apropos, then the technology in question is unethical.

20. Man and Machine: Evaluating Technologies 2. COMMODIFICATION – an inhuman relationship. The difference between coercion and commodification, for the sake of this analysis, is that at least with the former, the human beings are generally acknowledged to be beings, though they certainly are not usually treated humanly. With the latter, the human beings are really not even considered as beings, just raw materials, spare parts, or disposable property – a commodity that is consumable. Therefore, any technology that considers human beings as nothing more than a plant or animal – something to be farmed or harvested – is deemed unethical.

21. Man and Machine: Evaluating Technologies 3. CONTINUITY – an inherited relationship. Continuity implies a continuum of humanity, particularly our relationship to our past as well as our future. In other words, when this criterion is applied, the impact of our heritage and the implications for future generations must be considered. What are our responsibilities to our ancestors, and what claims (burdens, obligations, loss of freedom, genetic changes) are we imposing on our progeny? Any technology that deprives future human beings of their humanness, including their uniqueness, individuality, personhood, and genetic freedom is unethical.

22. Man and Machine: Evaluating Technologies 4. COLLABORATION – an interactive (shared) relationship. Particularly in light of the fact that humans are created imago Dei – in the image of God – humans are genuinely relational beings, biologically, genetically, (and spiritually!) hardwired for connections with each other. Therefore, any procedure or technology that interferes with the opportunity to form deep and meaningful relationships must be considered unethical. In addition, other relationships that might be affected include the relationship with God, the relationship with the environment, and the relationship with one’s self (self-image and the sense of one’s self-worth).

23. Suggested Reading: 1. Cameron, Nigel M. de S. The New Medicine: Life and Death after Hippocrates. Chicago: Bioethics Press, 2001. 2. Colson, Charles W. and Cameron, Nigel M. de S. Human Dignity in the Biotech Century. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004. 3. Colson, Charles W. and Pearcey, Nancy. How Now Shall We Live? Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999. 4. Kass, Leon R. Life, Liberty and the Defense of Dignity: The Challenge of Bioethics. San Francisco: Encounter Books, 2002. 5. Kilner, John F., Hook, et al., editors. Cutting-Edge Bioethics: A Christian Exploration of Technologies and Trends. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002. 6. Meilaender, Gilbert. Bioethics: A Primer for Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005. 7. Mitchell, C. Ben, et al., editors. Biotechnology and the Human Good. Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2007. 8. Rae, Scott B. Moral Choices. Grand Rapids, MI.: Zondervan, 2000. 9. Schaeffer, Francis A. and Koop, C. Everett. Whatever Happened to the Human Race.Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1979. 10. Smith, Wesley J. Consumer’s Guide to a Brave New World. San Francisco: Encounter Books, 2004.