7. Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Theological Anthropology
Here I point to a very important and rapidly rising development
on the frontier of theology and science: the relations between theological
anthropology, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.  Anne Foerst describes
the construction of Cog, a humanoid robot at MIT, and its implications for the imago
dei According to Foerst, the emotions that Cog raises in us warrant
theological reflection. Moreover, as an example of embodied AI, discussions of
Cog can avoid the usual arguments against classical AI and lead us instead to
consider a symbolic interpretation of the imago dei as performative and
relational. Finally, viewing Cog within the context of creation, and the image
of God in light of Cog research, serve to enriche our perspectives on, and
appreciation of, human reality. Foerst has offered a course at MIT on God and
Computers which provides an extensive bibliography on AI (classical and
embodied), philosophy of mind, artificial humans, and relates the assumptions
and worldviews in AI camps to myths in Jewish and Christian traditions.
In her recent doctoral disseration, Noreen Herzfeld starts
with a relational interpretation of the imago Dei rather than viewing it
in terms of properties or responsibilities; she then argues for a complex
correlation between the search for AI and a relational interpretation of the imago
Dei. The history of failure in symbolic AI, built on a substantialist
premise, provides strong support for a relational model of the imago Dei
while the latter provides a plausible explanation for the continuing interest
in AI despite little progress in the field.Other recent essays include those by Christopher F. Mooney,Alejandro Garcia-Riveraand Norris Palmer.
Contributed by: Dr. Robert Russell
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