Episode 81
What do robotic Torah scribes, Bluetooth rosaries, and a decapitated hitchhiking robot have in common? They're all teaching us what it means to be spiritual beings in the 21st century. Whether we like it or not, smart, adaptive technology is working its way into our religious and spiritual lives. Will we use it thoughtfully to enhance our lives or will it just become another technological nuisance? We're still in the early days of AI, and our actions today will have an outsized impact on how it develops. Let's be intentional, thoughtful, and prayerful about how we shepherd its growth, and become the sorts of people that Hitchbot would be proud to call friends.
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
To read:
1) The church of AI
https://www.wired.com/story/anthony-levandowski-artificial-intelligence-religion/
2) Robot religious functions
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/9/9/20851753/ai-religion-robot-priest-mindar-buddhism-christianity
3) Funerals for robotic companions
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/funerals-for-fallen-robots/279861/
4) AIBO funerals and our humanity
https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/robot-funerals-reflect-our-humanity
5) Can robots pray (and a super creepy monk)...we didn’t talk about this, but it is still a fascinating part of the conversation
https://aeon.co/essays/can-a-robot-pray-does-an-automaton-have-a-soul-ai-and-theology-meet
6) Values-based AI
https://slate.com/technology/2019/11/priest-rabbi-robot-walk-into-bar-religion-technology.html
7) The Southern Baptist Convention principles on AI (again, didn’t talk about this in particular but it is creative and proactive rather than reactive)
https://slate.com/technology/2019/04/southern-baptist-convention-artificial-intelligence-evangelical-statement-principles.html
8) Hitchbot (wiki)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HitchBOT
9) Social Credit system used in China (wiki article)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Credit_System
10) 5min video on what the Social credit system looks like
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheGoodPlace/comments/a719ko/s1e1_chinas_social_credit_system_resemblance_to/
11) Point system in the Good place
https://howard-chai.medium.com/a-look-at-the-moral-point-system-of-the-good-place-7858215fd9dc
12) Opportunity’s last words and goodbye tributes
https://laist.com/2019/02/16/jpl_mars_rover_opportunity_battery_is_low_and_its_getting_dark.php
Transcript
This transcript was automatically generated by www.otter.ai, and as such contains errors (especially when multiple people are talking). As the AI learns our voices, the transcripts will improve. We hope it is helpful even with the errors.
Zack Jackson 00:04
You are listening to the down the wormhole podcast exploring the strange and fascinating relationship between science and religion. This week our hosts are
Rachael Jackson 00:14
Rachel Jackson Rabbi at Agoudas Israel congregation in Hendersonville, North Carolina. And my favorite fictional robotic companion is Data from Star Trek Next Generation.
Zack Jackson 00:30
Zack Jackson UCC pastor in Reading, Pennsylvania, and my favorite fictional robotic companion is Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Ian Binns 00:42
Ian Binns Associate Professor of elementary science education at UNC Charlotte. And my favorite is R2D2
Kendra Holt-Moore 00:51
Kendra Holt-Moore PhD candidate at Boston University. And my favorite fictional robot companion is also Data. Because I just started watching Star Trek, and I love him.
Rachael Jackson 01:07
Resistance is futile Welcome on board.
Zack Jackson 01:12
I don't think she's gotten that far yet.
Rachael Jackson 01:13
No, not that don't be fine.
Zack Jackson 01:15
Well that'll be funny in a couple weeks.
Racha
