Comments on: Catholics turn their attention to aliens

By: rog

rog — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:54:39 +0000

I think that ‘uploads’ of some sort are the closest thing humans will ever get to eternal/extended life; it would be interesting to see what happens should the technology ever become a reality.

By: David E

David E — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15:55 +0000

Do Catholics have an opinion on the possibility of machine sentience?

DEUS X by Norman Spinrad is a novel about the Catholic Church attempting to decide whether “uploads” (emulations of human minds running on a computer) are sentient. I can’t recommend it enough. One of the best SF novels I’ve ever read.

I don’t think there’s any official position on the issue though.

By: barriejohn

barriejohn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:16:42 +0000

I’m going to feel really guilty when I switch off the power to my computer tonight!

By: IvanS

IvanS — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:47:03 +0000

Certainly the possible development of intelligent artificial life is both more likely than alien contact and more of a problem for religion. How are they going to square that with the supposed fact that only god can create life ? How will the anti abortionists react? They won’t want these machines to be allowed to survive and grow but if it’s wrong to kill a foetus it’s wrong to switch off an intelligent sentient machine and yet this machine is defying the laws of god, they may implode from irreconcilable contradictions. Some humanists seem to have a similar problem as there seems to be a strong repugnance at the idea of artificial intelligence in some philosophical quarters and a related refusal to believe it possible ( on no good evidence ).

By: rog

rog — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:55:05 +0000

@barriejohn more importantly, will that believe in silicon heaven? if not where do all of the toasters go when they die?

By: H. Davids

H. Davids — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:34:32 +0000

If this godlike invisible friend of the pope has created other sentient beings, but maybe with a very different form, would that mean that god has not created man in his own image, and that god could be a WOMAN, or a dog?

By: barriejohn

barriejohn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:33:51 +0000

I was thinking the same thing myself, @rog (re sentient machines). Rather than worry about encounters with alien beings, which may or may not happen in the near future, Il Papa might do better to concentrate on issues that are, at the present rate of technological development, going to present his church with very real problems MUCH sooner! If truly intelligent machines are developed, then what sort of morality will apply to THEM, and will THEY believe in God?

By: rog

rog — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:53:09 +0000

p.s. ‘the culture’ has got past a lot of our current hang ups too, people are free to change sex, and most of them do, at least once in their lives

By: rog

rog — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:43:29 +0000

Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence is indistinguishable from God…
This is another interesting idea, as there is no presumption that the intelligence is biological. Do Catholics have an opinion on the possibility of machine sentience?

Ian M Banks’ Minds anyone? if you’ve not read the culture books I highly recommend them, he’s an NSS honorary associate too.

By: barriejohn

barriejohn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:53:04 +0000

Be careful what you wish for @OpenMind. They might have even more ludicrous religious systems than the ones we have!