What It Means to be Human: AI, Self-Awareness, and the Quest for a Higher Power
This talk is part of a series in progress called “Why We Read: Using Fiction to Make Sense of the World.” This session focuses on the question of what defines humanity: intellect, emotions, morality, or something else? Are the defining elements restricted to human beings, or even to biological beings? Drawing on such works as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, “The Long Years” by Ray Bradbury, and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, we’ll explore the phenomena of consciousness and self-awareness, as well as the human need to find ultimate meaning. As AI develops, will it also look for meaning? Will part of its evolution include developing a theology that makes sense of its experiences? How can a novel like Klara and the Sun inform and transform the reader’s experience of the Divine?
Rev. Paula Clegg Morton is a retired Episcopal priest who lives in Saluda, NC wih her husband, John, who is also a retired Episcopal priest.
The service will begin at 11:00 am. The service will be available on Facebook Live for those who wish to participate remotely. Go to the ASWUU Facebook page and click the Live link.
We will have our monthly potluck after the service. The coffee will be hot and the conversation will be rich. You may bring a dish to share if you would like to do so.
