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Transhumanism-Christianity Diplomacy: to Transform Science-Religion Relations

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Transhumanism-Christianity Diplomacy: to Transform Science-Religion Relations Transhumanism-Christianity Diplomacy: To Transform Science-Religion Relations David C. Winyard Sr. Dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Science and Technology Studies James H. Collier, Chair Sonja D. Schmid Matthew R. Goodrum Henry W. Spaulding II October 27, 2016 Blacksburg, VA Keywords: Christianity, transhumanism, diplomacy, modes of existence Copyright © 2016 by David C. Winyard Sr. All rights reserved. Table 3 – Latour’s Modes of Existence, page 102, used by permission: AN INQUIRY INTO MODES OF EXISTENCE: AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE MODERNS by Bruno Latour, translated by Catherine Porter, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, Copyright © 2013 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Transhumanism-Christianity Diplomacy: To Transform Science-Religion Relations David C. Winyard Sr. ABSTRACT Transhumanism is an emerging philosophical and social movement that aims, through technology, to extend human life and radically expand intellectual, physical, and psychological capabilities. Many of transhumanism’s goals overlap the eschatological hopes of Christians, such as the elimination of sickness and death. Yet observers who see transhumanism and Christianity in monolithic terms often portray them as adversaries. Against this view, I argue that within each community are factions that have comparable, but contested, views on God, the divine attributes, and human origins, responsibility, and destiny. As a result, an emerging dialog between particular transhumanists and Christians seeks to shape the future of humanity by integrating the basic commitments of transhumanism and Christianity. Bruno Latour’s concept of modes of existence offers a framework for both developing and analyzing diplomacy between and within Christian and transhumanist communities. Specifically, Latour’s work allows for the identification of category mistakes that set the terms of intermodal conflicts and dialog. Some transhumanists and most Christians hold beliefs about the nature and meaning of God. Christians believe in a Trinitarian God that is the preexistent, eternal, and personal creator of the universe. By contrast, elements of the transhumanist movement believe that in the future an artificial God will inevitably emerge as an omniscient and omnipotent supercomputer. The attributes, concepts and purposes of God and, by extension, nature lend a basis for developing diplomatic relationships between factions of transhumanism and Christianity. Diplomacy between transhumanism and Christianity exists via social media and virtual meeting places. At the forefront of this movement is a new Christian Transhumanist Association that I analyze in some depth. It is only a couple of years old, but its leaders have already attracted international attention. Their strategy of theological minimalism seeks to reduce friction among stakeholders. I show that this strategy sacrifices the insights that Christian theology and philosophy could bring to the development of transhumanism. I conclude that in order to affect transhumanism Christians must find ways to apply their insights into personal creator-creature relationships to the challenges of safely developing artificial superintelligence. Transhumanism-Christianity Diplomacy: To Transform Science-Religion Relations David C. Winyard Sr. GENERAL AUDIENCE ABSTRACT Progress in science and technology raises the possibility that essential elements of human life could be transformed and enhanced by applications of science and technology. Transhumanism is a philosophical and social movement that believes that such transformations are both possible and desirable. In several respects, transhumanism’s goals overlap with the hopes of Christians, who long for a Second Coming of Christ and the subsequent elimination of sin, suffering, and death for all eternity. Based on Bruno Latour’s work, I analyze the superficial similarities between transhumanism and Christianity to argue that diplomacy between Christians and transhumanists is both possible and potentially beneficial. In developing this argument, I examine a new Christian Transhumanist Association, its leaders, and their diplomatic strategy of “theological minimalism.” I argue that this strategy is flawed because it does not apply the rich insights of orthodox, biblical theology to the most vexing problem of transhumanism development: the threat that an artificial superintelligence could be hostile to human life. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To begin a Ph.D. program later in life has advantages and disadvantages. Throughout my life I have been led, taught, corrected, and inspired by many people. There have been coworkers in my engineering career: Ed Petrisko, Tom McLamb, Joe Morris, Jack Ward, Wayne Boblitt, Tom Bein, Guy Johnson, Jeff Moorman, Ed Widell, Marsha Johnson, A.J. Kendrick, Paul Grover, Randy Wendell, Dan Gearing, John Christiansen, Michael Nash, Tom Connors, Eugene Summers, Donna Vanderhoof Villarreal, and many others. My pastors have been faithful in opening up God’s word in sermons and Bible studies: Bob Smoot, Dan Cox, Bill Holiman, Bill Mahlow, Dale Linder, Peter Bauer, Howard Griffith, Dennis Bullock, David Vance, Sacha Walichord, and Jeremy Logan. Church friends have provided similar support: Stuart Ferguson, Ann Harmon, Bill Potter, Rick Quinn, Tom and Priscilla Trice, and others. Scholars from a variety of academic institutions have been unselfish in supporting me in my studies: Geoff Sackett, Craig Gay, Steve Fuller, Eric Vail, Lincoln Stevens, Esther Meek, and Trey Dunham. A number of friends made across the Internet have been helpful in sharing their views of my dissertation interest: Lincoln Cannon, James Ledford, Micah Redding, Christopher Benek, and others. My Virginia Tech teachers and advisers have been outstanding: Barbara Allen, Shannon Brown, Jacob Stegenga, David Tomblin, Matt Wisnioski, Skip Fuhrman, Janet Abbate, Joe Pitt, Fritz Oehlschlaeger, and many others. I have also learned a great deal from my fellow students at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center and in Blacksburg. Since coming to Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) in 2014, the faculty and staff of the School of Natural and Social Sciences have encouraged me as I have sought to balance my responsibilities teaching engineering and academic pursuits; Dick Sutherland and Randy Cronk have been especially helpful. Finally, my advisory committee has worked with me to shape my thinking by suggesting vii books and articles to read, asking probing questions, and freely offering constructive criticism and encouragement. Prof. James Collier has been of special help to me, prodding or encouraging me as situations required. Professors Sonja Schmid and Matthew Goodrum have been a great help too; I have learned a great deal from them both. MVNU President Henry Spaulding’s support has been a witness to the Love of Christ. I am very grateful to count all of these people as friends. My family has patiently supported and encouraged me along the way. It is not easy to be around someone preoccupied with academic esoterica, and the resources expended on my studies have come at their expense. Knowing the depths of my commitments to learning, they have given generously of themselves so that I would succeed. My adoptive family, the Bauers, have loved and cared for me from a distance. My children—David Charles Jr. and Caty Winyard; Audrey and Shawn Kulbacki; and Zane Winyard—have encouraged me in my work. Finally, my wife Traci has loved me, kept my eyes on the Lord and my feet on the ground, and endured the proofreading of my work. I can only conclude with the words of Proverbs 31:29: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” viii CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. iii GENERAL AUDIENCE ABSTRACT ........................................................................................ v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... vii CONTENTS.................................................................................................................................. ix PREFACE ................................................................................................................................... xiii My STS Journey ................................................................................................................... xiii Latour and Diplomacy .......................................................................................................... xvi Of Peace and Progress ......................................................................................................... xvii INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................... xxi Christianity .......................................................................................................................... xxii Transhumanism ................................................................................................................... xxv The Need for Diplomacy ................................................................................................... xxvii Clausewitz Variations ........................................................................................................
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