Tech Won't Save Us The Religious Foundations of Transhumanism w/ Meghan O’Gieblyn
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Apr 25, 2024 Meghan O’Gieblyn discusses parallels between transhumanism and Christian narratives, exploring themes of resurrection and immortality. The podcast delves into the religious roots of transhumanism, contrasting techno-optimism with existential risks posed by AI. It reflects on the shift of new atheism figures to right-wing tech ideologies and critiques faith-based rhetoric in tech circles, questioning the implications of prioritizing future advancements over current societal issues.
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Same Metaphors, Different Garb
- Transhumanist metaphors mirror early Christian debates about identity and resurrection.
- Both traditions reuse the 'pattern' metaphor to argue continuity across changing material substrates.
Transhumanism’s Deeper Genealogy
- The word 'transhuman' traces back to Dante and resurfaces in religious thinkers before secular appropriation.
- Catholic priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Julian Huxley helped translate spiritual resurrection ideas into technological progress narratives.
Kurzweil Replied Personally
- Kurzweil emailed Meghan after her essay and discussed metaphor, claiming religious and technological language describe similar transcendent futures.
- He sent and inscribed a copy of The Age of Spiritual Machines after the exchange.