杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis held an audience on Monday with participants in the General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, which is focused on the theme: 鈥淗uman. Meanings and Challenges鈥�.

In his address, the 杏MAP导航 highlighted the importance of the Academy鈥檚 efforts to explore 鈥渨hat is distinctive about the human being.鈥�

Reflecting on the prevalence of technology in all aspects of human life, he pointed out that it is impossible to reject technology out-of-hand as opposed to human flourishing.

鈥淲hat is needed,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渋s to situate scientific and technological knowledge within a broader horizon of meaning, and thus to avert the hegemony of a technocratic paradigm.鈥�

Uniformity of thought vs. diversity of opinions

He offered the example of technology reproducing various aspects of the human person, such as efforts to employ binary code as a digital language able to express every type of information.

Noting the obvious parallel with the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9), 杏MAP导航 Francis said God鈥檚 response to the human desire to create a single language is not mere punishment.

Rather, he noted, God confused human language as 鈥渁 kind of blessing鈥� with the purpose of countering the tendency to force all people to think exactly the same as others.

鈥淚n this way,鈥� he said, 鈥渉uman beings would come face to face with their limitations and vulnerability, and be challenged to respect differences and to show concern for one another.鈥�

Depth of relationships beyond language

杏MAP导航 Francis invited scientists and researchers to always exercise their craft responsibly and know that their creative act is always subordinate to the creativity of God.

Artificial intelligence, or 鈥渢alking machines,鈥� as he called them, can never be endowed with 鈥渟pirit,鈥� and so technological advances must take place in such a way as to prevent 鈥渢he disfigurement of what is human鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 went on to say the main task of anthropologists is to develop 鈥渁 culture that, by integrating the resources of science and technology, is capable of acknowledging and promoting the human being in his or her irreducible specificity.鈥�

There is a higher plane to human relationships than language, which lies in the sphere of 鈥�pathos and emotions, desire and intentionality,鈥� he said.

Only human beings, he added, can perceive and convert these empathic exchanges into positive and beneficial relationships with others, aided by God鈥檚 grace.

Planting trees whose fruit others will harvest

杏MAP导航 Francis praised the Pontifical Academy for Life for seeking to create a cross-disciplinary dialogue where researchers can exchange their views on technological development.

He highlighted the initiative鈥檚 similarity to the ongoing synodal process in the Church.

鈥淭his process is demanding,鈥� he said, 鈥渟ince it involves careful attention and freedom of spirit, and readiness to set out on unexplored and unknown paths, free of useless attempts to 鈥榣ook back鈥�.鈥�

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis said Christianity can offer a far-sighted aspect to the technological-cultural dialogue.

鈥淐hristianity has always offered significant contributions,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渁bsorbing meaningful elements from every culture where it has taken root and reinterpreting them in the light of Christ and the Gospel, appropriating the linguistic and conceptual resources present in various cultural settings.鈥�