The Technocratic Paradigm
Tue, Apr 21
Late in life, Pope Francis became keenly aware of AI's growing influence on economies, governments, and cultures around the globe. He saw AI not just as another manifestation of the technocratic paradigm, but as an inflection point in the history of humanity — one that could advance or imperil human flourishing, depending on how it is implemented and who controls it. Importantly, messaging from the Vatican on AI has become yet another distinct school of thought that secular and religious technology ethicists are considering.
We have three main in-class learning goals. By the end of lecture today you will:
- Reflect on the Vatican's critical perspective on AI and related technologies.
- Understand how AI fits within the technocratic paradigm.
- Consider constructive alternative paths for AI development.
The slides for today's lecture.
Read This:
The Pontifical Academy for Life issued the Rome Call for AI Ethics in early 2020, which has been embraced by Microsoft, Salesforce, and a host of other organizations.
The Church's official doctrine on AI is contained in the doctrinal note Antiqua et nova, co-issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education in early 2025.
Do This:
Writing Reflection 10
See the instructions posted on the assignment's page.
This writing reflection is due on 4/28 at 5pm.
This Week's Dialogue Group Meeting
Find at least one hour to meet with your group to discuss the prompt of the week: The new prompt is: Do the features of artificial intelligence that you have identified uphold or violate your chosen virtues? This is the second part of the technical inquiry piece of your design pattern creation process.
Once you have completed the readings, fill out the following quiz. If you can't see the form below, try this direct link.