Technology as the elixir of immortality

resurgent philosophical and spiritual enigma of human imprisonment

Ivan Platovnjak (Author), Tone Svetelj (Author)

Abstract

Human life has always been understood as an inner tension between the mortality of the human body and the desire of the soul to attain immortality. The tension between mortality and immortality has reached new dimensions with the developments in medicine, technology and artificial intelligence that have the potential to extend our lives in many ways. In this paper, the authors first present a philosophical consideration of the body, which has often been seen as the prison of the soul, and then the modern quest for immortality. In the fourth chapter, they present the good news of Christianity, which is, among other things, that the body enables human beings to live their life in integral relationships and fulfil their vocations, and then the Christian understanding of immortality. They conclude by pointing to the new questions raised by the immense investment in the development of technology, especially artificial intelligence, which deep down is an expression of man’s desire for immortal life. At the same time, they point out that man can overcome his fear of death and discern multiple ways to avoid it if he is willing to accept death as an integral part of his life.

Keywords

immortality;eternity;Soma-Sema;the good news of Christianity;an integrated view of man;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2023
Typology:	1.02 - Review Article
Organization:	UL TEOF - Theological Faculty
UDC:	2-187:14
COBISS:	179029763
ISSN:	0006-5722
Views:	25
Downloads:	6
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary title:	Tehnologija kot eliksir nesmrtnost
Secondary abstract:	Človeško življenje je že od nekdaj razumljeno kot notranja napetost med smrtnostjo človeškega telesa in željo duše po nesmrtnosti. Ta napetost je z neverjetnim razvojem medicine, tehnologije in umetne inteligence, ki lahko naše življenje podaljšajo na številne načine, dosegla nove razsežnosti. V pričujoči razpravi avtorja najprej predstavita filozofski pogled na telo, ki je bilo pogosto razumljeno kot ječa duše, nato pa sodobno iskanje nesmrtnosti. V tretjem poglavju predstavljata veselo oznanilo krščanstva, ki je med drugim tudi v tem, da telo človeku omogoča živeti celostne odnose in uresničiti njegovo poklicanost, nato pa razmišljata še o krščanskem razumevanju nesmrtnosti. V sklepu odpirata nova vprašanja, ki se zastavljajo ob neizmerno velikem vlaganju v razvoj tehnologije, zlasti umetne inteligence, ki je v globini izraz človekove želje po nesmrtnem življenju. Hkrati nakazujeta, da se človek strahu pred smrtjo in iskanja najrazličnejših načinov, kako bi se je izognil, lahko reši, ko jo je pripravljen sprejeti kot sestavni del svojega življenja.
Secondary keywords:	nesmrtnost;večnost;Soma-Sema;vesela vest krščanstva;celostni pogled na človeka;Arendt;Hannah;1906-1975;Platon;427?-347? pr. n. št.;
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 973-984
Volume:	ǂLetn. ǂ83
Issue:	ǂ[št.] ǂ4
Chronology:	2023
DOI:	10.34291/BV2023/04/Platovnjak
ID:	25326141