Apocalyptic AI: Visions of Heaven in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual Reality

246 Pages·2010·1.27 MB·English

by  Robert Geraci

APOCALYPTIC AI
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ROBERT M. GERACI
A P O CA LY P T I C A I
VISIONS OF HEAVEN IN ROBOTICS,
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND
VIRTUAL REALITY
2010
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Geraci, Robert M.
Apocalyptic AI : visions of heaven in robotics, artifi cial intelligence,
and virtual reality / Robert M. Geraci.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-539302-6
1. Religion and science. 2. Robotics. 3. Artifi cial intelligence.
4. Virtual reality. I. Title.
BL255.5.G47 2010
201′ .6006—dc22
2009025891
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
To my brothers
(in order of appearance: Vinny, Cody, Randy, Frank, and Kenn)
and my sisters
(Julie, Anne, and Giselle)
for all the many things they have done with me.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1 Apocalyptic AI 8
2 L aboratory Apocalypse 39
3 Transcending Reality 72
4 “Immaterial” Impact of the Apocalypse 106
5 The Integration of Religion, Science, and Technology 139
Appendix One 147
Appendix Two 161
Notes 167
References 199
Index 223
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
i t has taken a good long while to write this book, and that means there are
plenty of people to thank for their eff orts along the way. That the book is the cul-
mination of several diff erent studies only expands the number of thank-yous
owed.
F irst, I’m deeply grateful to my wife, Jovi, and my children, Zion and Liel. With-
out their patience when I was hiding in the bedroom to write and using my dresser
as a bookshelf the book couldn’t have been written. Without the fun and joy they
give me when I crawl out of the bedroom, there wouldn’t have been much point to
writing it.
While their infl uence upon me began long ago, I continue to look for support
and inspiration from The Congress, my former classmates during my graduate
school years at the University of California. They were a brilliant bunch to study
with, and they remain a brilliant group of colleagues, even if we are scattered
around the country now.
I’m grateful for my current colleagues, especially those in the Department of
Religious Studies at Manhattan College, who have given me wide latitude in de-
ciding what kinds of projects to pursue. In addition, the college and its provost,
Weldon Jackson, deserve recognition for fi nancially supporting the trip to Pittsburgh
that was necessary for chapter two. None of the chapters could have been written
without the wonderful library staff at Manhattan College, who cheerfully tracked
down books and articles through Interlibrary Loan and generally made my trips to
the library pleasant through their gracious assistance and even more gracious
friendship. Likewise, I appreciate the secretarial assistance and good cheer of Syrita
Newman and MaryEllen Lamonica in the School of Arts, who make all manner of
tasks simpler through their help.
M any people sat down for the interviews that form the ethnographic basis of two
chapters in the book. Matt Mason, director of the Robotics Institute at Carnegie