A professor at the Catholic University writes in the Kyeongyang magazine about a new philosophy needed to understand the changes that will come. The media, like never before, tells us that the industrial revolution will retreat, information will take over and artificial intelligence will change our lives.
What is behind this thinking? Does a Christian see the future in this way? Our writer agrees that it is an important issue for the future but our societal response is excessive. It will depend on the way we adapt and respond to the changes in society that will make the difference.
The industrial revolution of the 18th century had two faces. It brought great changes to Europe: great wealth and dominance; the rest of the world came under the control of imperialistic thinking. Colonialism became common and Korea suffered from it for many years. A period of barbarism and violence. We are still suffering from the twists and turns of being behind in the first revolution but in the world of public opinion and our lead in information cyberspace, we are very sensitive to the changes in society that will come from the 4th revolution— artificial intelligence.
We have been in the information age for some time, but have we determined what has happened to us in the process? Our writer doesn't think we have studied the results of the information age, its meaning, or examined and meditated on the impact on humanity. We have entered the 4th revolution, not conscious of what is happening.
Our modern civilization has come to a point of change. A change in the way we have been doing business, but also because of the limitations of the worldview that came with the enlightenment— liberty, democracy, and reason and the discussions that resulted. This was shown in the many 'post-isms' that began to flood our age and a reason we will need a new philosophy for the 4th revolution.
We hear about posthumanism and trans-humanism. Scientists are talking about life science engineering. Attempts to improve ourselves by engineering on our humanity. Making supermen, and overcoming the limitations of our humanity. The movie Ex Machina is an example of this thinking and much of the science fiction.
He finishes the article with a hope that we will not be fooled by the thinking of many of the futurists who are talking about moving humanity to another level. If we listen to this kind of talk without skepticism, and welcome it without questioning, the results will be emptiness and a loss of meaning in life.
As Christians and not only as a Christians but as human beings what will the change in industry, politics and finance do to our understanding of ourselves and society? Christianity has the anwers but even among the Christians we have many degrees of fidelity and a philosophical understanding would give answers to many seekers in this new changing society.
