Introduction
If you have been at all active in the digital universe, you have undoubtedly heard of and perhaps used ChatGPT or a similar AI system. ChatGPT, introduced in late 2022, is credited with starting the AI boom. Investment in and public attention to Artificial Intelligence continue to accelerate.
To very briefly review, ChatGPT is a chatbot and virtual assistant that is based on large language models (LLMs). This brief description immediately introduces three additional terms. A chatbot is a software application or web interface designed to mimic human conversation using text or voice interactions. A virtual assistant, as the name implies, is software that can do useful stuff in response to your commands or questions. And finally, large language models. LLMs are computational systems designed to perform general-purpose language-based tasks. The models mine the digital universe, building statistical relationships found in the immense volume of textual information located there. This is a computationally intensive process, sometimes but not necessarily incorporating human supervision. The trained LLM can then be used for creating new text built on the reservoir of statistical relationships established. In a sense this textual response is original, but it remains a recapitulation of extant information.
ChatGPT uses a specific family of LLMs and applies both supervised learning and human feedback to fine tune its conversational applications. Perhaps because I’m an active practitioner of digital photography, both image acquisition and post-processing, a visual analog described in a recent issue of The New Yorker appeals to me.1https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/chatgpt-is-a-blurry-jpeg-of-the-web To quote author Ted Chiang: “Think of ChatGPT as a blurry JPEG of all the text on the Web. It retains much of the information on the Web, in the same way that a JPEG retains much of the information of a higher-resolution image, but, if you’re looking for an exact sequence of bits, you won’t find it; all you will ever get is an approximation. But, because the approximation is presented in the form of grammatical text, which ChatGPT excels at creating, it’s usually acceptable” (Ted Chiang, “ChatGPT Is a Blurry JPEG of the Web,” The New Yorker, February 9, 2023). Simply stated, you talk to ChatGPT and it responds in a way that is both familiar and coherent. After all, for most photographers the JPEG works quite well as the medium of image creation, processing, and exchange in the digital domain.
Lest you fear by now that this is to be a highly technical discussion of AI, be assured: Not so.
Several months ago, Mike, a friend of mine and a retired engineer, became interested in and acquired ChatGPT. In our casual discussions, the idea arose to try a test of ChatGPT by posing a question and critically reviewing the response. A couple of follow-up conversations ensued as Mike learned from online tutorials about better formulating requests, called prompts, of ChatGPT. As we are both interested in the intersections and challenges found in Western Christianity and modern science and technology, our prompts focused on this general topic. Prompts submitted to ChatGPT-4 (a few edited for brevity) and responses from it follow, along with some comments.
First Conversation
Prompt
I plan to teach two classes on the subject of “21st Century Science and its implications for modern Western Christianity”. There are concerns that modern science challenges Western Christianity with new ways of looking at reality. Can you prepare me an overview of possible 21st century discoveries that might be a challenge to western Christianity?
Response
The exploration of a subject as vast as “21st century Science and its implications for modern Western Christianity” encompasses various disciplinary intersections including cosmology, biology, psychology, and even technology. Knowledge expansion in these areas may create perceived tensions or challenges between scientific understanding and Christian belief. Below are some salient discoveries and theories that have sparked some debate:
1. Quantum Physics: Quantum physics has radically redefined our understanding of reality and has challenged notions of locality, causality, and certainty that are often inherent to Christian theology. The uncertainty and randomness at the quantum level contrasts with the concept of a purposefully designed and orderly universe.
2. Evolution and Genetics: Although widely accepted within scientific communities, the theory of evolution, as well as new understandings of genetics and gene editing (such as CRISPR), challenge literal interpretations of creation.
3. Neuroscience: Developments in neuroscience, such as brain-computer interfaces and the mapping of brain activity related to emotions, beliefs, and experiences raise questions about soul, consciousness, and free will—concepts closely tied with many Christian doctrines.
4. Climate Change: This is a scientific fact embraced universally by science, but some Christians are divided on its validity and interpretation due to differing political and theological views about creation and human responsibility.
5. Artificial Intelligence & Transhumanism: The rise of AI and possibilities of human enhancement or even post-human futures challenge traditional Christian notions of human nature, uniqueness, and the image of God.
6. Astronomy: The discovery of potentially habitable exoplanets challenges the unique place of Earth in the universe, impacting concepts such as incarnation and redemption.
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A blurry JPEG of all the text on the Web
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7. Multiverse Theory: Although not yet definitively proven, this theory – suggesting an almost limitless number of universes – challenges traditional theological notions of God’s particular relationship with this universe.
8. Bioethics: Advances in medical technology, like stem cell research and euthanasia, incite ethical questions that are challenging for Christians grappling with the sanctity of life in a new biomedical context.
9. Pandemic Studies: Wide-scale impact analysis of pandemics (like COVID-19) and future viral disasters may challenge theological views on suffering, divine providence, and humans’ response to crisis.
10. Psychology: Discoveries related to our nature, personality, and cognitive mechanisms may raise questions around the concept of sin, guilt, and redemption.
These advances in science and technology provoke complex discussions, prompting Christians to revisit, refine, or redefine their understanding of God, creation, and humanity. However, some interpretations posit that science and Christianity, rather than opposing each other, complement and uphold much larger discussions about the physical and spiritual aspects of life.
Be sure to provide ample space for your students to pose their queries and respectfully respond to differing viewpoints, thus facilitating a meaningful and enlightening academic setting. We wish you great success in your endeavor.
Comments
The list of topics, though brief, is a pretty good survey of places where Christian faith and science/technology intersect. They include both issues of science and theology and of ethical concerns raised by emerging technologies.
The next to last paragraph is a judgment, if it’s accurate to say AI can render a judgment, that probably does not reflect the views of many conservative and evangelical Christians. Is the AI “thinking” about values or, more likely, is the literature base that discusses issues of science and faith biased toward relatively liberal Christian authors who are prone to be knowledgeable of, pondering, and writing about questions of science and faith?
Second Conversation
After the first experiment, Mike watched several tutorials on the use of ChatGPT and designing prompts to specify the kinds of results desired. So enlightened, he composed a much more specific prompt, posing the same basic question. As the prompt was very much a part of the human-AI dialogue, it is reproduced below, with some minor editorial shortening (three paragraphs within this prompt have been shortened, as indicated by ellipses; the complete original prompt is nearly as long as the resultant response).
Comprehensive Prompt
Create an outstanding, high-value article about the following topic:
TOPIC: 21st Century Science and its implications to modern Western Christianity.
PURPOSE: Provide an engaging discussion of modern 21st century science and how it might either enlighten or challenge Western Christianity. Some possible 21st century discoveries might include Quantum Physics, Evolution and Genetics (including CRISPR), Neuroscience, Climate Change, Artificial Intelligence & Transhumanism, Astronomy, Multiverse Theory, Bioethics, Pandemic Studies, and Psychology and others.
PROFILE: Anyone interested in reaching a new understanding about modern science and its new discoveries and how they might affect Western Christianity.
PAGE LENGTH: approx. 3000 words.
PERSONALITY: To emulate the style of the provided writing, you should adopt an academic and informative tone. Your writing should be clear and direct, with a focus on providing detailed information about a specific topic. Use a mix of simple and complex sentences to maintain the reader’s interest and to effectively convey complex ideas. The voice of your writing should be primarily active, with occasional use of the passive voice for variety and to emphasize certain points. You should also use rhetorical questions to engage the reader and to introduce new ideas or points of discussion. … The reading level of your writing should be suitable for a college-educated audience. … Your writing should be highly readable, with a logical flow of ideas and a clear structure. Each paragraph should focus on a single idea or point, and transitions between paragraphs should be smooth and logical.
PRECONDITIONS: The intended audience is older adults with many years of church experience of reading the Bible. …
PERTINENT CONNECTIONS: Keywords are words or short phrases that we want to rank highly at Google. So you must include the primary keyword “21st century science and modern western Christianity” a few times in the content you create. Also include these 2 secondary keywords, “modern western Christianity,” “21st century science” at least once.
SENTIMENTS: “Sentiments” are concepts or feelings that are highly related to the topic but are not necessarily contained within its content. They give you a stronger sense of the topic. … Here are the sentiments: “Understanding modern science, understanding western Christianity.”
Response
The dawn of the 21st century signified an era of scientific breakthroughs, unlike anything seen before. The intersection of these remarkable advancements with the theological discourse of “modern Western Christianity” has spurred not only intriguing dialogues but also numerous challenges that question and define faith-based understanding.
To start with, Quantum Physics, with its peculiarities, has revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Traditional science rests on determinism; every event results from preceding ones. In contrast, Quantum Physics suggests that at a subatomic level, uncertainty and randomness are fundamental aspects of reality.
This apparent randomness challenges the Christian understanding of God as the orderly creator and sustainer of the universe, leading to theological conundrums of God’s providence and governance.
The realm of Evolution and Genetics, including revolutionary techniques like CRISPR, has significantly enhanced our understanding of life. The concept of evolution challenges a literal reading of the creation account in Genesis, envisioning instead a world where complex life evolves gradually over billions of years.
Genetic sciences challenge concrete notions of ‘human nature’ and ‘free will,’ raising uncomfortable theological and ethical questions about the locus of human uniqueness and the image of God.
Neuroscience, another boundary-pushing field of the “21st century science,” has begun to unravel the enigma of the human brain. Concepts like consciousness, self, and even spiritual experiences, previously understood to be the domain of the soul, are now largely explored within the framework of neuroscience.
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An era of scientific breakthroughs, unlike anything seen before
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Advanced neuroimaging and neural recording techniques make it possible to study the brain’s response to prayer, meditation, or spiritual experiences. These studies challenge Christians to contemplate the ontological claims about the soul, mind-body relationship, and spiritual experiences.
Climate Change is another 21st-century scientific reality that has significant implications for modern Western Christianity. Genesis 1:28 gives humans ‘dominion’ over the earth, traditionally used to sanction uncritical exploitation of nature. But contemporary theology, informed by science, urges Christians to rethink their interpretation and advocates for stewardship rather than exploitation.
Artificial Intelligence & Transhumanism grapple with the very notion of what it means to be human. With AI potentially having a conscious life, and transhumanism blurring the lines between humans and machines, ontological questions concerning the human condition, uniqueness, and the image of God come to the fore in Christian theology.
Similarly, recent findings in Astronomy have identified potentially habitable exoplanets, challenging the unique place of Earth in the cosmos. This potentially contradicts traditional Christian doctrines that posit the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Christ as terrestrial events with cosmic significance.
Multiverse Theory, although purely speculative, proposes the existence of multiple or even an infinite number of universes. If validated, it would question the traditional understanding of God’s singular creation and his unique relationship with our cosmos.
Bioethics tackles life-altering topics like abortion, euthanasia, and genetic engineering, evoking tense debates within Christian communities. Science allows us to manipulate life in unprecedented ways, posing new ethical dilemmas to Christians regarding the sacredness and dignity of life.
The emergence and handling of pandemics, such as COVID-19, have called into question theological understandings of suffering, divine providence, and the appropriateness of responses to crises.
Lastly, Psychology has deepened our understanding of human nature, behaviour, and cognition. It not only offers new insights into how we process religious and spiritual experiences but also challenges long-held notions about sin, guilt, and redemption.
The broad collection of discoveries and theories in “21st century science” introduces profound questions and invites modern Western Christianity into an enriching dialogue between faith and reason. Rather than being contradictory, these complex queries help strip away cultural and historical contingencies that have long shaped Christian doctrines, revealing deeper and more nuanced understandings of faith.
Comments
Despite the specification of a mature, college educated audience, the response retains the staccato two-three sentence paragraphs, following the same list of topics without integration or shared commentary where topics overlap. The prompt resulted in a bit more use of scriptural and Christian terminology.
There is also a dose of unintended word play as where neuroimaging of studies of meditation “challenge Christians to contemplate ….” And a bit of British spelling crept into the psychology paragraph.
Conclusions
In my career that mixed both applied research and graduate teaching, I observed three ways human intelligence creates new knowledge, at least in a scientific discipline like geology. The first is one of compilation and synthesis of existing information. This ideally employs knowledge of the subject, judgement, and organizational skills. It may also compare and summarize the collective results. The second is to apply existing tools and concepts to a specific data set to create site/problem-specific interpretations, a story if you will, that increases understanding of the defined study area. Both judgement and creativity are helpful, but results may be formulaic. This is a common format for most geology theses: collect data, apply pertinent technologies and concepts, and document the resultants. The third way is to use the foundation of current understanding, and perhaps new data, to create original conceptual understanding, in order to test and/or add to the foundation. This is a relatively rare achievement in the sciences. This modest test of ChatGPT capabilities reflects only the first of these three ways human intelligence creates new knowledge.
I find that, after many readings, I prefer the ChatGPT response to our first prompt. It is a straightforward and complete list. That, in turn, reminds me of another thing I learned during my academic career: Test questions work best when they are short and straightforward. Too much elaboration only confused many students.
