The British biologist J. B. S. Haldane once quipped that \u201cthere is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god\u201d. The concept of \u201cplaying God\u201d is a well-known cultural trope. For most people the phrase implies Promethean hubris, an arrogant overextension of human capabilities and ambitions beyond what is appropriate, potentially leading to unforeseen and uncontrollable consequences. But who decides what humanity\u2019s \u201cproper\u201d limits might be? Might the quest for a deeper understanding of our world be an act of service, aimed at safeguarding our world on the one hand and promoting human flourishing on the other?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Playing God: Science, religion and the future of humanity<\/em>\u00a0by Nick Spencer and Hannah Waite offers an engaging and helpful overview of the contemporary debates on these themes. Both writers are associated with the London-based Theos think tank, which hosts public debates, discussions and lectures about religion and society. Although the theme of \u201cplaying God\u201d is emphasized in the work\u2019s main title, its focus is better seen as an exploration of the interaction of science and religion in discussing a series of questions raised, but not answered, by technological advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p><\/p>(subscription) 'The question shifts from whether we should play at being God to how we should do this.'
Alister McGrath (@alisteremcgrath<\/a>) on what theology might teach us about technological hubris
https:\/\/t.co\/KsRh8JBYti<\/a><\/p>— The TLS (@TheTLS) August 23, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>