Maritime Morning - Andrew Krystal

The “ghost in the machine” is a philosophical argument, or at least a response to another. But, as we move forward into a brave new world of machines that can think independently, why not impute the concept of soulfulness into the fabric of the nano-chip?

At the dawn of the last century, the concept of the computer was non-existent. Today, I talk to you on one and you access my blog with one. So, think of the leap from the Wright Brothers and Alexander Bell etc., to now, then add 100 years! Why not a soul soon? We seem to place conscious limits to our imaginations when it comes to what our man-made machines are capable.

At the University of Toronto in the early 80s I was exposed to the Cray computer — a real dinosaur today, but not then. For the longest time, computers like the Cray, and IBM’s Big Blue, could only perform “grunt work”, heavy lifting, number crunching – brute force computations. But these are only early generation machines.

Today, technology expert Ken Rutkowski (www.kenradio.com) joined us form L.A. to discuss the latest in technology in what is developing at exponential rates underneath us, and in our living rooms. And while he didn’t reflect upon talking computers this time or computers attaining a level of self-consciousness, he did discuss the fabulous interface of consumer culture and high-tech.

Voice mail is dead, he proclaims, and Ken provides these web sites as examples Spinvox,
,  PhoneTag , Yap  and Jott . 

He also mentioned that old tech items, such as “walkie-talkies” can now have a 50 mile radius — for next to nothing price-wise. And in a time where your text messages will now cost you, anything that can save money is a help.

I began the blog today, and my broadcast this morning, with the discussion of souls, and soulfulness, and whether or not the Catholic Church should embrace the Church of England’s approach when it comes to the ordination of women as Bishops.

Are women spiritual equals? Shoud we have a female Pope?

Callers pointed out to tradition, Literalists pointed to the “word of God”. Controversial Christian Gretta Vosper (“With or Without God” author) challenged us by saying traditons are shackles and anyone who says that they are literalists have not really read the Bible! According to Vosper, when it comes to the Bible, we all cherry-pick, we are all selective; that to accept all aspects of the Good Book in its totality is to run into contradiciton and absurdity.

Perhaps the most challenging thing Gretta Vosper posed today is why would God create a species of fallible sinners and then sacrifice his only son to pay for it? Why kill to redeem in the first place? Why create sin?

Turning to the future, I wonder if computers will ever attain self-consciousness, and, if so, what God they will choose, and whom they might sacrifice?

iPod or iGod?