Description
Class Name: Contemporary Religious Issues: Religion & Technology
Grades: 12
Dates: June 5 - July 8, 2024
Credits: 0.333
Price: $750 Instructor: Dr. Courtney O’Dell-Chaib
Course Description: This class takes a critical look at recent and emerging technologies from a generic religious perspective, namely, the view that human beings, as the likeness of God, are meant to be in loving relationships with each other. The course begins with a detailed exposition of the three aspects of love - romantic (eros), filial (storge), and friendly (philia); and then proceeds to examine and evaluate various technological developments in the light of these aspects. Specifically, students are asked to consider whether (1) human enhancement technologies (genetic engineering, bionic prosthetics, psychotropic drugs), (2) automation technologies (robotics, artificial intelligence), and (3) technologies that mediate or replace human relationships (social media, smart devices, virtual and augmented reality, artificially intelligent companions) threaten our ability to enter into, strengthen, and preserve loving relationships.
The principal goals of Contemporary Religious Issues are for students to learn to judge technology according to an ethical standard, in this case, a religious ethical standard, and for them to begin to think about the potentially dangerous changes that new technologies will bring about in their lifetimes.
Attendance Expectations & Requirements
This summer, our CRI course will be offered in one section with sessions meeting between June 5th and June 26th and a final project due July 8th.
• The CRI summer course consists of SEVEN in-person sessions.
• Students MUST attend FIVE of these sessions. Best advice is to attend all seven.
• Each session will be offered three times. Students must sign up for one of these sessions by the Sunday (at 11:59pm) of the week they are offered.
Students must complete and turn in an attendance plan to the instructors showing how they plan to meet the minimum attendance requirements.
Class Dates (must attend FIVE different sessions to meet attendance requirement)
Sessions will run between 1 hour - 1.5 hours.
Session 1:
(a) Wednesday, June 5 @ 10:30 am
(b) Wednesday, June 5 @12:30 pm
(c) Thursday, June 6 @ 10:30 am
Session 2:
(a) Monday, June 10 @ 10:30 am
(b) Monday, June 10 @12:30 pm
(c) Tuesday, June 11 @ 10:30 am
Session 3:
(a) Tuesday, June 11 @ 12:30 pm
(b) Wednesday, June 12 @ 10:30 am
(c) Wednesday, June 12 @12:30 pm
Session 4:
(a) Monday, June 17 @ 10:30 am
(b) Monday, June 17 @12:30 pm
(c) Tuesday, June 18 @ 10:30 am
Session 5:
(a) Tuesday, June 18 @ 12:30 pm
(b) Thursday, June 20 @ 10:30 am
(c) Thursday, June 20 @12:30 pm
Session 6:
(a) Monday, June 24 @ 10:30 am
(b) Monday, June 24 @12:30 pm
(c) Tuesday, June 25 @ 10:30 am
Session 7:
(a) Tuesday, June 25 @ 12:30 pm
(b) Wednesday, June 26 @ 10:30 am
(c) Wednesday, June 26 @12:30 pm
Final Date for all coursework—Monday, July 8 at midnight