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AR 27:43 - Ready for eBot 2.0 vs. iHuman 2.0 OS battles?
In this issue:
BIBLE CRITICISM - as you sow, so shall you reap
TRANSHUMANISM - an 'existence now incomprehensible to my former, limited, human self'
Apologia Report 27:43 (1,596)
December 14, 2022
BIBLE CRITICISM
We haven't visited the Evangelical Textual Criticism blog (ETCB) since first mentioning it <www.bit.ly/3UzDw8c> in AR 25:36 two years ago, and we rarely pass along generic blog posts. Yet, we felt this book notice from Peter Gurry would find favor with our readers:
"I've just ordered the new book <www.bit.ly/3UxlfIU> by John Dyer from OUP titled People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture. John is a longtime evangelical and has been programming Bible software for years.... He's also written a very well received book <www.bit.ly/3PrVkRH> on the theology of technology."
Oxford University Press adds: "People of the Screen traces the history of Bible software development, showing the unique and powerful role evangelical entrepreneurs and coders have played in shaping its functionality and how their choices in turn shape the reading habits of millions of people around the world." Dyer "argues that evangelical creators have a distinct orientation toward societal change and technology called "Hopeful Entrepreneurial Pragmatism" that uniquely positions them to lead the digital Bible market, imbuing their creations with evangelical ways of understanding the nature and purpose of Scripture. ...
"He shows that sometimes the God of the page seems to say different things than the God of the screen, suggesting that we are still in the early stages of a multimedia approach to scripture." <www.bit.ly/3EWQWWc>
While browsing the ETCB we noticed that one of their "Top Five Posts" is a very early review by P.J. Williams of Bart Ehrman's book: Misquoting Jesus. That post dates from Dec 31 '05 (apparently the day before the book's initial release. The blog itself began just over two months before that. Ehrman was already well known due to several previous titles and we're betting the site's 7.5 MILLION page views since those days were helped along considerably by Williams' review.)
For what it's worth, Williams describes Ehrman's work as being "written for people who know nothing about textual criticism." Ehrman's bio reveals that his Moody Bible Institute takeaway was that "we do not possess the autographs, only 'error-ridden copies of the autographs.' This got him interested in trying to learn about textual criticism. By the end of his three-year diploma at Moody he wanted to become '... an evangelical "voice" in secular circles, by getting degrees that would allow me to teach in secular settings while retaining my evangelical commitments.' ...
"After two years he went to Princeton Theological Seminary, where he studied with Bruce Metzger. He writes, 'A turning point came in my second semester' (p. 8), during a course on Mark when he had written a paper trying to justify the name 'Abiathar' in Mark 2:26 and his professor, Cullen Story, wrote thereon 'Maybe Mark just made a mistake'. Once Ehrman had concluded that he did, 'the floodgates opened' to admitting other problems in scripture (p. 9) and then to having a radical rethink of his understanding of the Bible. He now writes a book which he believes is the first of its kind: a book 'for people who know nothing about textual criticism.'"
Jumping around, we learn that chapter 1 explains, among other things, that at the beginning of the Christian movement, "A canon began to form and people began to ascribe to New Testament writings the authority already ascribed to the Old Testament. ... Despite the importance of writings for the churches, literacy was not common and there was consequently an emphasis on reading texts out publicly." Ehrman also considers "discussions on method in textual criticism and the theological significance of variation in manuscripts. [Later,] categories of changes introduced into the text are considered." In addition, "references to miscopying in Origen, Irenaeus and Revelation 22:18-19 are explored. ...
"Erasmus produced the first published Greek New Testament, but one with significant weaknesses. Subsequent editions of the Greek New Testament are considered. [Specifically, variants seen to demonstrate] a significant problem for those who attribute authority to the original text." Chapter five notes "variants that are crucial for the interpretation of a whole book. ... Ehrman notes, most of our modern translations are based on the wrong text...."
Chapter six covers "Theologically Motivated Alterations of the Text." Ehrman asserts that "The changes in the New Testament make it impossible to believe that God inspired the original words."
Williams calls the book "a good read." But his critique includes the following:
* - 1. "Lack of emphasis on manuscripts." (Just 2% of his overall criticism)
* - 2. "Uncertain analysis of variants." (23%)
* - 3. "Misunderstandings of Concepts of Inspiration." (75%)
Williams concludes that "although it is a book from which one will learn much, it is better treated as a repository of information than as a model of argumentation." Then things grow amusing.
Williams has seven points of "lesser criticism" regarding *Ehrman's text* itself. A separate discussion of Ehrman's "typographical confusion" is mentioned in which a single eight-word literary reference by Ehrman on page 13 of Misquoting Jesus featured four problems which caused a different reviewer such "a tough time" that it threatened finishing with the book. Last, Williams thanks a faithful ETCB member for pointing out the typos in his initial post.
Our take: One sees a glass half empty. Another sees it half full. See for yourself: <www.bit.ly/3EZkKBw>
... and be sure to bookmark The Ehrman Project: <www.ehrmanproject.com>
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TRANSHUMANISM
"Can Science and Technology Save Us? The False Gospel of Transhumanism" by Fazale Rana (Christian Research Journal, 45:2/3, - 2022, pp42-47) -- "As societies around the world become increasingly secular, transhumanism represents an eschatological source of hope, purpose, and destiny - an alluring competitor to the gospel."
Are you familiar with brain-computer interface (BCI) technology? Elon Musk predicts that "by 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) will surpass human intellectual capacity." (Don't those last two words require definition for any serious conclusions?) "And he fears that when this happens, we will become enslaved to the very AI systems we have invented. In short, Musk sees AI as the greatest existential threat to humanity." (CRISPR's <www.bit.ly/3VKk2ij> most recent and not yet fully understood dangers may already represent the equivalent. This is seen in the spike protein, a growing genetic <www.bit.ly/3usmYEI> nightmare. Take for example, this Politco analysis <www.bit.ly/3UHXdep>) and compare it with news <www.bit.ly/3OWwnxG> from the Great Reset's World Economic Forum.)
Nevertheless, "For Musk, neural implants may well be the only way to manage the AI threat." It thus becomes a haunting uncertainty: "Interfacing our brains ... even allowing our brains to make use of ... AI technology. ...
"Because of Musk's vision for Neuralink [his 2016 startup], he has become a leading advocate for the transhumanist agenda - the idea that we should use science and technology to augment human beings beyond our natural biological limits." (What could go wrong?)
"Many experts think Neuralink's BCI technology is a significant step toward wide-scale clinical use. ...
"Neuralink's critics complain that Musk and the Neuralink team give too much attention to bioengineering and neglect neuroscience. ...
"As a case in point: no one knows what constitutes the neural substrate for thoughts." (Looking further, we only hope that the early models of such transhumans come with a stout analog default which kicks in when/if the main system hangs.)
"And, the thinking goes, if these types of enhancements can be achieved, then maybe it will soon be possible for us to upload our consciousness into a machine framework, attaining a type of digital immortality [where] this prospect fuels the transhumanism movement." (Of course, we'll need ever-increasing cat-and-mouse investments in *consciousness protection* to prevent scammer malware from hijacking our brainbits.)
"Though clothed in technical language, make no mistake - a strong religious undercurrent buoys transhumanism" thanks to its being a virtual source of eschatological hope which scales upwardly on into the far reaches of time.
Back to the ironic future: "Musk views the technology we will soon develop as the greatest danger we face. Yet in a tautological irony, Musk's proposed solution involves the use of AI technology to modify humans so that we can compete with the AI systems that one day may threaten our existence." (Get ready for eBot 2.0 vs. iHuman 2.0 operating system market-share battles.)
And here we are. Rana quotes philosopher Patrick Hopkins: "I have changed so much that the existence I now experience is incomprehensible to my former, limited, human self. ... The end result will be some kind of successor entity to me, but it will not be me." (Will there be any limit to its evil as well? Perhaps iHumans will develop a taste for anthroveal piccata?) <www.bit.ly/3OXXIQ6> (paywalled)
Such literary momentum makes us suspect Rana (president and CEO, Reasons to Believe <reasons.org/team/fazale-rana>) could well issue a sequel to his related 2019 book Humans 2.0 <www.bit.ly/3iySluD> co-authored with apolojedi Kenneth Samples. Is it likely, a 2023 release titled Humans 3.0 might be in the mix even now?
Want more? Try Stefan Lindholm's meaty article "Jacques Ellul and the Idols of Transhumanism" (Religion & Liberty, Vol. 35, No. 4, [Nov 14 '22]) at <www.bit.ly/3YnR61O>
And for a chronological sampling of AI threat assessment progression seen in our past issues, be sure to visit <www.bit.ly/3gWRC60>
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CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Last, here's a gift for you ... and everyone you know. It's that good. PragerU has just released the best brief infographic video on Climate madness that we've seen yet. <www.bit.ly/3W0FAHX> It is narrated by Steven E. Koonin <www.bit.ly/3UWMTiI> Under Secretary for Science, Department of Energy, in the Obama administration. We saw him in person at the Energy & Climate Conference hosted by the Steamboat Institute <www.bit.ly/3V3F0Ia> on Mar 12 '22. Also recommended: <www.bit.ly/3j38jNV>
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