AI and the Bible: Understanding Our Humanity in the Age of Artificial Minds
5 Thursdays from 1 - 2 p.m. ET
Aug. 14 - Sept. 11
All classes will be recorded and sent to registrants.
What can the book of Genesis teach us about our minds, as artificial intelligence continues its rise?
As AI becomes more ubiquitous in our daily life and work, it raises numerous ethical — and even spiritual — dilemmas. In this new age, it's imperative to look back to the bible for help in navigating the world of artificial minds.
This new course from author and scholar Marina Zilbergerts explores the creation narrative in the Book of Genesis (Sefer Bereshit) to examine questions of pressing relevance. From God’s first utterance, “Let there be light,” to the creation of the human being in the image of God to Adam to Eve’s awakening to the challenges and responsibilities of human self-awareness, this course offers new, thought-provoking readings of familiar stories.
Along the way, we will uncover how ancient biblical wisdom speaks directly to some of today’s most urgent debates in ethics, technology and consciousness.
Questions this class will explore:
1. What is the relationship between speech and consciousness?
2. What makes human life sacred?
3. How do humans differ from machines or animals?
4. What role does intelligence play in the biblical view of personhood?
5. How can Sefer Bereshit (Genesis) help us understand the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence?
Your purchase comes with recordings of each class session, which won't expire, and access to a community of fellow learners fascinated by the ramifications of artificial intelligence in a Jewish context.
Have questions for us about this course? Email [email protected].
There are no refunds for this course.
About Your Teacher
Marina Zilbergerts is an author and scholar of Jewish literature and thought who has a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Her works include "The Yeshiva and the Rise of Modern Hebrew Literature" (Indiana University Press, 2022); a poetry collection entitled "You Were Adam" (Wipf and Stock, 2023); and a forthcoming book titled "Genesis: The Origin Story of Human Consciousness." She was formerly a professor of Jewish studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and she now teaches at the University of Ottawa.
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