Intelligence (2022-06-26, Sunday-13)

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2022-06-26 –  ●● 1 Kings 19:16b-19-21 ●● Psalm 16 ●● Galatians 5:1, 13-18 ●● Luke 9:51-62 ●●

[_01_.extreme] Pope Francis has spoken about the need, in a true Christian context,  to be sure we do not leave anyone behind who is “out there” or “at the extreme” or easily ignored, or not part of regular society.

Pope Francis even took 12 Syrian refugees whom he encountered on a Greek island in the Medterraneaan back to back to Rome back to the Italian capital for resettlement.

[_02.Mars]     But nothing can match the Pope's EXTREME concern, kind of out there when he was speaking about who can and should be baptized, to receive the Sacrament of Baptism,

After all, did not Jesus Himself assist those who arrived from the extremes, those who might be overlooked.

Francis: “If, for example, tomorrow an expedition of Martians, people came from the planet Mars to Earth, and one of the Martians were to say, I want to be baptized, what would happen?” Well, according to the Pope, we should get that Martian some holy water and plunge him or her beneath the surface. The Pope was speaking I believe in an exaggerated hyperbolic way about God's concern for all of his creatures. I know you weren't expecting to hear of Martians.

Francis was not speaking dogmatically or officially about how to evangelize on other planets. But he is touching on something about our concern, and how deep our concern is for every life on this planet, in our own world, in our own ecosystem. What does it mean for you or I or anyone to possess intelligent life or to be worthy of being protected?

 [_03_.Chess, G.Kasparov]   

          What is an “intelligent living being” or “intelligent life”?

          What life is intelligent and therefore worthy of our concern.

          Here is an example. Often, we measure intelligence by what it can do, how it functions, or even how competitive it is.

In 1990’s, the very intelligent – very smart chess Grandmaster showed he could win in chess not only against human beings but also in competition with some very good computers.  That was in the mid-90’s. Then, in 1997, something changed. in Garry Kasparov lost a chess grandmaster match to the IBM Computer knowns as Deep Blue. “Deep Blue”, and since then computers have only become more powerful. For example, some of us have seen, perhaps, the IBM Computer “Watson” compete on Jeopardy. Watson is even faster than Deep Blue.

So – is “intelligence” only valuable if it helps us to compete, or compare ourselves to others?

[_05_. A.I.]    I read this in an article about AI and artificial intelligence. For decades, artificial intelligence has been advancing at breakneck speed. Computers can fly planes -- interpret X rays -- sift through forensic evidence – compose music – and win at Chess and at Jeopardy.

Does this mean intelligence can exist apart from a human person?

[_06_. Sanctity of Life]   

What is necessary to be “intelligent” or worthwhile?

Regarding the sanctity of life and the protection of life at all stages, from conception to natural death, for what does it mean to be human or to be alive?  What if, for example, the developing human being does not have “intelligence with sense & sensibility” as you and I do?

[_07_. 2-B I or not 2-B I]   

 What if the developing human being is not “sentient” or sensible? An argument is made these days by many pro lifers, that life should be protected in utero, the unborn person because the unborn child can feel pain, that's a good argument. But it's not a necessary argument. Because even if the unborn child cannot feel pain, we still have the same belief that God creates through the parents, not only the body, but also the soul of a developing person, the soul and body are united. That's why it is.

[_08_. Body-Soul Unity]

That's what it means to be alive, to be a human person to have a body and a soul. When body and soul are connected. You're alive when body and soul are disconnected. You're not alive. If I die, my soul is immortal. My body is not. And while we go to. And while we seek health and healthy habits, and prosperity in this life, it's not only for the good of our bodies, but also for the good of our souls. We believe in a body soul unity. A person is a body soul unity. For this reason, we believe in protecting the right to life at all stages, I bring up the artificial intelligence stuff, because the artificial intelligence idea can plant the seed the idea in you or me, that our soul our  our value is something that can be programmed, or something that can crash.

Even if Garry Kasparov “loses” to Deep Blue, Garry K.’s intelligence life – and intelligence in chess player – has inherent value.

Playing chess – as I understand – has inherent value in teaching and developing the intellect. In a similar way, a computer might “play music”, but the computer is in no way joined to a body and soul of inherent value. The computer is purely functional.

A person is not merely a function.

[_09.Inherent Value] When we want something of value, we use our intelligence to obtain it. We use our intelligence to study for exams in school (good grades are valuable), our intelligence to do work and earn a paycheck (money is valuable), our intelligence to make a persuasive argument (being recognized is valuable).

But, what about when we fall into the trap of doing something erroneous, or sinful or scandalous our harmful. We may not appear very “intelligent”. What is the next step?

Consider the episode John (Gospel), ch. 8,  the woman caught in adultery.  This woman is in big trouble. Of course, in the episode, her accusers also end up in trouble and appear foolish.

But, that is only possible because our Lord sees in her a character – a soul – of inherent value –somone worth saving.

The woman caught in adultery episode reminds us that we are not masters of life were the masters of the universe. Pope Francis in a weird way touched on this with the Martian example.

But a mother and father, a mother and father touches on it with the with the birth of every child, and Jesus touches on it in a way saying to the one, the one who comes to Him in repentance, the one who is the one who anybody who comes to Jesus in repentance may feel artificially controlled artificial control by others or condemned by others. Our Lord sums up this saying that to those who feel alone to those who feel abandoned, that his mercy is available to them. And that love is greater than any one's verdict of guilt.

Jesus says this to the person drag before him in the town square, who represents all of us, the one who realizes that no one can condemn her with Jesus at our side, Jesus asks, ask that person Has no one condemned you. And she says no one Lord, then neither do I can do go and sin no more. It's interesting that later the same crowd wants to stone Jesus. He takes the punishment for us. That too helps us to live  another day. [_fin_]