Digital salvation as a gift : a catholic understanding of digital salvation in contrast to Kurzweilian transhumanism

Abstract

This article proposes three distinct categories of how Christian theologians over the centuries have viewed the transhumanistic endeavor of (self-?) salvation: (a) reversing the effects of the Fall, (b) transformation of creation, and (c) salvation as a gift. These categories are juxtaposed with Ray Kurzweil’s transhumanist attempts at achieving digital salvation (technological salvation in a digital age), outlining three main attempts: human enhancement, the quest for immortality, and salvation from sin. This article argues that despite the human effort, salvation remains a gift. Hence rather than shunning death, the Christian is claimed to be called to embrace it as the “sister death” and thus, as the gateway to theosis.