MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS
ON SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN PERSON
IN THE TIME OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Introduction
• Technology itself is not something to be regarded as something acts against humanity but the use these tools are put to needs to be for the good of humanity.
• When AI and other technologies are used, do they promote the good of all peoples, the dignity of all and protect the rights of those on the margins of society?
• Pope Leo draws on two Biblical scenes. Firstly the Tower of Babel-(Gen 11:1-9). The people decide to build a city and a tower that reaches to the heavens; they sought stability and power for themselves, but it was a project founded without reference to God and without respect for diversity. It was a project founded on pride’ it did not end well
• Conversely the other example quoted by Pope Leo is from the Book of Nehemiah. This takes place after the Babylonian exile. Nehemiah is in service to the Persian king. He hears about the state of Jerusalem and wants to rebuild it. Before taking action, he fasts and prays. Receiving permission to go Jerusalem, he takes time to review what’s needed. Consults and listens to the people. Each family is assigned a section to rebuild. He coordinates and continues to listen and to pray. The city is rebuilt on prayer, on cooperation on a desire for the common good.
• In answer to those critics who would say religion should be a private affair and stay out of politics he quotes Pope Leo X111 who when challenged said “the proclamation of the Gospel cannot overlook the concrete lives of people.”.
• Today much of technology is not in the hands of governments but in the hands of private individuals and internation cooperations. Pope Francis said that this has” given those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world.” It is therefore more important than ever that the church should question and ask what direction is humanity heading?
Chapter 1: This looks at the social teaching of the church and outlines the development of the Church’s social teaching to the present day .
• It begins by asking why is the Church concerned with social matters. Because the church stands as a sign of unity within the world. The Church does not claim to assume the functions belonging to the State. But following the teaching of Jesus the church has to stand by those on the margins,
• The Second Vatican Council presented an image of a Church close to humanity ““The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the women and men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.”
• The Chapter outlines the development of the Church’s social teaching to the present day. and reminds us that Pope Francis embraced care of the environment as essential but also during covid when it was clear that nations and individuals did not always act for the good of all Pope Francis called for a renewed dream of a world where you have , “a culture of encounter, a “better politicscapable of seeking the common good, paths of reconciliation and a world that ensures “land, housing and work for all.”
• We are also reminded here of the importance of listening, of dialogue with other organisations, with scientists, with government. It is not about the power of individuals or groups but about consensus.
Chapter 2: The underlying Principals of Catholic Social Teaching
• These principles represent a core of unchanging truth, a form of wisdom that is capable of guiding the personal and societal lives of believers even today.
• The key principle, which is the basis for all else, is that each of us is created in the image and likeness of God. That means that each of us has an inherent dignity not for what we do, but just because we are.We don’t need to earn or justify our worth. Each of us was willed by God. Loved by God. This applies to everyone including the people you don’t like, the people that don’t share your views, the people who are different from you. The love of God is unconditional. That inherent dignity also needs to be reflected in the social conditions each person faces.
• It is therefore essential to protect human rights. These in many ways are being undermined. Technological process can undermine these rights and Pope Leo also says that in many ways we have abandoned the search for the solid foundations sustaining our decisions and our laws.
• When the church talks about The Common Good it means the social expression of the dignity recognized in every person. For a Christian this is non-negotiable, you have to think about the good of all. We learn to recognize that we are interconnected and jointly responsible for each other. As the international situation disintegrates,we should not lose hope but try to explore within our own situations how we can help. Pope Leo adds that “Indeed, the promotion of the common good can never be separated from respect for the right of peoples to exist, to preserve their own identity and to contribute their unique qualities to the family of nations. Moreover, any attempt or plan to eliminate or subjugate a nation is gravely immoral and therefore unacceptable.”
• Within these basic principles Pope Leo notes that we need to care for the earth, we need to recognise subsidiarity. That our role and rights should not be supplanted by institutions. Alongside this goes the principle of solidarity; the concrete recognition that the future of each individual is connected to the future of all; indeed, “no one is saved alone.
• Another key principle is Social Justice Jesus identified with the poor, the outcast, the stranger, in our own lives and in the life of the society to which we belong we need to work towards social, economic and political order to allow everyone — particularly the weakest — to live a truly dignified life A measure of the way a society implements social justice would be in its treatment of migrants. Are they treated from a spirit of recognition that we are one family or out of a spirit of fear and exclusion?
• The final remarks in this chapter concern the Church itself- The Church needs to examine itself and ensure that it above all uphold these principles.
Questions
Do we in our relationships with others, on social media, in the decisions we make uphold the dignity of others?
Do we work for the good of all?
Chapter 3 This deals with Technology and the Human Being
• When technology “becomes the standard by which everything is judged, it begins to dictate what matters and what can be discarded, reducing creation to an object of exploitation and human beings to mere cogs in a system driven toward ever greater efficiency”.
• Control over these new technologies is increasingly not in the hands of governments but individuals and multinationals. There is a danger that this has no public oversight , that we lose control. “We have to ask questions o new technologies- do they enhance the dignity of human beings, are they excluding people?
• It is a given that the pace of change means any statement regarding AI risks becoming quickly outdated but we need to realise that though AI systems might be better at computational and speed which makes them useful they do not equate to human intelligence they don’t know mercy, forgiveness or redemption yet they are making decisions about all aspects of our lives including employment, credit, access to public services and even reputation. Moreover, they reflect the bias of the people who programme them
• If a system is designed or used in a way that treats some lives as less worthy, or excludes them without the possibility of appeal, then it contradicts the dignity of each person. It is not enough to call for AI to be moral if that morality is controlled by and reflects the morality and cultural bias, of the people who design and control it.. At Present AI tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise and access to data.
• Pope Leo also notes that “The speed and simplicity with which information, complex analyses, media content and practical assistance can be accessed undoubtedly makes life easier. Yet they can also encourage excessive reliance and the search for ready-made answers, and weaken personal creativity and judgment.”
• We need to consider the environmental damage the technologies do with their enormous use of water and energy
• There is a race for ever more powerful algorithms and larger datasets, driven by the desire to secure geopolitical or commercial dominance. The key issue is not the technology but the vision that guides it.
• We should not reject technology but it should not dominate humanity. Many things can be seen as limits as imperfections to be overcome, incapacity, illness, old age, suffering, vulnerability. Whilst it is right to seek to overcome suffering there is a real danger that some lives become – less worthy, less valuable easily discarded.
• Human civilisations should not be judged by the power they wield but by their ability to show compassion, to recognise that every life is important.
Questions
1. When you use technology are you aware of its environmental impact? (in the search for the minerals that keep our tech going 33 planned new or expanded mines in Europe are in water shortage areas and their use of water will worsen already poor conditions.)
2. Do you question what you read online or think about the sources of that information?
3. Do you pass information on without trying to check if it is in fact true?
Chapter 4: This chapter considers how we safeguard humanity at a time of transformation.
• The chapter begins by considering the notion of truth. AI systems which should foster communication often distort or fabricate stories.. In public discourse, the truth of facts has a rational dimension, as it requires verification, cross-checking of sources and responsible argumentation. When truth becomes unreliable it weakens trust not only between individuals but between individuals and public organisations.
• Those who run the technology can adjust ‘truth’ to suit their own aims; people believe that they can construct reality, and that whatever best suits their claims corresponds to what is true. The concept of a universal truth is being lost. Those who manage online sites create a vision of reality that influences real world actions.
• The Pope calls for an ecology of communication. There is a growing need for education to help people especially the young understand the proper and critical use of digital tools, AI and online commercial and financial platforms. There needs to be more transparency in the forming of online content and, greater protection of personal data
• The digital world presents easy and immediate answers that curtail the process and can open people up to content that is dangerous and exploitative. Here schools play a vital role. We need to invest in teaching training so that teachers are adequately prepared both to use and help their students use new technologies responsibly, above all schools need to ensure that the curriculum doesn’t just become information but encourages research, reflection and discernment where we ask questions about meaning, and develop authentic, critical and creative thought.
• When reflecting on work the Pope notes that whilst AI systems are marketed on the basis of increasing productivity innovation is often pursued solely for reducing costs and increasing profits. This can create unemployment for many which then impacts on society as a whole. For the young lack of job security can have a devastating effect. Whilst it is good that technology frees people from purely repetitive or dangerous jobs “the protection of employment opportunities and the irreplaceable role of the individual must remain the general rule.” Economics must protect the dignity of the human person and the common good.“
• Given that we are in a time of transition we need we can’t simply be reactive but must plan for change. “Every introduction of automation and AI should be accompanied by verifiable measures to protect the employment, retraining and participation of workers” All changes need to protect the dignity of workers. Resources and changes need to protect the most vulnerable. Wealth is increasing focused in fewer hands creating more inequalities. Evidence shows that new technologies do not always automatically benefit everyone The idea of the Common Good needs to be built in at the design stage. “measuresto ensure equity: taxation, social protection and industrial policies must correct the imbalances created by the concentration of wealth and power.”
• The chapter goes on to outline other risks including addition to various types of social media, the use of personal data that can affect things like credit scores, job opportunities or access to various services. Human beings become objects to be manipulated, In some parts of the world adults and children are paid minimal wages to mine for the rare materials needed for technologies. This can leave ecologies devastated and bodies scarred. Criminals often use systems for human trafficking,
• To minimise risks action needs to be taken. Supply chains must become transparent, workers need to be protected, there must be an assessment of the social impact of data-and digital platforms must cooperate with authorities to prevent communication, payment and profiling tools from becoming channels for the recruitment and control of victims.
Questions
– Do you think about who owns the technology and platforms you use?
Chapter 5 : The culture of power and the civilization of love
• This is a really powerful chapter that deals with the issue of war.
• The nature of warfare is changing driven by technology. The effect of war on actual people is reduced almost to a secondary consideration. In the past after the second World War there was at least a conviction that war should remain a last resort, now however war seems to have become an instrument of international politics. Countries are talking of rearmament, of taking money away from projects to support the common good and putting them into arms manufacture or armed forces. Social media polarises debate, friend or foe, us or them. It also drives disinformation and fear. “The use of force, violence and weapons reflects a relational poverty that always has disastrous consequences for civilian population” It is much easier to start a war than to stop it, and yet, discussion negotiation diplomatic initiatives are being marginalised.
• There is a growing use of AI systems in modern warfare but machines don’t distinguish between right and wrong, they make war more impersonal, reducing victims to data or collateral damage. “Any technology that facilitates attacks without seeing the face of human beings lowers the moral threshold of conflict. Target selection and the use of force must not confuse combatants and non-combatants, nor ignore the impact on defenceless populations.”
• Industries manufacturing weapons have become a key component of economics- the arms industry can become a driving force behind the need for rearmament and the movement towards war first as a tactic. People often believe that war is inherent in our nature so there is no drive for peace
In the midst of a world in perpetual conflict what can we do?
• Firstly we believe in the Kingdom of God that can grow from tiny beginnings, The choices we make as individuals, even if they seem small and insignificant cant make a difference. “Even in the darkest nights, the Lord raises up men and women who refuse to give up, who persevere in doing good, who protect the vulnerable and open pathways to reconciliation.”
• Be mindful of our words- they shouldn’t be aggressive, espouse hatred or prejudice.
• Work for justice any way you can- for example write to those in power, don’t support organisations that work against the Common Good.
• Don’t remain neutral in the face of suffering and injustice. Educate yourself and be a voice for those who have none
• Engage in dialogue with others.
Finally, the Pope reminds us that:
“The Eucharist opens us to justice and sharing, with a preferential concern for those who are burdened by poverty or marginalization. And while new economic and technological networks can generate exclusion, isolation and dependencies, the Church — nourished by the Eucharist — is called to make visible a different paradigm, one that preserves human connections, gives a voice to the invisible and ensures that processes are aimed at respecting people’s dignity.”
The Very first Speech of Pope Leo XIV
Peace be with you.
Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.
This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome – the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.
Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.
Thank you Pope Francis.
Thank you to my cardinal brothers who chose me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel.
I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, “with you I am a Christian, for you a bishop”. So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting:
We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.
(Speaking in Spanish)
Hello to all and especially to those of my diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, a loyal, faithful people accompanying the bishop and helping the bishop.
(Returning to Italian)
To all you brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering.
Today is the day of the Supplicatio [plea] to Our Lady of Pompeii.
Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.
We ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother.
Hail Mary, full of grace, our Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.