Is there room for spirituality in the AI age?

 March 17, 2024

Absolutely yes. There is plenty of room for spirituality in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). God and money were the top human inventions of all times prior to AI. Their respective functionalities in helping humans cope and survive were unbeatable. Faith and finance allowed humans to conquer the world, fostering social order and incentivizing collaboration that led to the technological development and civilization. 

AI will surpass prior inventions and become the top creation. The ultimate promise of AI is helping humanity develop enough intelligence and knowledge as to be able to replace biology with technology. Transhumanism will change the painful dynamics of the human condition (heavenly minds trapped in earthy shells). However, that will take a very long time (centuries if not millennia). In the meantime, cultivating spirituality will continue being one of the best ways to achieve mental flourishing and joyful enlightenment in life. 

Spirituality in the age of AI

Humans are amazing primates. A series of mutations equipped homo sapiens with more neurons and better neural circuitry connections that helped them develop a superior intelligence when compared to all of the other animals. Leveraging that superior intelligence with creative collaboration, humans have developed amazing technologies (tools and methods) to promote their survival and flourishing. 

From spiritual to financial stories, from math to machines, humans have invented technologies to transcend the limits of biology and escape the pains of nature. Of all human technologies, AI is the most impressive one so far. The ultimate promise of AI is to help humans escape the human condition by achieving transhumanism, replacing evolutionary biology with revolutionary technology.

Transhumanism can be achieved by figuring out how to replace organic biology with smart technology. For example, once humans figure out how to transplant their entire nervous system into bionic bodies, natural causes of death can be reduced to neurological diseases and trauma. 

Humans are their nervous systems. All other biological systems are shell accessories for earthly survival. Once humans learn how to digitize their neural connections, humans (their brains and nervous system) can be replicated in AI computer servers from where they can be downloaded for "resurrection" at any time and into any medium (bionic body, robotic body, computer server, etc). This is where AI technology is heading, but the journey is very long and complicated. Effective transhumanism will take centuries if not millennia to achieve. In the meantime, humans are better off enjoying what they have and who they are. 

Existential Joy

Spirituality is the easiest and most convenient path to existential joy for humans. The human condition can be painful. Humans have heavenly minds but are trapped in earthy bodies. This predicament (the human condition) can prove daunting and psychologically painful for untrained humans. 

Until the moment when AI can help humans escape the constraints of biology, and perhaps even afterwards, spirituality will be the best way for humans to overcome the human condition. Spirituality is both the path and the journey for beating the human condition and enjoying human existence to its maximum potential. 

Early humans invented stories of spirits, deities, and supernatural forces controlling or influencing humans and the rest of "physical" reality. Having a superior intelligence in comparison to the rest of the animal kingdom, humans imagined having a higher and deeper connection with these "spiritual" forces, and even imagined being part of such. 

Not real, but true? Not true, but real? It can be said that spirituality is not "real" in a limited view of reality, but that spirituality is true in an expanded sense of the term. Conversely, it can be said that spirituality is not true in a strict sense of the term, but that it can be 100% real under a neuroscience perspective.  

Perspectives matter. 

Reality.

If reality is seen as only encompassing physical phenomena that exists independent of human mental processes, spirituality has not been proven real. Believers have not been able to prove the existence of deities, spirits or any other supernatural forces outside of the realm of human imagination (mental processes). Nonetheless, if reality is seen as encompassing any physical phenomenal regardless of its origin or location, spirituality can be said to be 100% real. Spirituality resides in the human brain where it certainly exists as physical (electrochemical) phenomena inside and between neurons.  

Truth. 

If the truth is seen as only encompassing what can be proven empirically and verified independently of human imagination, spirituality would not be true. If the truth is seen as anything actually considered true by a human, spirituality is certainly true for billions of humans. For humans, whatever is connected as true in their neurons feels true and becomes part of the operational truth of that human brain or network of human brains (community, church, tribe, etc).

Spirituality is a learned art

Humans learn by association. Associations are created by physical (electrochemical) connections and interactions between neurons. Humans learn whatever gets connected in their neurons. Some connections are programmed genetically for involuntary actions and reactions. Some connections are programmed culturally by education (formal or informal) for voluntary actions and reactions.

Spiritual beliefs (electrochemical connections) have been culturally programed in humans through religious and moral education for millennia. The human condition (heavenly minds trapped in earthy bodies) can be psychologically daunting and physically painful. Early humans did their best to cope with the pain of the human condition. The traditions continue to this date.

Humans used their senses to perceive the natural world. Working with what they had and what they knew, ancient humans created creationist stories to cope with the fear of the unknown and the pain of ignorance. Whatever humans were afraid of, and whatever they did not understand, they outsourced to imaginary gods, spirits, and supernatural forces. That soothed the mind and help humans carry their days. Mythological stories have been shared from one human generation to another from their inception to the present day. The characters change, but the essence and purpose remain the same. 

Physical vs Mental, an antiquated distinction. 

Early humans used their five main senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) to make sense of the world. The physical phenomena that humans could perceive with their sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin) were considered "physical" or "material" . Thoughts and ideas, however, were imperceptible to the human senses. 

Thoughts are physical processes, but happen at locations and in sizes that were imperceptible to the humans thinkers of the past. They created this philosophical separation and distinction between what the "physical" world from the "mental" one. In reality, everything that is mental is also 100% physical. 

Mental processes are 100% physical processes. Yet they are in tiny dimensions (molecular neurotransmitter nanoscale) and locations (inside neurons) that humans cannot perceive with their senses absent very advanced technologies (e.g. electron microscope).

Early humans had no way of detecting the trillions (or more) of nanoscale physical connections and interactions leading to mental processes. The neurotransmission and synaptic connections in the brain that correspond to electrochemical circuitry leading to abstract mental processes such as thoughts, ideas, and memories happen at molecular sizes measurable in the nanoscale (billionth of a meter). No wonder past humans assumed that mental processes were something mystical and non-physical if not altogether magical or spiritual. 

Ancient humans catalogued mental processes as not being physical but quasi magical and spiritual. Humans were thought of being composed of a physical component and some sort of non-physical "spiritual" component such as a spirit or a soul. Even to this date, since there are so many unknowns about how nanoscale neural processes work, most humans believe in non-physical explanations about their reality. Humans still rely on spiritual mythology to fill in the gaps of ignorance and soothe the pain of the human condition. Since ignorance is an infinite line in an infinite plane, there will be always room for spirituality in the human brain. 

Spoiler alert. There is no magic. Everything is physical. 

Mental phenomena such as thoughts and ideas are the result of physical (electrochemical) processes within nerve cells. They are as real, and as physical, as anything else in the universe. However, they are very tiny, in the nanoscale (billionth of a meter size). 

As hopefully most modern humans can understand, just because something is tiny small and imperceptible to the human senses, it does not mean that it is not "physical". Thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc. are 100% physical events like rain, sleet, and snow. Yet they are too small to be perceived by the five senses absent very advanced technologies. 

What is spirituality?

Humans refer to "spiritual" as matters related to the imaginary concepts of spirit or soul. Make no mistake. These imaginary concepts are real in the sense that they are 100% physical in nature. Thoughts, ideas, stories, memories, imagination, etc, do exist and are physical material things in nerve cells. Some of these mental processes are related to the human interpretation of things that exist outside in the world, absent human intervention. Others are related to things that only exist inside human brains and nerve cells. Both are real physical phenomena and can be connected to mental associations with true and real effects. For example, believing, or more importantly practicing, "spiritual" beliefs can help humans transcend the pains of the human condition to achieve enlightened or joyful flourishing in life. 

In the future, AI will help humans transcend the limits of organic chemistry and biology, replacing many of the functions of intelligent life with smart technology. That is the very distant future. All humans who are alive today will die before AI-led transhumanism and formation of new species and forms of life to conquer Earth and portions of outer space. 

For all humans alive today, spirituality remains the best analgesic against the pain of the human condition and the prime nourishment for enlightened flourishing.   

Below are some common mental associations related to spirituality. The following mnemonic can help: Divinity, Joy, Ethics, Enlightenment, Purpose, Flourishing, Liberation, and Unity ("Divine JEEP FLU"): 

• Divinity. Spirituality typically involves mental connections and associations to the imaginary concept of divine as in superior to humans. Spirituality is traditionally associated with believing in divine or supernatural forces that transcend the "physical" human world. These beliefs may include concepts such as gods, goddesses, spirits, and similar imaginary concepts. 
• Joy. Spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer, mindfulness, and contemplation are often used to cultivate inner peace, happiness, and fulfillment. These practices can help individuals quiet the mind, find balance, promote harmony, and tap into deeper aspects of their sense of being. Ultimately, the goal of spirituality is joy (i.e. finding a way to enjoy the human condition).
• Ethics: Many spiritual traditions emphasize ethical and moral values such as compassion, kindness, empathy, forgiveness, and love. These values serve as guiding principles for how individuals should interact with others and navigate moral dilemmas.
• Enlightenment: Spirituality typically involves experiences of transcendence, in which humans feel a sense of unity, oneness, or interconnectedness with the universe besides themselves. These experiences can lead to altered states of consciousness referred to as enlightenment.
• Purpose: Spirituality often involves seeking and finding meaning and purpose in life beyond material possessions or external achievements. This search for meaning may involve existential questions about the nature of reality, the purpose of life, the purpose of suffering, and the journey over space time.
• Flourishing: Engaging in spiritual practices and exploration can lead to personal growth, self-discovery, and transformation. It can involve healing past wounds, overcoming limitations, and awakening to higher potentials.
• Liberation. 
• Unity. Spirituality often involves a sense of connection to something greater than oneself, whether it be a higher power, the natural world, other people, or a collective consciousness. This sense of collective connection can provide humans with a feeling of belonging, purpose, and meaning in life.

It's important to recognize that spirituality is a deeply personal and subjective aspect of human experience, and individuals may interpret and practice it in diverse ways based on their cultural background, religious beliefs, philosophical outlook, and life experiences.

Conclusion

Spirituality is a special type of mental process. Spirituality comes from specific mental associations and connections in the human brain connecting humans to imaginary supernatural spiritual powers. With the development of language--perhaps the true top human technology--humans can assign meanings to different phenomena and draw contrasts. Humans contrast a self imagery of imperfect earthy creatures with imagination of perfect heavenly creators. Mythological and spiritual stories help humans cope with the biological pains of their existence. Mental connections to divine supernatural forces can help humans feel in part supernatural and be courageous to dream of an afterlife free of biological constraints. 

AI will ultimately help humans reach a supernatural afterlife. AI can help humans create the imaginary heaven on Earth and beyond. AI can help humans develop sufficient knowledge to overcome the limits of biology. 

In conclusion, while most humans have been taught to distinguish between "physical" and "mental" processes, all mental processes are 100% physical. Spiritual abstractions and notions are a special type of mental connections in the brain whereby humans associate themselves to imaginary divine supernatural powers. Regardless of the objective truth or reality of supernatural powers, the mental connections to them are 100% real in the brain and can produce 100% real results. No wonder that humans have relied on spirituality for millennia as the best way to transcend the pain of the human condition. Until AI can help humans with technological transhumanism, mythological spirituality may be the shortest path to an enjoyable existence on Earth. 

Stay tuned. 

Creatix.one, AI for everyone.