Cultural Update: Can AI Feel Pain?; Should AI Make End-of-Life Decisions?

This week, Scott and Sean discuss: 

• Can AI feel pain? Scientists experiment with AI models simulating pain and pleasure to test for sentience—but are we just anthropomorphizing algorithms?
• AI relationships on the rise? One in four young adults believe AI could replace real-life romance, raising serious concerns about loneliness and human connection.
• Should AI make end-of-life decisions? Some experts suggest AI could help assess patient choices, but can it ever replace the wisdom of human caregivers?
• Boy Scouts rebrand to Scouting America. The century-old organization changes its name and introduces a DEI-focused badge, sparking debate over tradition and inclusivity.
• Listener Questions on parenting, guilt about surviving medical incidents, and our participation in consumerism.

 

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

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