Artificial Intelligence and Twelver Shiʿi Theology: The End of Anthropocentrism? by Dr Amina Inloes

Dr Amina Inloes (The Islamic College, London)

Recent advances in artificial intelligence technology have revived debates over the nature of knowing, consciousness, and the soul. This paper will explore whether the emergence of speaking, rational machines and the possibility of sentient machines could challenge classical Twelver Shiʿi Islamic theology. It will consider in what ways sentient machines would bring to light implied notions of anthropocentrism and anthropocentric notions of God within Islamic theology. It will also consider in what ways sentient machines would challenge the celebration of the human being as the “speaking, rational animal”. From a classical perspective, it will consider whether an intelligent machine could be considered as “living” or as having a soul. In doing so, it will consider which classical models would require updating, such as classical divisions between solids, plants, humans, and celestial beings. It will also explore, from a Twelver Shiʿi perspective, whether the human being has the right to create another living being or species, insofar as God is held to be the ultimate creator. Part of the argument will incorporate Twelver Shiʿi hadith supporting the possibility of non-human sentient life in the physical universe as a theologically alternative to anthropocentrism.