New Books in Buddhist Studies

Peter D. Hershock, "Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future" (Bloomsbury, 2021)

Feb 21, 2025

Peter D. Hershock, Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, dives into how Buddhism can guide us through the complexities of intelligent technology. He discusses the ethical implications of AI and its impact on human consciousness, cautioning against the outsourcing of our cognitive functions. Hershock highlights the need for a diversified ethical framework, merging Buddhist teachings with Western philosophies to foster genuine human connections. His insights reveal the potential of ancient wisdom to shape a more equitable relationship with technology.

01:12:16

Episode guests

Peter Hershock

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Buddhism’s emphasis on relationality offers a critical lens for understanding the ethical implications of our interactions with intelligent technology.

The evolution of AI presents both opportunities and ethical dilemmas, necessitating a thoughtful examination of its impact on society and individual choice.

Educational reform should prioritize developing self-awareness and critical thinking in students, integrating mindfulness to enhance their relationship with technology.

Deep dives

The Intersection of Buddhism and Technology

The discussion highlights the unique relationship between Buddhism and information technology, emphasizing that traditional Western perspectives often center on the individual, whereas Buddhism prioritizes relationality. This viewpoint suggests that our connections with others and the environment are fundamental to our understanding of existence. The speaker argues for the relevance of Buddhist teachings in analyzing our interactions with technology, particularly how it influences our relationships and the potential consequences of digital immersion. By applying a relational perspective, Buddhism can shed light on the ethical challenges posed by technology, urging us to examine the impact of our digital habits on interpersonal connections.

Intro

2min

Buddhism and Technology: An Interconnected Perspective

6min

The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence

13min

Colonization of Consciousness in the Digital Age

5min

Outsourcing Intelligence: The Consequences of Technological Reliance

14min

Rethinking Ethics: A Buddhist Perspective on Wealth and Technology

4min

Bridging Ethical Traditions

24min

Machine learning, big data and AI are reshaping the human experience and forcing us to develop a new ethical intelligence. In Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (Bloomsbury, 2021), Peter Hershock offers a new way to think about attention, personal presence, and ethics as intelligent technology shatters previously foundational certainties and opens entirely new spaces of opportunity.

Rather than turning exclusively to cognitive science and contemporary ethical theories, Hershock shows how classical Confucian and Socratic philosophies help to make visible what a history of choices about remaking ourselves through control biased technology has rendered invisible. But it is in Buddhist thought and practice that Hershock finds the tools for valuing and training our attention, resisting the colonization of consciousness, and engendering a more equitable and diversity-enhancing human-technology-world relationship. Focusing on who we need to be present as to avoid a future in which machines prevent us from either making or learning from our own mistakes, Hershock offers a constructive response to the unprecedented perils of intelligent technology and seamlessly blends ancient and contemporary philosophies to envision how to realize its equally unprecedented promises.

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New Books in Buddhist Studies

Peter D. Hershock, "Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future" (Bloomsbury, 2021)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Intersection of Buddhism and Technology

Understanding Buddhism as a Philosophical Framework

The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence

The Ethical Implications of Intelligent Technology

Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts