Assessment

A combination of a final examination and an essay

Module Aims

Aims: With the invention of the printing press in the 15th century came a new religious and intellectual epoch, and today in the 21st Century we are looking at new technologies which are having an impact of possibly similar dimensions. This module will connect the church and theology to new challenges in law and society due to changing technology, including: technological advances in health and medicine; cultural changes such as social medial; politics and confrontation, such as fake news; and, robotic warfare. This module will look at the challenges society faces in the digital communications age, which is shaping culture and challenging notions of authority in new ways. It is critical for the church, the people of Christ, to engage in these debates and seek to influence this change. Looking at a world increasingly being deconstructed along digital lines, with technology being used to code law, a particular focus of this module will look at the behavioural issues of law and the basis of authority. The module will use both theological and legal analysis to critique the age in which we live, and then offer insight for students on how the church and faithful may respond to some of the issues of our age.

Indicative Syllabus:

• Introduction: Introducing themes in technology and the challenges to society due to new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, surveillance technology, medical technology & robots. How the economy is being revolutionised by technology, highlighting the difficulties they present
• Coding Society: Introducing the notion of coding and how coding of law, ethics and the role of authority can be contrasted to traditional ways of understanding law, ethics and authority
• Reflection I - theological: a theological exploration of the various technological, economic and legal changes introduced in the first lecture
• Reflection II - legal: a deeper legal exploration of the various technological, economic and legal changes introduced in the first lecture
• Understanding Authority I: How Church, Law and authority are being contested and disrupted in the digital economy, coding of ethics and the role of authority, contrasted to traditional ways of understanding law, ethics and authority
• A Cyber-Church: Can the Church can play a creative and authentic role serving this new digital world economy? In what ways can, - an should – the Church harness new technologies, and react to the more insidious threats?
• Understanding Authority II: How Law and authority are being contested and disrupted in the digital economy
• An presentation and evaluation, based on our study so far, of the major statements on economy and technology offered by the Catholic Church and selected statements and documents delivered by other churches
• Understanding Authority III: Drawing some conclusions on our module theme of how Law and authority are being contested and disrupted in the digital economy Coding the Church: Is it possible for the church to code doctrine and laws, and how the Church might usefully speak to the digital society?

Learning Outcomes

• — To think theologically about law, society and economy and the impact of technological innovation in our digital age
• — To articulate ethical problems raised by specific new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence & robots. These technologies will be introduced and the ethical problems they raise highlighted
• — To share conversations with other intellectual disciplines with a focus on new legal problems disrupting society
• — To understand how the Church can play a creative and authentic role serving a world rapidly evolving because of technology
• — To articulate notions of authority and the coding of ethics