Understanding Religion Through Artificial Intelligence

Description

In Understanding Religion through Artificial Intelligence, Justin E. Lane looks at the reasons why humans feel they are part of a religious group, despite often being removed from other group members by vast distances or multiple generations. To achieve this, Lane offers a new perspective that integrates religious studies with psychology, anthropology, and data science, as well as with research at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
After providing a critical analysis of approaches to religion and social cohesion, Lane proposes a new model for religious studies, which he calls the “Information Identity System.” This model focuses on the idea of conceptual ties: links between an individual’s self-concept and the ancient beliefs of their religious group. Lane explores this idea through real-world examples, ranging from the rise in global Pentecostalism, to religious extremism and self-radicalization, to the effect of 9/11 on sermons. Lane uses this lens to show how we can understand religion and culture today, and how we can better contextualize the changes we see in the social world around us.

Justin E. Lane is a Research Associate at the Center for Modeling Social Systems, Kristiansand, Norway and the Center for Mind and Culture, Boston, USA. His research focuses on the use of computational approaches to complex social problems. He’s also the co-founder and CTO at ALAN Analytics, a data analytics and AI consultancy company.

1. Introduction
2. Religions Old and New
3. Bonding and Belief
4. Identity and Extremism
5. Artificial Intelligence and Religions in silico
6. From AI in silico, to AI in situ: Creating AI gurus, Birds eye views of Christianity, and using MAAI to study Social Stability
7. Schisms and Sacred Values
8. The Future of Religion
References
Index

“If you study religion, Justin E. Lane’s book will explain how AI is changing what’s possible in that endeavor. If you work in AI and computer simulation, you’ll discover how those tools can be deployed to deepen our understanding of religion. Either way, you’ve been warned: you’ll never look at AI or religion the same way again.” —Wesley J Wildman, Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics, Boston University, USA“Justin E. Lane’s new book is the most comprehensive and clear introduction to the use of artificial intelligence in the computational science of religion currently available. Both lay readers and experts will benefit from his careful explanations of the various methodologies at work in this rapidly growing field, and his vivid descriptions of the ways in which they are informing our understanding of phenomena such as religious extremism and conflict.” —F. LeRon Shults, Director, Social Simulation Research Group, University of Agder, Norway

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