On Wednesday, November 17th, 2021, at the invitation of Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani, it took place the virtual presentation of Prof. Marco Magnani’s book “You were not made to live like Robot. Growth, work, sustainability: surviving the technological revolution (and the pandemic)” published by UTET.
A book that concerns, according to what Professor Magnani himself stated, a “360 degrees sustainability” that involves: environment, energy, food, health, demographics and society, etc. This interconnection between the various dimensions – continued the author – was underlined by the word “integral ecology” described by the Holy Father in the Laudato Sì Encyclical Letter.
In addition to the author of the book, among the participants at the event were: His Eminence Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna; Enrico Giovannini, Minister of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility; Anna Maria Tarantola, President of the Centesimus Annus Foundation. The moderation was entrusted to Marco Tarquinio, Director of Avvenire. At the end of the speeches, a debate followed with the participation of the politician and activist Grazia Francescato and the Turin high school student Benedetta Gigli.
Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani opened the event by underlining, on the one hand, the need to maximize the benefits deriving from artificial intelligence, on the other hand to minimize its risks by continuing to wonder about the ethical implications produced by machines increasingly equipped with autonomous decision making processes. “Two realities, scientific and value-based, must be put together, making them dialogue with each other so that there is a consistent response with human intentions” he also declared. By underlining how the social doctrine of the Church can offer a decisive contribution in the relationships between men and machines, Ambassador Sebastiani referred to the Vatican’s commitment on the subject, focusing on the activities that the Pontifical Academy for Life conducted during the 2019- 2020 two-year period on “roboethics” in the field of ethical-anthropological issues related to artificial intelligence.
Following interventions also highlighted how Prof. Magnani’s book is mainly focused on the theme of sustainability in its entirety. The participants shared the importance of the Church’s social teaching in recognizing and regulating the critical issues posed by technology, as well as the search for solutions based on the introduction of roboethics.
Anna Maria Tarantola recalled Pope Francis’ constant invitation to change the current development model so that it is inspired by integral ecology (human, economic, social and environmental) and therefore oriented towards the common good and the protection of the planet. The “integral ecology”, according to Anna Maria Tarantola, will allow, thanks to technology, to positively change the current development model and to achieve the union between sustainability, fair economic growth and gradual social inclusion.
A new balance between economy, society and environment is highlighted. According to Minister Giovannini it should start from the radical change of life approach that Pope Francis asks us with the expression “ecological conversion”. In fact, the infinite growth of GDP is not compatible with sustainability because it clashes with planetary limits, while the continuous prosperity growth is. This is why – Minister Giovannini continued – there are four pillars of sustainability: economy, society, environment and the institutional pillar. For this reason, it would be desirable to modify the constitutional principles to guarantee greater intergenerational equity in the future, which is precisely the basis for sustainability. Integral ecology teaches us – the Minister said – that institutions must be simultaneously at the service of people and the environment.
The discussion on this topic concluded with a question posed by Cardinal Zuppi, who wondered – while recognizing the importance of technological innovation – if in the future machines will really be able to condition people and if so, what will be the role of faiths in this context. Then, the Cardinal underlined the need for clear political choices so as not to be conditioned by machines and instead place the human person at the center. Finally, he affirmed that the Encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” helps us to look to the future together and with hope in the complexity of the current digital challenge.
To watch the video recording of the event click here.
