{"id":40203,"date":"2025-01-24T06:16:16","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T14:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=40203"},"modified":"2025-01-24T06:16:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T14:16:16","slug":"do-dogs-go-to-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/do-dogs-go-to-heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Dogs Go to Heaven?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-40204 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large-225x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large-150x200.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large-300x400.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Milo-Large.jpeg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I have a Shorkie (pictured). His name is Milo. He is two and is a cross between a Shitzu and a Yorkshire terrier (Yorkie). He follows me everywhere, and I love him. In our weekly doctoral Zoom calls, you will see him sleeping in my reading chair behind me. If you have a dog, you will know how much joy they can bring to a household. In my social media feed (usually Facebook), I have seen an increase in people asking if dogs go to heaven (maybe it&#8217;s just my algorithms). I\u2019ve seen some pretty interesting answers either way, although biblically, there\u2019s not much to be said about it. Without getting into the debate over whether Original Sin affected the animals in such a way that they are separated from God, much of the debate rages over the eternal nature or soul of the dog.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, I found parallels between this debate and Eve Poole\u2019s exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) in her book \u201cRobot Souls: Programming in Humanity.\u201d<a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[1]<\/a> Poole examines whether AI can have a soul or consciousness, and these questions resonate with my thoughts about Milo. While AI and dogs might seem unrelated at first glance, the concepts overlap in surprising and illuminating ways.<\/p>\n<p>Does and can AI have a soul and, therefore, personhood? Does AI have consciousness? That there exists \u201cno current definition of consciousness that would exclude AI\u201d<a href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\">[2]<\/a> raises many questions. Questions like,<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What defines consciousness?<\/li>\n<li>Can AI be considered a person?<\/li>\n<li>What ethical obligations do we have toward AI?<\/li>\n<li>How do we address accountability?<\/li>\n<li>What are the risks of misattributing consciousness?<\/li>\n<li>How do religious or spiritual perspectives factor in?<\/li>\n<li>What would AI rights look like?<\/li>\n<li>How does this impact society and identity?<\/li>\n<li>What role do emotion and qualia play?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Perhaps in the above questions, we can remove AI and insert a Dog or Cat or anything else we feel connected to. Many of the questions above have already been answered and, thus, established the nature (at least in the here and now) of our beloved pets.<\/p>\n<p>Poole\u2019s eloquent response to the above questions includes proposing that to align AI behaviour with human values, we must embed what she terms our \u201cjunk code\u201d<a href=\"#_edn3\" name=\"_ednref3\">[3]<\/a> traits like emotions, intuition, and the capacity for error into AI systems. This concept challenges traditional AI development, which often seeks to eliminate such human imperfections.<\/p>\n<p>That there is a difference between \u201cknowing (small k) and Knowing (capital K)\u201d seems to be of some value. Poole writes, \u201cThere is still something qualitatively different between AI learning to appreciate the colour red and a human spontaneously doing so. In French this would be the difference between the verbs for knowing, savoir and conna\u00eetre. Savoir is the kind of knowing that we can give Al; conna\u00eetre, that familiarity with red, comes from somewhere else.\u201d<a href=\"#_edn4\" name=\"_ednref4\">[4]<\/a> More eloquently, she identifies that there is a difference \u201cbetween knowing everything there is to know objectively about Michelangelo, versus knowing what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.\u201d<a href=\"#_edn5\" name=\"_ednref5\">[5]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Poole draws from theology, philosophy, and technology and offers a comprehensive examination of AI\u2019s nature, though somewhat laborious at times. Her background, with degrees in theology and an MBA, along with experience in business management and consulting, enriches her analysis, although chapter summaries would make the book more accessible to a wider readership. While she does not explicitly argue that AI currently has consciousness, she acknowledges the complexity of determining whether AI can possess consciousness, given that much of what we consider \u201cconsciousness\u201d is difficult to measure or verify, even in humans.<\/p>\n<p>Poole\u2019s scepticism about AI truly possessing the subjective, intrinsic nature of consciousness, which is a hallmark of human experience, is reinforced by the ethical and philosophical challenges posed by the potential of AI appearing conscious, regardless of whether it genuinely is. Any application of AI possessing a form of \u2018soul\u2019 through the integration of human-like traits challenges the deeply religious, indeed biblical concept of a soul.<\/p>\n<p>In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the Bible says, \u201cMay your whole body, soul, and spirit be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d This passage uses intriguing Greek terminology to describe the three distinct components of our being. The term for \u201cbody\u201d is <em>soma<\/em>, referring to the physical part of us. The word for \u201csoul\u201d is <em>psyche<\/em>, which connects to Genesis 2:7, where \u201cman became a living soul.\u201d Biblically, the soul encompasses our will and emotions, often referred to as the \u201cheart.\u201d Proverbs 4:23 emphasises the soul\u2019s significance: \u201cAbove all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it\u201d (KJV). Yet, the Bible also warns of the soul\u2019s limitations. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, \u201cThe <em>natural<\/em> (<em>psuchikos<\/em>\u2014soulish) man cannot receive the things of God because they require spiritual discernment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The third component, the \u201cspirit,\u201d is referred to as pneuma in Greek. This is the part of us that connects directly with God. Numbers 16:22 speaks of God as \u201cthe God of the spirits of all flesh,\u201d highlighting this divine connection. Hebrews 4:12 reveals the transformative power of Scripture in addressing the soul and spirit: \u201cThe word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart\u201d (NIV). While salvation renews our spirit, the bible indicates that our soul, our mind, will, and emotions remain on a journey of sanctification. Romans 7:14\u201325 illustrates the inner struggle as our soul often drags us down and holds us back from living fully in the Spirit.<\/p>\n<p>This is why the Word of God is so powerful. It cuts through the confusion and messiness of our soul, helping us discern what is of God and what needs transformation. It separates soul and spirit, exposing the thoughts and attitudes of the heart and aligning us with God\u2019s will. As we allow Scripture to work in us, it renews our minds, aligns our will, and restores our emotions, bringing our whole being\u2014body, soul, and spirit\u2014closer to blamelessness in Christ.<\/p>\n<p>The question, \u201cDo dogs go to heaven?\u201d evokes deep emotional and theological considerations about the nature of souls and eternal life, particularly for Milo. While the Bible offers little direct commentary on this topic, much of the debate centres around whether animals possess eternal spirits akin to humans. Eve Poole\u2019s exploration of AI in Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity does provide an intriguing parallel. Poole\u2019s examination of whether AI, through consciousness such as emotions and intuition, could be considered as having personhood connects the discussion about animals and the afterlife, raising questions about what defines a soul, consciousness, and relational connection to God.<\/p>\n<p>Summarily, the soul (psyche) is understood as encompassing will and emotions\u2014the essence of human personality\u2014and is distinct from the spirit (pneuma), the part that connects directly with God. While the human spirit is renewed through salvation, the soul continues a journey of transformation. This distinction is critical in theological considerations of eternal life. Poole\u2019s observations about the limits of AI\u2019s consciousness\u2014its inability to experience subjective realities or possess intrinsic awareness\u2014mirror the theological question of whether animals, despite their capacity for relational and emotional bonds, share in this spiritual connection. Ultimately, the question reflects broader discussions about the nature of being, consciousness, and eternity, inviting both theological reflection and personal hope.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Milo is a gift, a reflection of God\u2019s creativity and care. Whether or not he will join me in heaven, his presence reminds me of the goodness of creation. And while I may never have a definitive answer to the question, I find comfort in trusting a God who promises to make all things new. Whether contemplating the future of AI or the eternal fate of our beloved pets, these questions invite us to marvel at the mystery of life and the beauty of relationships. And perhaps that wonder itself is a glimpse of the divine.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[1]<\/a> Poole, Eve. 2024. <em>Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity.<\/em> London: CRC Press.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">[2]<\/a> Ibid, 47.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">[3]<\/a> Ibid, 73.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">[4]<\/a> Ibid, 70.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">[5]<\/a> Ibid, 44.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have a Shorkie (pictured). His name is Milo. He is two and is a cross between a Shitzu and a Yorkshire terrier (Yorkie). He follows me everywhere, and I love him. In our weekly doctoral Zoom calls, you will see him sleeping in my reading chair behind me. If you have a dog, you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":191,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3406],"class_list":["post-40203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp03-poole-robotsouls","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/191"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40203"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40205,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40203\/revisions\/40205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}