What are we?
Mike Alsford addresses this primal question in the second chapter of his book What if? Religious Themes in Science Fiction. Alsford notes the root of human inquiry reflect questions concerning the nature of humanity, regardless of the field of study. The sciences, arts and even theology present an ongoing odyssey to examine what it means to be human.
The human condition is the focal point; theologians ponder the human relationship with God while science fiction is less concerned about the future and technology as it is about contemplating this primal question: ‘What are we?’ Alsford argues the most advantageous means for understanding involves analyzing the perspective on the human condition within a multitude of contexts.
Science fiction opens the door for exploration of human identity and the human condition beyond the orthodox views of Christian theology. Alsford analyzes both science fiction and Christian theology through anthropological discourses. Anthropology, the study of humankind, examines the development of human societies and culture. Science fiction writers are less concerned about “hard science” and focus more on the principles of anthropology (Alsford 28). Anthropology asks critical questions related to science fiction and religion, questions inquiring what it means to be human or what elements can be taken away to retain humanity.
The Christian tradition accepts the belief of a normative form of human being, which includes the doctrine of creation and/or salvation (31). To contrast the normative form of human being Alsford declares, “If we are too specific we run the risk of limiting our potential; if we are not specific enough we are just as likely to lose any sense of focus and individual significance” (31). Insights into the human condition derived from science fiction are more susceptible to individual interpretation. Alsford highlights these distinctions to illustrate how they influence perspective on the human condition.
However, there are a variety of ways in which human being could be perceived, and Alsford portrays these understandings into four adopted categories:
subject
agent
contingent
social
Human Being as “Subject”
Human being as “subject” emphasizes the human ego and mind, an innate “essence.” Alsford relates this perspective to theology by noting, “God is said to have created a particular kind of being, in his/her image. Sin is seen as a deviation from this and redemption is seen as restoration to it. However, what it is that actually constitutes this essence remains at issue” (34). Alsford illustrates the complexity of this essence with Rene Descartes, a seventeenth century philosopher and mathematician, who doubted all that he couldn’t be certain of in search of a clear and certain knowledge; this quest lead him to the conclusion: “…while I decided thus to think that everything was false, it followed necessarily that I who thought thus must be something; and observing that this: I think, therefore I am” (33). This perspective of human being as an essence paves way for existentialists to make their claim for human being as agent.
Human Being as “Agent”
Existentialists argue “existence precedes essence,” and choice is the significant factor permitting humans to be “becomings,” which takes the position of human being as “agent.” Applying this view to theology, Alford points out, “Some theologians have picked up the language of Genesis about the ‘image’ and ‘likeness’ of God and have suggested that being in the ‘image’ of God refers to our potential, our destiny. The ‘likeness’ is the fulfillment of that potential which we are moving towards” (37). Alsford further demonstrates human being as a “becoming” process with the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode entitled The Masterpiece Society; Captain Picard poses the question, “Is it not choice, the capacity to learn from our mistakes, the mystery and excitement of defining ourselves that, at least in part, makes us human?” (40). Human being as agent is more independent based on the individual, whereas human being as contingent yields a more dependent perspective.
Human Being as “Contingent”
Human being as “contingent” is the behaviorist perspective that human being is a biochemical organism depends on the context and environment of the being. Alford notes, “Throughout the Bible the people of God are constantly being told to set themselves apart as a holy people, to establish sacred communities and to ‘be in the world but not of it’” (43). B.F. Skinner affirms in his books Beyond Freedom and Dignity and Walden 2 that humans are mere animals determined by their conditioning; modify their environment and create a new type of human being (42-43). Human being as a contingent is a dependent perspective based on context and environment, but human being as social is dependent relational factors.
Human Being as “Social/Relational”
Human being as “social” or “relational” views “human being as something that happens between rather than in or to individuals” (44). Theologian Karl Barth proclaims that an isolated human being is not human at all in a very real sense; human being is always in relation with its creator regardless if one knows it or not. Theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg argues it is part of the human condition to be “exocentric,” open to that which is beyond us, opposed to “egocentric,” which is the tendency towards isolation and self-centeredness (45). Alsford further examines human being relationships with others/aliens and warns that overemphasizing relationality could lead to the loss of individual identity (47). The social perspective of human being appeals to theologians focusing on the human relationship with God or a creator, but science fiction writers also find value in this perspective considering science fiction concerns itself with issues pertaining to the core of theology.
Alford concludes theology, philosophy and science fiction provide a common ground to assist answering such a loaded question: ‘What are we?’ Theological considerations of SF is advantageous because SF concerns itself with similar issues pertaining to theology. These fundamental, shared inquires include identity, origin and destiny of the human species, the human condition in general. SF helps elevate the traditional questions of theology to gain a different, imaginative perspective (47).
Work Cited:
Alsford, Mike. What if? Religious Themes in Science Fiction. London: Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd, 2000. 26-48. Print.
Originally published Feb. 18, 2014.
