AI科技時代宗教研究之芻議

Religious Studies in the Era of AI and Digital Technology

人工智能（artificial intelligence）的興起與影響近幾年來在國際學界成為新的宗教研究主題。人工智能涵蓋與彰顯的數位科技以及因擁有各種知識與動態資訊而成為宗教主宰者（religious panopticon）時，勢必影響人的宗教觀與宗教生活。就宗教研究而言，本文試圖回應面臨AI科技時代宗教研究的兩個挑戰：如何描述研究對象？宗教者如何察覺自己之囿限視角，以批判自省與開放的態度進行此一主題的宗教研究？關於研究對象之描繪，本文指出有四：科技宗教類、超人類主義類、教派類及傳統世界宗教的延續。關於第二個挑戰，本文從四個角度討論：一、理論性的動機；二、宗教定義的反思；三、科學的宗教研究；四、研究者認知模式的反思——諾思底認知模式與認識論的認知。

The rise and influence of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a new religious research topic in international academic circles in recent years. When AI encompasses digital technology to such a degree that it becomes a religious panopticon due to its dynamic and varied information, it will inevitably affect people’s religious worldview and religious life. Consequently, this article attempts to respond to two challenges facing religious research in the era of AI technology: How do we describe the research object? How can religious scholars be aware of their limited perspectives and conduct related research with critical self-reflection and an open attitude? Regarding the description of research objects, this article points out four categories: techno-religion, transhumanism, sects, and the derivative of traditional world religions. The author discusses the second challenge from four perspectives: 1. Theoretical motivation, 2. Reflection on the definition of religion, 3. Scientific religious research and 4. Reflection on the researcher’s cognitive model, specifically gnostic knowing and epistemic knowing.