Science and Religion in India: Beyond Disenchantment

against human ones. Starting with the “robot as slave metaphor” (12), Smith explores the relationship between robots, racism, and theology in chapter six. He notes that robots are “ultimate mirrors that reflect the depravity of the human heart” (156) and therefore could never be free of racial biases or overcome oppression. Nevertheless, the author maintains hope that robots will, first, create a new consciousness for oppression and thus contribute to the overcoming of repressive structures, second, that historical experience will prevent humans from creating sentient robot slaves. In thefinal chapter, Smith leaves the discourseon robot ethics andaskshowrobots can be integrated into current and futureministry.Hepointsout thedangers of replacinghumanpastors and caregivers altogether with robots. Nevertheless, Smith identifies some possibilities to deploy robots in church. For example, robots could be used to prevent abuses of power in church contexts, both financial and sexual. Furthermore, he considers that robots could become “pastor’s friend” and assist and support them in their sometimes “lonely and weary job” (169). In order to make reading the book as enjoyable as possible and to gain the most insights from it, it is important to have the right expectations. First of all, most of the arguments Smith presents on ethical issues concerning robots already exist in more elaborate form within the discourse on robot ethics. Second, the way Smith presents his arguments is not always as “systematic” as promised in the introduction. Occasionally, the author’s references to theological motifs or biblical passages are quite associative, in some places the common thread of the book’s overall argument is difficult to find, and in some places the book seems to take contradictory positions—for example, what is the author’s position on anthropocentrism? Consequently, one should not expect the book to work through all the problems of robot ethics in detail and solve them with elaborate systematic and methodological finesse. The great benefit of the book is that Smith takes an explicitly Christian perspective on familiar ethical issues surrounding robots and uses biblical as well as systematic motifs to reformulate existing arguments theologically. Easy to understand and suitable for beginners with no prior knowledge in either field, Smith thus helps to bring theology and robot ethics closer together and bridge two disciplines that—up to now—had little to do with each other. With this expectation in mind, the book can be read with great pleasure and benefit and can enrich the discourse around robot ethics with theological impulses as well as, conversely, provide theology with new media for reflecting its old questions.