Deus Machinae: Who Worships the Machine God?

Technological development presents a hopeful narrative for scientists and futurologists like James Lovelock and Ray Kurzweil. The story revolves around the concept of Homo Deus and the potential development of an omniscient super machine capable of eradicating all earthly problems permanently. Technology is supposed to help man to rid himself of his fragility and his transgressions, whether by becoming one with the machine or by utilizing modern biotechnologies that are supposed to give him eternal life. The life path of human civilization thus seems to lead to an Elysium of data flow. If man's salvation is now to be found in technology, can we conclude that technology is the dominant religion of our time? This lecture will take a religious-scientific look at the futuristic beliefs of the digital age.