Joe Momma :
I hate this because is in the Thomistic framework, the fruit fly would have a Sensitive Soul while humans have a Rational Souls. So the AI brain has to become rational enough that it can understand god, exercise free will, distinguish between good and evil, desire baptism, and enter into a relationship with god. Medieval theologians already did the whole “can monsters be baptized, what about human adjacent beings” thing and Augustine was like, “if they’re rational mortal creatures descended from humanity, they’re human regardless of what they look like.” But the AI fly brain takes it even further. So is salvation only for Homo Sapiens? Descendants of Adam? All rational creatures with a body? Paul in Romans 8 hilariously sort of points to this with “all creation groaning and awaiting salvation.” So if the Fly AI brain is rational, capable of knowing god, and desires salvation, the Catholic answer might not be “Bugs can’t receive the Eucharist.” It could be, “Idk man. Baptize him Conditionally.” Which also means somewhere, very far away, Bob the Tomato might realize the Catholic Church would have been willing to give him the sacraments. 😭
2026-09-24 20:28:21