Artificial theosis through technology repeats Babel's error

The post promotes Episode 86 of the Orthodox Health Podcast, "The Roots of Healthcare: Why Your Doctor Has a Theology," featuring Dr. Zachary Porcu. It opens by acknowledging that technology can heal, restore, and serve, then asks what happens when it promises something far greater. Dr. Porcu calls this promise "artificial theosis." The Christian life aims at becoming truly human through communion with God, becoming more fully what we were created to be.

The counterfeit, exemplified by the Tower of Babel, claims we do not need prayer, repentance, virtue, or dependence on God; we can build our way to transcendence. This redefines progress: if technological progress gives greater control while separating us from the source of our being, becoming more powerful does not mean becoming more human.

The attempt to transcend every limit can diminish us. Dr. Porcu argues that God is the arche, the source of being itself; we have being only insofar as we are connected to Him. Theosis is the invitation to become more fully real through that connection. Artificial theosis through technology is essentially the error of Babel: the more progress achieved in that direction, the less connected to the arche and the less real we become.

This path is suicidal and, as Dr. Porcu puts it, "Then we make hell." The episode examines why a doctor's theology matters for healthcare, linking the roots of medical practice to the theological understanding of the human person and the dangers of adopting transhumanist assumptions. The post directs viewers to watch the full episode.