Dawid Gospodarek (KAI): This year, the series of debates “ProTempore. Science Dialogue” will take place in a new form, in secular universities and with public participation. The first meeting will be held at the Ecole Polytechnique, which is hardly associated with philosophical considerations, even less theological ones. Please tell me more about this initiative.

Prof. Prof. Krzysztof Pawlina: The idea of ​​interdisciplinary discussions was born in the new mandate of the Committee for Theological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences. It was a time of pandemic. That’s why we conducted our debates in the studio and they were broadcast online. Today, the situation has changed, but the idea itself is also maturing.

The main idea behind the ProTempore cycle. The dialogue of science – for that is the slogan of everything that happens – is a conversation of various representatives of science with theologians. We call them interdisciplinary debates, and we really want theologians to hear what other disciplines have to say about man, about the world – just about the universe.

This year we leave the studio and go to the universities of Warsaw to talk, listen, propose, help each other together.

KAI: When you read medieval theologians, for example Master Thomas Aquinas, you can see that he fearlessly sought the achievements of other sciences, even the writings of pagans. Moreover, he was able to draw inspiration from it in his theological reflections. Today, theologians are also encouraged to learn from and study the accompanying teachings. Nevertheless, we can sometimes see resistance, perhaps fear, especially in anthropology, in psychology, but also, for example, in the field of technology and computing. Do theologians really need “secular” teachings today? Are the fears of entering into dialogue with them justified?

– Theology has two tasks of service. The first is a scientific reflection that would be useful to pastors in their ministry. And that’s probably what we do. The second is a service rendered to the sciences, which by nature do not always perceive the transcendent elements of our life. This sphere is a bit neglected. There are probably several reasons. One of them is the fear of representatives of various sciences that the Church wants to evangelize them. However, it is necessary to distinguish the pastoral function of the Church from the practice of theology as a science.

We want to be among those who practice science, to listen to them and to dialogue with them. Also, have suggestions that may be useful to other scientific disciplines. This requires a certain form of courage and respect for different positions, opinions or judgments.

My experiences of cooperation with the two universities in Warsaw and the committees of the Polish Academy of Sciences are very positive. Some are curious to know what theology says on certain subjects. And yet theology in Poland has great specialists. Perhaps we are a little behind and that is why theology is treated among the sciences not as a regular, but as a guest.

The recent meeting of the Theological Sciences Committee with an expert in computer science and computer science on artificial intelligence showed that we are not invited. We are at home. We practice science, we lead the dialogue. We need each other.

KAI: What, for example, does theology have to say to other sciences?

– We observe extraordinary technological development, we reach other planets, we admire artificial intelligence. On the one hand, we are so big and innovative, and on the other hand, we often don’t know how to live wisely and enjoy what we have every day. A great art is the ability to live and work wisely, which must go beyond the time dimension. If someone doesn’t believe in God, don’t just believe in himself.

KAI: Back to the discussion at École polytechnique – what do philosophy and theology have in relation to technology? And does technology need such humanistic thinking?

– I am grateful to such a noble university as Warsaw University of Technology for opening its doors to interdisciplinary discussion.

The question may indeed arise, what does technology have to do with theology? Well, both areas are at the service of man. Today, technological development often determines the way of life, but also the way people perceive themselves. The question arises whether man – the creator of many wonderful technological things – does not become the servant of his products.

Theology and philosophy want to remind or make people aware that man is not a machine, that there is also a spiritual sphere within him. This discussion is to help us establish a small hierarchy of values ​​in our vision of technological novelties that become “godhood” over time. How not to be a slave to equipment, machines, gadgets?

The title of our meeting is “Threats to the development of technology for humans” – I invite you to participate in this debate on October 26 at 7:00 p.m. Not just online, but I invite you to come to Warsaw University of Technology to enrich this event with your thinking.

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The meeting will be attended by: prof. dr hab. Eng. Krzysztof Zaremba, rector of the Warsaw University of Technology, Fr. dr hab. Marek Dobrzeniecki, the Catholic Academy in Warsaw and Father Dr. Janusz Pyda OP, the Institute of Thomology in Warsaw and the Catholic Academy in Warsaw. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the building of the Warsaw University of Technology (Mała Aula, Main Building of the Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1).

The series of debates pro tempore – dialogue of sciences is organized by the Catholic Academy of Warsaw and the Committee of Theological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences.