During a lecture with Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon, amidst various religious leaders and participants, Prime Minister Mike Eman expressed his gratitude that the Archbishop accepted the invitation to share the Catholic Church’s moral reflection on Artificial Intelligence. In his introduction, Eman stated that the world is searching for meaning and direction in a time where technology is advancing rapidly. According to the Prime Minister, it is precisely in this context that it is important to have a moral compass to guide the decisions we make as a society. The talk took place on Friday morning at Cas Veneranda.
Eman explained that the Church’s moral reflection on this topic is not new; it has its roots in Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, which responded to the major changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. While that revolution created economic progress, it also brought serious problems such as child labor, inhumane working conditions, and a lack of respect for human dignity. For this reason, the Church and governments began to formulate ethical principles to protect people. During his speech, Eman referred to the philosopher Martin Buber and his concept of “I and It,” where a relationship can remain merely functional and transactional. As an example, he mentioned the relationship between a tourist and a taxi driver, which can evolve from a simple transport service into a true friendship when people get to know each other, understand one another, and create a human connection.
He also mentioned the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas and his concept of “The Other,” emphasizing that a healthy society must view the other person as someone who has dignity, desires, and aspirations of their own. According to Eman, technology must not make us lose the ability to understand others or create distance between people.
The Prime Minister pointed out that, precisely because of rapid technological developments, the Government of Aruba has adopted the common good (the common good) as one of the principles guiding its public policy. He indicated that this concept cannot survive without a strong moral foundation, built by families, communities, churches, and other social institutions.
At the end of his introduction, Eman recounted how a previous meeting with Archbishop Gordon resulted in a dialogue about the common good. When he read the new encyclical on Artificial Intelligence, he saw the perfect opportunity to invite the Archbishop to Aruba and share this reflection with leaders and representatives from different sectors of our community.
He thanked Archbishop Gordon for his presence, as well as those who helped make the meeting possible, expressing his hope that the lecture would contribute to a deep dialogue on how technology can continue to serve humanity while always respecting human dignity and the common good.
