On Creation and Computer Science: Reflection on Faith and Learning

1. Examine the accounts of creation in Genesis 1~3 and reflect on what you have learned about programming and computer science this semester. There are interesting analogies between the process of design and implementation of computer programs and the process of creation and redemption. The following are some examples.

• Shaping the behavior of programs (Genesis 1:1-2:1; 3:1-3:24): When the program eventually behaves as we have planned and implemented, we feel it is good and enjoy it very much. In the process of creation, God said it was good when each stage was well done. In programming, we may encounter pitfalls in the process of the design and implementation of a computer program and the program may not behave properly as we like to see. We call these things bugs and have a debugging process to locate these bugs and to correct the pitfalls to make it function well, which reminds us of sins, the downfall of human beings, and God’s plan of redemption.

• In the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27): God created man and woman in the image of God. As we have seen in the computer science showcases this semester, computer scientists have been developing and incorporating algorithms and mathematical models into computer software so that computers can artificially mimic certain human intelligence such as playing games intelligently, conducting automatic reasoning, speech recognition, natural language understanding, and computer vision. It looks like humans are trying to create machines bearing some similarity to humans or to an extreme as depicted in Stanley Kubrick’s famous movie “2001: a space odyssey” creating something in the image of humans. It can lead to interesting thoughts about the brain-body relationship, the soul-body relationship, and the software-hardware relationship. (For example, you can find some sample students comments quoted here: 1, 2.)

2. Read this page on Integration of Faith and Learning in Computer Science on the Biola computer science program website and spend at least 20 minutes in reflection and prayer to give thanks and appreciate the intellectual capacities as gifts we receive from God.

3. Put down at least 600 words in your progress report regarding the thoughts and or comments you have in the refection process. You should describe your perspectives of (i) similarity between the process of creation and redemption described in Genesis and the process of design and implementation of computer programs you have experienced this semester, (ii) similarity between the creativity of God (the creator described in Genesis) and that of computer programmers, (the creator described in Genesis) and that of computer programmers, (iii) similarity between the description of what God felt as enjoyment the harmony and beauty of the good world created in the beginning and what you feel about your programs when they finally work nicely to do good after your careful planning and implementation, and (iv) similarity between bugs (or viruses), and sins and between debugging (or anti-virus operations), and redemption. (v) Describe a few things that you want to accomplish (or want to avoid) in the future in your career to bring your impact to the society based on your perspectives above.