ITEST Webinar: Can AI Have a Soul? What Theology, Psychiatry, and Science Fiction Say (February 7, 2026)

Robert Kurland, Ph.D.
Can AI Have a Soul? What Science Fiction Says

Dr. Robert Kurland, a convert to Catholicism in 1995, is a retired physicist who has applied magnetic resonance to problems of biological interest in his research (web search: “Kurland-McGarvey Equation”). Dr. Kurland is a graduate of Caltech (BS, 1951, “with honor”) and Harvard (PhD, 1956). His scientific career at Carnegie-Mellon, SUNY/AB, Cleveland Clinic, Geisinger Medical Center, has focused on biological applications of magnetic resonance, including MRI. Since his conversion to Catholicism, he has tried to spread the message that there’s no war between Catholic teaching and science.

Abstract

Much before AI tools became available, science fiction stories had shown how it might be manifested in computers, robots, and humanoid androids. As with other Speculative Fiction (Tolkien, C.S. Lewis) one takes the contrapositive beings and situations in such tales not as possible reality, but as parables illustrating the human condition. Three stories will be discussed:

1. “Deus X” in which human consciousness can be transplanted to computers as life after death
2. “The Measure of a Man—Star Trek, Next Generation,” a trial to determine whether the android Data is more than a machine
3. “Our Lady of the Artifacts,” a novel in which an android with superhuman capabilities is possessed by a devil

Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.
Why AI Can’t Have a Soul: The Transphysical Paradox

For more on Magis AI, see https://wcatradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MagisAI.pdf

Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. is President of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith (magiscenter.com), one of the largest science, faith, and reason apologetics institutes in the world. He was President of Gonzaga University from 1998 to 2009, where he increased the student body by 75%, oversaw the construction of 20 new facilities, and raised $200+ million for scholarships and buildings. He is the author of nineteen books, including the award-winning books New Proofs for the Existence of God and Science, Reason, and Faith: Discovering the Bible. He has also authored many scholarly articles on faith and science, metaphysics, and happiness and ethics. Father Spitzer has his own weekly EWTN television show called Fr. Spitzer’s Universe. He has appeared on the Larry King Show (in discussion with Stephen Hawking and Deepak Chopra), the History Channel, the Today Show, and a PBS series. He started seven institutes dedicated to faith and reason and happiness/purpose in life. He was a professor at Georgetown University, Seattle University, and Gonzaga University and was awarded the teaching medal at both Georgetown University and Seattle University. He has held two major academic chairs—the Frank Shrontz Endowed Chair in Professional Ethics (Seattle University) and the John L. Aram Chair of Business Ethics (Gonzaga University), and has won multiple academic and professional awards including the DeSmet Medal (Gonzaga University’s highest award), the Aquinas Medal (for Catholic philosophical scholarship), honorary doctorates, Phi Beta Kappa (honorary), and professional society awards.

Abstract

The human soul performs five functions that cannot be reduced to physical processes and structures: (1) Self-consciousness, (2) Abstract intellection through conceptual ideas, (3) Conscience and moral awareness, (4) Transcendental awareness, and (5) Spiritual-numinous awareness. Since AI is reducible, and will always be reducible to physical processes and structures, AI will not replace a human soul – or be like a human soul.