Jennifer J. Cobb, a Union Theological Seminary graduate and a communications consultant in the high tech industry for 15 years, has written a visionary work. Using the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead, the theology of Teilhard de Chardin, and the philosophy of Ken Wilber, she examines cyberspace as a vehicle for "a new level of evolutionary activity fueled by spirit." Cobb regards Deep Blue's chess victory over Gary Kasparov as proof that computers are now able to transcend their mathematical foundation of bits and bytes, 0s and 1s. Instead of hauling out all the negative aspects of digital technology, she accentuates the positive.
"Cyberspace offers us a new palette on which to manifest the life-enhancing values that move us toward ever greater richness of experience — love, connection, justice, empathy, care, equality, and responsibility." Cobb suggests we anthropomorphize our computers, assigning them thoughts, feelings, and even souls. She goes on to offer five guidelines for the use of cyberspace: pursue connection, foster diversity, be understood in context, be driven by clear intention, and nurture creativity. Under the rubric of process theology, she concludes, "The events that comprise cyberspace are an aspect of the larger force of the divine that manifests in the physical world as creative process unfolding in time."
